After initial qualifications and research in physics, maths and astrophysics, Bob held senior leadership positions in several large, complex and diversified organisations. This included General Manager positions in the private sector and Deputy Secretary level roles in the public sector (Australian Trade Commission), followed by several Deputy Commissioner positions with the Australian Taxation Office.

He has worked in and across a number of disciplines including strategy development, transformation and change management, policy development, large scale operational and program delivery, economics, finance, investment, marketing, information systems and operations research; and across a range of primary, energy, resource, manufacturing and service industries from both a private and public sector perspective.

He joined the Australian National University’s Climate Change Institute and Fenner School of Environment and Society as a Visiting Fellow in 2009/10 with a focus on sustainable development, climate change and urban development issues, and is now an Honorary Associate Professor with the ANU Institute for Climate, Energy and Disaster Solutions (ICEDS).

BSc (1st Class Hons, Physics, Kings College, London University); PhD (Astrophysics, Sydney University); MLitt (Political Science and International Relations, Australian National University).

Bob has long standing interest and experience in

• sustainable economic, social and environmental development
• complex systems and change drivers
• integrated policy development and implementation
• organisational governance and decision making
• stakeholder engagement, strategy development and transformational change.

Since joining the ANU his primary areas of focus have been climate change adaptation and mitigation, and sustainable urban development, with projects at the local, regional, national and international levels. These projects have involved synthesis and coordination across government, research and stakeholder interests, taking an integrated systems and trans-disciplinary approach.

He is also interested in the broader sustainable development agenda from both the scientific (e.g. earth systems science and planetary boundaries) and policy/practice perspectives (e.g. as co-leader of an Australian Academy of Science/ Future Earth Australia sustainable urban development initiative; pursuit of the UN Sustainable Development Goals; and integration across research and policy domains).