Climate science
Explore the structure and dynamics of the Earth's climate system
Climate science explores the processes that change global, regional and local climates over time. It's a multidisciplinary area of study, which draws upon theory from a variety of domains including:
- climate
- oceanography
- atmospheric science
- ecosystems
- carbon cycle
- terrestrial processes
- climate impacts
- energy policy
- climate model evaluation
- palaeoclimatology
Studying climate science at UNSW
The UNSW Climate Change Research Centre, opens in a new window (CCRC) is one of the largest university research centres of its kind in Australia. The CCRC applies basic scientific principles to pressing questions on climate dynamics, global climate change, and extremes of weather and climate. The Centre has expertise in the key areas of the Earth's climate - atmospheric, oceanic and terrestrial processes.
- The CCRC's atmosphere research includes studies of large-scale dynamics, convection, radiation, climate feedbacks, and factors controlling precipitation changes and other meteorological impacts.
- The CCRC's oceanographic research focuses on the ocean's role in the climate system, including large-scale physical oceanography, coupled climate modes and regional ocean circulation, palaeoclimate dynamics, the ocean's thermohaline circulation, global biogeochemical cycles and climate changes in Earth’s past.
- On the land surface, the CCRC focuses on modelling terrestrial processes in climate models to develop our understanding of the effects of carbon dynamics, hydrology and vegetation processes on climate.
Scientists at the CCRC employ a variety of research tools including global and regional models of the atmosphere, ocean and land surface, coastal domain simulations and process models. The Centre also uses a great variety of data collected from satellites, ships, weather stations, eddy flux towers and aircraft from regions as diverse as the Great Barrier Reef, the tropics, urban surfaces, the Tasman Sea and Antarctica.
Through the CCRC, UNSW leads the ARC Centre of Excellence for Climate Extremes, opens in a new window, a multi-university initiative to advance fundamental climate sciences in Australia formed in 2017. Researchers at the CCRC are also associated with the International Universities Climate Alliance,, opens in a new window a UNSW initiative that brings the world's leading climate and environmental research universities together in a coalition of 48 member institutions, spanning every region on Earth.
Career opportunities in climate science
The need for students who understand environmentally relevant physical sciences has never been greater. Most researchers at the CCRC quantitatively study processes in the atmosphere, ocean, land surface or how they work together. There is a wide range of career opportunities available for graduates in these areas. To date, 100% of CCRC PhD graduates have secured full time employment shortly after graduating, if not before.
- In a research career, you could expect to work within the CSIRO, the Bureau of Meteorology, universities or government agencies internationally. Work could include the development and maintenance of ocean, atmosphere and climate models or use of these to understand and predict our future climate or tomorrow's weather.
- A more hands-on career could focus on the operational aspects of climate and environmental dynamics. Here, you might be involved in the collection of data and the interpretation of the variability of a system. This information could then be used to advise government agencies on environmental management issues. Agencies interested in these skills include Sydney Water, the NSW Office of Environment and Heritage, the CSIRO and the Australian Bureau of Meteorology.
- Finally, there is the decision-making or managerial path. Fisheries or oil companies require personnel trained in these areas to liaise with scientists to develop policies that require an understanding of the complex issues that surround the long-term preservation of our environment. Insurance companies need scientifically literate graduates in this area to assess the relative risks of weather-related events.
Environmental study areas
If you're passionate about the environment, studying science is a great way to have a meaningful impact through almost all disciplines. In addition to climate science, you might be interested in studying biology, opens in a new window, Earth science, opens in a new window, ecology,, opens in a new window environmental management, opens in a new window, geography, opens in a new window, marine & coastal science, opens in a new window or physical oceanography., opens in a new window