Dr Hamish Clarke joined the HIE as a Research Fellow in March 2016, in a joint position with the University of Wollongong. He is currently working with Dr Matthias Boer (HIE) and Prof. Ross Bradstock (University of Wollongong) on a BNHCRC funded project that examines the effectiveness of prescribed burning in reducing a range of risks across southern Australia.
Dr Clarke previously worked as Senior Climate and Atmospheric Scientist at the NSW Office of Environment and Heritage. His research focused on understanding the regional impacts of climate change, particularly on bushfire risk.
Dr Clarke completed his PhD in May 2015 at the Climate Change Research Centre, University of NSW (UNSW) under the supervision of Prof. Andy Pitman (UNSW) and Assoc. Prof Jason Evans (UNSW). His PhD research focused on the impact of climate change on bushfire weather conditions and fuel load.
Dr Clarke is co-convenor of Science at the Local, a community initiative bringing people and scientists together in the Blue Mountains.
He is a 2016 executive member of the Australian Academy of Science's Early- and Mid-Career Researcher Forum (EMCR Forum), which aims to be the voice of Australia's emerging scientists.
He is also a member of the IUCN Commission on Ecosystem Management and a Research Fellow of the Earth System Governance Project.
Dr Clarke is interested in the drivers of bushfire risk and the impacts of planned and unplanned fire. His research has to date focused on fire weather and fuel, climate change and prescribed burning. Dr Clarke is committed to public interest science and collaborative, multidisciplinary projects that engage clients from project conception to completion and beyond.