Ailie Gallant Explained

Nationality:	Australian
Education:	Monash University
Occupation:	Scientist
Employer:	Monash University
Known For:	Drought research
Website:	http://www.ailiegallant.com/.html

Ailie Gallant is an Australian climate scientist and expert in drought and precipitation variability research. She was awarded the Dorothy Hill Medal by the Australian Academy of Science in 2024, experience in science communication.

Career

Much of Gallant's education and research involves climate variability and climate extremes of the Southern Hemisphere. She has focussed on climate extremes including drought, extreme heat and heavy rainfall.^{[1] [2]}

Gallant worked at the University of Melbourne, and in 2024 was an associate professor at Monash University,^[3] and the Monash Node Lead of the National Environmental Science Program Climate Systems Hub. Gallant is a Chief Investigator of the ARC Centre of Excellence of 21st Century Weather.^{[4] [5]}

Education

Gallant received an honours degree from Monash University, and in 2009, she received a PhD for her thesis titled "Trends in extremes of the Australian Climate", also from Monash. She worked at the University of Melbourne (2009–2011) and University of Washington (2011–2012) in post-doctoral positions.

Publications

• 2016 – Gallant, A. J. E. and S. C. Lewis: Stochastic and anthropogenic influences on repeated record-breaking temperature extremes in Australian spring of 2013 and 2014. Geophysical Research Letters, doi: 10.1002/2016GL067740.^[6]
• 2014 – Ding, Q., Wallace, J., Battisti, D. et al. Tropical forcing of the recent rapid Arctic warming in northeastern Canada and Greenland. Nature 509, 209–212 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1038/nature13260.^[7]

Media

Gallant has been in the media regularly, including on the ABC radio, and The Conversation, discussing cyclones, weather,^[8] El Nino,^[9] climate action,^[10] climate change and mental health,^[11] and other climate related topics.^{[12] [13] [14] [15] [16]}

Gallant has over 15 articles in The Conversation include topics including passing 1.5 degrees,^[17] flash droughts,^[18] poor health resulting from climate change,^[19] weather records,^[20] and humidity in cities like Brisbane.^[21]

Awards

• 2024 – Dorothy Hill Medal from the Australian Academy of Science.
• 2015 – Victorian Tall Poppy Award for excellence in science communication.
• 2014 – ARC DECRA for ‘Rethinking Australian drought risk, its long-term variability and processes’.
• 2014 – Eureka Prize for Excellence in Interdisciplinary Scientific Research. Team prize.
• 2007 – Best Student Paper at 14th national Conference of the Australian Meteorological and Oceanographic Society.^[22]

Notes and References

1. Web site: Ailie Gallant . 2024-04-10 . STEM Women . en.
2. Web site: Think Tank 2014 - Early- and mid-career researcher participants Australian Academy of Science . 2024-04-10 . www.science.org.au . en.
3. Web site: ORCID . 2024-04-10 . orcid.org.
4. Web site: » Ailie Gallant . 2024-04-10 . ARC Centre of Excellence for 21st Century Weather . en-US.
5. Web site: Ailie Gallant – Climate Feedback . 2024-04-10 . en-US.
6. Gallant . Ailie J. E. . Lewis . Sophie C. . 2016-03-16 . Stochastic and anthropogenic influences on repeated record-breaking temperature extremes in Australian spring of 2013 and 2014 . Geophysical Research Letters . en . 43 . 5 . 2182–2191 . 10.1002/2016GL067740 . 0094-8276.
7. Ding . Qinghua . Wallace . John M. . Battisti . David S. . Steig . Eric J. . Gallant . Ailie J. E. . Kim . Hyung-Jin . Geng . Lei . 2014 . Tropical forcing of the recent rapid Arctic warming in northeastern Canada and Greenland . Nature . en . 509 . 7499 . 209–212 . 10.1038/nature13260 . 24805345 . 1476-4687.
8. Web site: 2022-11-01 . Melbourne spring surprise: it's officially our wettest October on record . 2024-04-10 . ABC listen . en-AU.
9. News: 2023-07-15 . Extreme weather has lashed the world already this year — and it could be just the start . 2024-04-10 . ABC News . en-AU.
10. Web site: ABC - Climate comms . .
11. Web site: 2015-10-07 . Climate change and mental health . 2024-04-10 . ABC listen . en-AU.
12. Web site: ABC Listen . 2024-04-10 . www.abc.net.au.
13. News: ABC news - science show .
14. News: ABC radio national .
15. Web site: 2014-08-04 . Less chance of an El Nino . 2024-04-10 . ABC Radio National . en-AU.
16. News: Antartica .
17. Web site: Gallant . Ailie . Reid . Kimberley . 2023-09-13 . We just blew past 1.5 degrees. Game over on climate? Not yet . 2024-04-10 . The Conversation . en-US.
18. Web site: Gallant . Ailie . Parker . Tess . 2021-06-03 . 'Flash droughts' can dry out soil in weeks. New research shows what they look like in Australia . 2024-04-10 . The Conversation . en-US.
19. Web site: Whitmore . James . Hopkin . Michael . 2015-04-29 . Adapt now to prevent poor health from climate change: report . 2024-04-10 . The Conversation . en-US.
20. Web site: Gallant . Ailie . 2015-01-28 . Bureau's weather records to be reviewed again – sure, why not? . 2024-04-10 . The Conversation . en-US.
21. Web site: Gallant . Ailie . Jacobs . Stephanie . 2015-01-05 . Bad luck, Brisbane: muggy cities will feel future heat even more . 2024-04-10 . The Conversation . en-US.
22. Web site: Prizes .