AMOS Fellows 2026
| Congratulations to our new AMOS Fellows for 2026! |
Prof Nerilie Abram
| Professor Nerilie Abram is an internationally recognised climate and Antarctic scientist whose research has reshaped understanding of tropical variability and Antarctic change. She is Chief Scientist of the Australian Antarctic Program and an Honorary Professor at the Australian National University. Professor Abram’s work uses coral and ice-core records to reconstruct past climate, providing long-term context for modern changes. Her pioneering reconstructions of the Indian Ocean Dipole and the Southern Annular Mode revealed dramatic shifts in Southern Hemisphere variability, with direct implications for drought, wildfire risk and Antarctic environmental change. She has led large interdisciplinary syntheses — including work on the onset of industrial-era warming and on abrupt Antarctic changes — and has played senior roles in IPCC assessments (including Coordinating Lead Author duties). Her research appears in high-impact journals (Science, Nature family journals) and is widely cited in international assessments. Elected a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science in 2024, Professor Abram is also noted for extensive science-policy engagement and for translating evidence into decision-making for government and international fora. Her combination of disciplinary excellence, leadership and public engagement exemplifies the standards of an AMOS Fellow. |
Dr Mike Couglan
| Dr Mike Coughlan is a highly distinguished Australian meteorologist whose career spans more than four decades of leadership in operational meteorology, climate science and international coordination. Now retired, he made foundational contributions to Australian and global climate programs through senior roles at the Bureau of Meteorology, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), NOAA and the international CLIVAR program. Dr Coughlan holds an MSc in Meteorology from the University of Reading and a PhD in Meteorology and Applied Mathematics from Monash University. His career began in operational forecasting before expanding into national and international leadership roles. He played a central role in establishing Australia’s early seasonal climate outlook capability and in strengthening climate monitoring and analysis at the Bureau of Meteorology. Internationally, he served as Director of the International CLIVAR Project Office and later as Director of the World Climate Programme at WMO, helping to coordinate major global climate research, observing and services initiatives. Throughout his career, Dr Coughlan contributed extensively to capacity building, program design and international collaboration underpinning modern climate science and services. He has also been a long-standing supporter of AMOS and its predecessor societies, serving in leadership and committee roles and contributing generously to conferences and community activities. Dr Coughlan’s sustained impact on meteorology and climate science, nationally and internationally, exemplifies the highest standards of service recognised by AMOS Fellowship. |
Dr Angela Maharaj
| Dr Angela Maharaj is an atmospheric scientist, educator and policy leader whose career spans university research and national climate policy. She holds a PhD in Atmospheric Science (Macquarie University) and has worked across academia and government for nearly two decades. Dr Maharaj’s research covers climate variability, ocean–atmosphere interactions, urban climatology and air-quality, and she led high-impact citizen-science and education initiatives (for example, the Schools Weather and Air Quality program, a Eureka Prize finalist). She served as AMOS President from 2020–2022, guiding the Society through the COVID-19 period and contributing to policy documents and international collaboration. She has held senior policy roles in the Australian Government contributing to the National Climate Risk Assessment and National Partnership for Climate Projections. As a university lecturer she has led curriculum and mentoring activities and participated in major international capacity-building efforts. Her sustained service to AMOS, combined with research, teaching and policy impact, underpins her election as an AMOS Fellow. |
A/Prof Andrea Taschetto
| Associate Professor Andrea Taschetto is a leading physical oceanographer and climate scientist whose research has significantly advanced knowledge of tropical ocean variability and teleconnections. She holds a PhD in Physical Oceanography (University of São Paulo) and has built a sustained record of research on ENSO diversity, Indian Ocean variability, inter-basin interactions and their impacts on Australian and South American climate. Her work has shown how different ENSO flavours alter rainfall teleconnections and how Indian Ocean variability can amplify droughts; several of her papers are highly cited and have direct applications in seasonal forecasting and agricultural planning. Andrea has published extensively in top journals, supervised numerous postgraduate students, and contributed service to AMOS through Council roles, editorial leadership of the Journal of Southern Hemisphere Earth Systems Science, conference organisation and convening sessions on tropical variability. She also led the substantial update to the classic Southern-Hemisphere reference, now being published as Meteorology and Climate of the Southern Hemisphere. Her research, mentoring and society service make her a model AMOS Fellow. |
Dr Andrew Watkins
| Dr Andrew Watkins is a senior climate services leader with a long record of translating climate science into operational services, decision-support and public communication. He earned his PhD (University of Melbourne) for work on Antarctic sea ice and high-latitude weather and climate, worked at the Bureau of Meteorology from 1999 to 2025, and is an Adjunct Professor (Practice) in the School of Earth, Atmosphere and Environment at Monash University. As the Head of Long-range Forecasts at the Bureau, Dr Watkins led the transformation of Australia’s long-range and seasonal outlook products, spearheaded user-focused sector services (including the Water & the Land portal) and expanded sub-seasonal to seasonal products and extreme predictions. He has provided high-level climate briefings to emergency services, governments and industry (including during the Millennium Drought and the 2019–20 Black Summer fires) and has been heavily involved in international climate service efforts via WMO bodies. From 2023 to 2025 he led the Delivery Team and was a Lead Author for Australia’s first National Climate Risk Assessment. An AMOS member since the early 1990s, Dr Watkins has also served AMOS as Editor and Editor-in-Chief of the AMOS Bulletin, was awarded the AMOS Gibbs Medal in 2022, and is widely recognised for public engagement and science communication. |
