Persistent Digital Identifiers (UIDs)
ORCID :
0000-0003-1933-8258
Job Type
Research
Decision Making & Policy
Activities
I am the Chief Adviser, Science to the New Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment (PCE) an independent Officer of the NZ's Parliament, who has broad powers to investigate all environmental concerns. My role is to provide scientific credibility to the PCE, recommend investigations, support and mentor staff and engage with all stakeholders - government, private sector and indigenous (Maori) community.
From 1998 to 2019 I was Principal Scientist Marine Geology and Geophysics at NIWA and from 2016 to 2019 Associate-Professor at the School of Environment, University of Auckland.
I graduated with a PhD from the University of Grenoble, in 1987, after which I moved to New Zealand for a post-doc at Victoria Unversity, in 1990 to work as a geophysicist at DSIR Geology and Geophysics.
The first big turn in my career occurred when he joined the French Institut de Recherche pour le Développment in 1992, in Nice to work on the large French-New Zealand marine mapping program GeodyNZ, with GNS Science and NIWA. I was posted in New Zealand to work on the Fiordland-Puysegur-Macquarie systems and the Hikurangi Margin.
My research has mainly focused on the active geological deformation that affects the continental shelf and deep ocean floor around New Zealand, and the resources associated with it. It covers a wide spectrum of expertise from blue sky science to applied consultancy, with a particular focus on geological hazard; seafloor substrate and predictive habitat mapping from remotely-sensed data.
I have led projects with New Caledonia, Wallis and Futuna, Europe, USA and Australia, and several geophysical voyages in high seas around New Zealand on New Zealand flagship R.V. Tangaroa and other foreign vessels.
In 2017 I was appointed head of the South and West Pacific Centre for the Nippon Foundation-GEBCO Seabed 2030 project. Seabed 2030 aims to produce the definitive map of the world ocean floor by 2030. The centre covers 39 countries from Southeast Asia to South America and includes the Pacific Small Island Developping States.
I am a member of the Scientific Council of the Natural Parc of the Coral Sea of New Caledonia
I am the founder and President of the France-Aotearoa Science, Technology and !nnovation (Fast!) Inc. Society which mission is to structure and strengthen the collaboration between France and Aotearoa New Zealand to foster science advances, stimulate communication and enhance sharing in science and innovation between the two countries.
Sea regions of study
Tasman Sea
South Pacific Ocean
Southern Ocean
Comment(s)
I was awarded the National Order of Merit from France in December 2015