Project Leaders

Professor Michael Archer BA, PhD, FRZNSW, FAA

Mike is an Australia 21 Fellow and Leader of the Ecosystems Project. He has been Curator of Mammals at the Queensland Museum, Professor of Biological Science at the University of New South Wales, and Director of the Australian Museum in Sydney. He is currently Dean of Science at UNSW. Mike’s primary contributions have occurred in documenting biodiversity of Australia’s living marsupials and communication to the public about the vital importance of implementing compatible, innovative approaches to maximise long-term, effective conservation of Australia’s threatened biotas as well as rural and regional communities. Awards received by Mike for his research include the Inaugural Eureka Prize for the Promotion of Science 1990, and the Australian Heritage Award for Nature Conservation 1989.

Professor Ross Buckley B Econ, LLB (Hons), LLM (Int Trade Law), PhD

Ross is an Australia 21 Fellow and leader of the project on Security and Prosperity. He is a Professor in the Faculty of Law, University of New South Wales, Senior Fellow in the Fischer Centre for Global Trade & Finance at Bond University, Editor of the Global Trade Law Series of Kluwer of The Hague and Co-Editor of Kluwer’s International Banking and Finance Law Series. He has consulted to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and the U.S. Department of Justice and to banks, law firms and government departments in Australia, Indonesia, the U.K. and Vietnam.

Dr. Steven Cork BSc (Hons), PhD

Steve is an Australia 21 Fellow and Leader of our Tipping Points Project. He is also an ecologist and futurist who, over the past 26 years, has been a senior researcher with CSIRO and played a lead role in developing ecological scenarios for the world’s future in the United Nations’ Millennium Assessment. He now works part time in policy development and implementation in the Australian Government’s Department of the Environment and Water Resources and doing other private consulting work.

Mr. Richard Eckersley BSc(Hon), MScSoc

Richard Eckersley is a social analyst. His research explores progress and wellbeing, and includes: measures of national progress; the relationships between economic growth, quality of life and sustainability; the social and cultural determinants of health and happiness; visions of the future; and young people and their world. His work has been published in leading international scientific journals and major Australian newspapers. He trained as a zoologist and has worked as a science journalist, speech writer, policy and issue analyst and futurist. He has held senior positions with CSIRO, the Commission for the Future and the Australian Government.

Dr. Graeme Pearman AM, BSc, PhD, FAA

Graeme is an Australia 21 Fellow and Leader of our Energy Project. He has been Chief of the Division of the CSIRO Climate Program. In 2003 he was awarded a Federation Medal for services to science.

Mr. Peter Ampt BSc, MSc

Peter is an Australia 21 Scholar in the Ecosystems Project. He is also Manager of the Future of Australia's Threatened Ecosystems (FATE) Program www.fate.unsw.edu.au at UNSW. He is developing innovative approaches to managing land that bring conservation and commerce together. His multi-disciplinary background includes agricultural science, participatory systems research, education, management and consulting.