I am a Principal Climate Scientist on the Climate Projections & Services team, Queensland Government, and an Honorary Research Fellow at the University of Queensland. My work focusses on the impacts of climate change on Queensland. As part of this, I am involved in downscaling global climate models to a high resolution, to better understand local and regional impacts of climate change. This data is publicly available on the Queensland Future Climate Dashboard, and is also part of our team's submission to the CMIP6 round of CORDEX (NCI Data Catalogue). I also work on climate extremes and health impacts from climate change, such as heat stress.
I completed my PhD at the University of Queensland in 2018, where I looked at the impact of climate change and urban growth on heat stress in Brisbane. I then worked as a post-doctoral researcher at the University of Leeds, UK, on the AFRICAP and CHAMNHA projects, where I looked at the impact of climate change on agriculture and heat-related child mortality in Africa. I joined the Climate Projections & Services team in 2022, and the University of Queensland in 2024.
Jennifer's research focuses on the intersection between policy, social and technology solutions for system transitions including decarbonisation and circular economy.
In addition to traditional research, Jennifer leads two programs within the Centre for Policy Futures – the Policy Impact Program (PIP) and the Policy Engagement Program (PEP). The PIP is a collaboration between UQ and the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust which curates a selection of the best ideas from Churchill Fellows that have the potential to guide best-practice policy reform in Australia. Its flagship piece is the Policy Futures: A Reform Agenda publication. Through the PEP, experts on a policy-priority topics are engaged in roundtable discussions to guide the development of the Centre’s Policy Futures Think Piece series - designed to unpack complex topics for policy makers.
Jennifer is currently collaborating on projects including organics recycling innovations and carbon market opportunities in north Queensland; policy protections and social safeguards for critical minerals development; and a comparative analysis of state-based circular economy policies.
Jennifer is an environmental scientist by training with expertise in environmental microbiology, plant science and phycology, photosynthesis, mathematical modelling and systems modelling. Interests include sustainable food systems, carbon sequestration, environmental markets, renewable energy, bioeconomy, circular business models and UN Sustainable Development Goals.
