The weather underwater - and why it matters

This special lecture by A/Prof Shane Keating is proudly presented by the School of Mathematics and Statistics at UNSW. It will be followed by a networking reception with finger food and refreshments.

The UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are 17 interlinked goals aimed at solving global challenges, including hunger, economic equity, and climate change. Earth's oceans are the engine of the global climate system and the source of food and prosperity for over 3 billion people worldwide. At the same time, the global economy relies on the ocean to transport 90% of all traded goods. It is no exaggeration to say that the ocean plays a vital role in the entire SDG framework.

In this talk, oceanographer Shane Keating will discuss the importance of the dynamic ocean environment --- the "weather underwater" --- to the global economy and the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Travelling from the shores of Loch Long, Scotland to "Eddy Avenue" off the coast of NSW, Shane will review how our knowledge of Earth's oceans has been methodically built from observational, experimental, numerical and theoretical studies. Finally, Shane will review some of the ways that artificial intelligence (AI) and data science are enabling new insights and innovations that are changing the way we understand and use the ocean.

Shane Keating is an Associate Professor of Physical Oceanography and Applied Mathematics in the School of Mathematics and Statistics at UNSW Sydney. His research uses powerful mathematical and data science tools to study our oceans from land, sea, and space. Shane is co-founder and Chief Scientific Officer of Ocean Intelligence, a UNSW spin-out that is using AI and satellite data to decarbonise the commercial shipping industry. Shane is also a passionate science communicator, and his popular articles about science and mathematics have been read over one million times and have been published in the BBC, the Guardian, and Time magazine.

6:00-7:00pm: Lecture by A/Prof Shane Keating

7:00-8:00pm: Networking reception

The lecture will be presented in Room 4082/4083 on level 4 of the Anita B. Lawrence Centre (East) at UNSW.

A networking reception with finger food and refreshments will be hosted following the talk, just downstairs from the lecture, in Anita B. Lawrence Centre Room 3082 on level 3.

The School of Mathematics and Statistics is accessible via the Centre Wing or East Wing entrances to the building (campus map ref: H15).

*Please note that the School of Mathematics and Statistics is not accessible via the West Wing of the building.

This lecture is being hosted during Global Goals Week, 20-29 September 2024. GGW is an annual week of action, awareness, and accountability for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). GGW is a shared commitment between 150+ partners across civil society, business, academia, and the UN system to accelerate action on the SDGs, especially during the UN General Assembly High-level Week. It is also an opportunity to share ideas and transformative solutions in the fight to build back better from global challenges. See the GGW website for more.

Please contact Susannah Waters if you have any enquiries about this event ([email protected]).

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

School of Mathematics and Statistics, UNSW Sydney, Anita B. Lawrence Centre, Kensington, UNSW Sydney, Australia