Blog icon

Contact

Please enter a valid first name

Please enter a valid last name

Please enter a valid email address

Please enter your message to send to the contact

Contact details:

GPO BOX 2583
BRISBANE QLD 4001 AUSTRALIA

Biography

Dr Dan Metcalfe is the Director for Environment which delivers impact-driven science across all States and Territories. Dan brings a strong record in science leadership that spans the broad domain of environmental research, deep network across the innovation system, as well as successful stakeholder management at all levels.

Recently Dan led the coordination of CSIRO’s science response to the 2019/20 summer bushfires, and subsequent initiatives to improve government, community and industry resilience to climate-related natural hazards. He has also led CSIRO efforts to address the environmental and social consequences of the coincidence of drought, water allocations and extreme weather in the Murray-Darling Basin as well as contributing to the response to flooding in NSW as member of the Northern Rivers Resilience Initiative’s governance panel.

He was awarded a PhD from the University of Cambridge for work in the tropics of South-east Asia, and has also worked across southern and eastern Africa and Australasia. He spent over two decades working in landscape ecology and sustainable resource management across the rainforests and savannahs of northern and eastern Australia, and has contributed to the development of monitoring and assessment protocols, provided advice and conducted assessments and reviews for state and territory governments and the national governments of Australia and New Zealand.

Dr Metcalfe has spent the past ten years in predominantly research management roles supporting environmental research and impact across Australia. He was a member of Wildlife and Threatened Species Bushfire Recovery Expert Panel, was author of the Land theme in the 2016 State of the Environment Report, of the Extreme Events theme in the 2021 State of the Environment Report, and holds multiple board and advisory committee positions

Current Roles

  • Director
    CSIRO Environment

Academic Qualifications

  • 2017

    Certificate in Executive Management and Development
    University of New South Wales

  • 2009

    Company Directors Course Diploma
    Australian Institute of Company Directors

  • 2000

    Post-graduate Certificate in Academic Practice (Higher Education)
    University of Brighton, UK

  • 1994

    PhD Plant ecology & ecophysiology
    University of Cambridge (Magdalene College)

  • 1991

    University of Bristol
    BSc (Hons) Botany

Professional Experiences

  • 2021-2022

    Director, Oceans & Atmosphere
    CSIRO

  • 2019-2021

    Deputy Director
    CSIRO Land & Water

  • 2018-2019

    Research Director, Landscape Intensification Program
    CSIRO Land & Water

  • 2017-2018

    Acting Deputy Director (Science)
    CSIRO Land & Water

  • 2014-2018

    Manager, Office of Indigenous Engagement
    CSIRO

Achievements and Awards

  • 2022--

    Ecological Society of Australia's Ecological Impact Award
    Wildlife and Habitat Bushfire Recovery Partnership member

  • 2018--

    Chairman’s Medal as a member of the Bioregional Assessment Project team
    CSIRO

Community and Corporate Citizenship

  • 2011--

    Tropical Biology Association mentor scheme

  • 2013-2015

    Scientists in Schools: Coorparoo State Primary School

  • 2012-2013

    Scientists in Schools: Atherton State High School

We have publications by Dr Dan Metcalfe