Dr Andrew Sullivan

https://people.csiro.au/S/A/Andrew-Sullivan

GPO BOX 1700
CANBERRA ACT 2601 AUSTRALIA

Biography

Dr Andrew Sullivan is the leader of the CSIRO Bushfire Behaviour and Suppression team within the Environment Research Unit. This team is internationally recognised as leaders in the field of bushfire behaviour prediction and bushfire suppression science. Dr Sullivan has over 35 years’ experience in bushfire research. During his career he has made significant contributions to the fundamental understanding of the factors that influence the behaviour and spread of bushfires, contributed to the development of operational systems for the determination of fire danger and the prediction of the behaviour and spread of fires in a range of vegetation types and burning conditions.

Dr Sullivan developed the innovative capability of free-burning combustion dynamics, involving the conflation of combustion chemistry and physics, to generate new theoretical insights into bushfire behaviour for multiple purposes. He designed and built the CSIRO Pyrotron, a 29-m-long wind tunnel facility for the study of the combustion of bushfire fuel under safe and repeatable conditions. This infrastructure has been critical to a number of studies into fundamental fire behaviour and greenhouse gas emissions from bushfires and has attracted the attention of researchers nationally and internationally. In 2022, the National Bushfire Behaviour Research Laboratory was opened at CSIRO's Black Mountain site. Dr Sullivan contributed significantly to the functional design and layout of this major facility, which houses the CSIRO Pyrotron as well as the CSIRO Vertical Wind Tunnel, a device design specifically to enable to study of the aerodynamic and combustion characteristics of firebrands, the major cause of spotfires in Australian fuels.

Dr Sullivan has developed and led research activities of national importance including the reconstruction of the 2009 Kilmore East fire on Black Saturday (7 February 2009), and the investigation of the efficacy of very large air tankers for suppressing fires and automated fire detection systems in Australian conditions. He has initiated research projects involving collaborations with a broad range of research partners including universities and state agencies.

Dr Sullivan has published three books, four book chapters and over 70 scientific articles in international peer-reviewed journals as well as numerous conference papers and client and technical reports. He has more than 3500 citations and a ‘H’ index of 31 at Web of Science and 7100 citations and a ‘H’ index of 41 in Google Scholar. He has delivered invited talks and keynote addresses to conferences in Australia, South Africa, France, Portugal and Chile.

Professional Areas

Current Roles

Research Team Leader
Leading and managing the Bushfire Behaviour and Suppression Team

Academic Qualifications

2008

Doctor of Philosphy (Physics)
Australian National University
1990

Bachelor of Applied Science (Physics and Computing)
Victoria University of Technology

Achievements and Awards

2024-2024

Communications Team Award - Hosting visit by King Charles III to NBBRL
CSIRO - Environment
2022-2022

NCR - Opening of the National Bushfire Behaviour Research Laboratory
CSIRO - Land & Water
2020-2020

Non-cash reward - CSIRO Climate and Disaster Resilience Report
CSIRO
2018-2018

Data61 Team Award - Spark
CSIRO/Data61
2013-2013

Outstanding Editor 2012
International Journal of Wildland Fire
2007-2007

Inaugral Wildland Fire Scholarship for Graduate Studies
International Association of Wildland Fire
2006-2006

Robert and Helen Crompton Student Travel Scholarship
Australian National University
2003-2003

CSIRO Medal for Scientific Achievement
CSIRO

Community and Corporate Citizenship

2009-present

Associate Editor, International Journal of Wildland Fire
2011-2011

Co-editor, Special Issue Journal of Combustion