Alistair Hobday

Dr Alistair Hobday serves as Research Director for CSIRO’s Sustainable Marine Futures Program and Senior Principal Research Scientist in Hobart, Australia. A highly cited researcher with over 350 peer-reviewed publications, his work focuses on climate-ocean interactions and sustainable marine resource management.

Education:

• Ph.D. in Biological Oceanography, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, California (1998)
• BSc (Hons), Stanford University, California (1993)

Research Interests: Dr Hobday pioneers climate adaptation frameworks for marine ecosystems, including co-developing the globally applied Ecological Risk Assessment for the Effects of Fisheries (ERAEF) and creating the world’s first marine heatwave forecasting system. His research integrates biological oceanography, fisheries science, and climate modeling to address biodiversity conservation and Blue Economy resilience.

Scientific Awards:

• Highly-cited researcher recognition (Web of Science, 2019-2024)
• Fellow of the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering (2023)
• K. Radway Allen Lifetime Achievement Award in Fish and Fisheries Science (2018)
• Nobel Peace Prize shared with IPCC authors (2007)

Leadership and Collaborations: As founding member of the International Marine Heatwaves Working Group and Fellow of IMBeR, Dr Hobday directs CSIRO’s Sustainable Marine Futures Program while contributing to global initiatives like CLIOTOP and tuna habitat forecasting. His cross-disciplinary work bridges climate science, policy development, and practical adaptation tools for fisheries management.