Charitha Pattiaratchi

Charitha Pattiaratchi is a Professor at The University of Western Australia (UWA), holding dual appointments in the School of Engineering and the UWA Oceans Institute. He is also an International Space Centre Professor. His research focuses on coastal oceanography, physical ocean processes, and their impacts on marine ecosystems, climate, and coastal hazards. Key roles include leading the IMOS Ocean Glider Facility and pioneering the use of autonomous ocean gliders in Australia.

Education: PhD (1985), MSc (1981), and BSc (1979) in Oceanography and Applied Mathematics from University College of Swansea (University of Wales).

Research Interests: Coastal circulation, dense shelf water transport, boundary currents, tsunamis, marine debris tracking, and climate change impacts. His work spans oceanography, meteorology, engineering, and ecology, addressing issues like coastal erosion, harbor design, and whale shark habitat connectivity.

Grants & Funding: Secured over $350M for initiatives like IMOS, WAMSI, and IOMRC. Active in 104 projects, including marine heatwave monitoring and blue carbon studies.

Awards: 2024 TOS Mentoring Award, 2022 Vice-Chancellor’s Research Mentorship Award, and 2014 UWA Senior Research Excellence Award. Supervised over 300 students (20 PhDs, 77 postgraduates, 173 honours) from 19 countries, with a focus on diversity and inclusion.

Labs & Infrastructure: Pioneered the IMOS Ocean Glider Facility (350+ missions) and integrated observation systems combining gliders, radar, and remote sensing. Designed the world’s first artificial surfing reef and mitigation strategies for seagrass wrack accumulation.