Clare Murphy Paton-Walsh

Professor Clare Murphy Paton-Walsh is a distinguished academic at the University of Wollongong, serving as Professor in the School of Earth, Atmospheric and Life Sciences (SEALS) since 2022. She leads significant research initiatives in atmospheric science with a focus on fire emissions, air quality, and remote sensing of the atmosphere. Her international leadership includes serving as Co-chair of the International Global Atmospheric Chemistry (IGAC) Scientific Steering Committee (2020-2024) and founding lead of the IGAC Southern Hemisphere Working Group.

Professor Paton-Walsh's research interests center on understanding the changing composition and chemistry of the atmosphere, with special emphasis on fire emissions, air quality monitoring, and remote sensing techniques. Her work addresses critical environmental challenges including wildfire smoke impacts, greenhouse gas emissions from coal mining and agriculture, and atmospheric pollution in both urban and natural environments. She has made significant contributions to understanding biomass burning emissions, aerosol formation, and the atmospheric chemistry of the Southern Hemisphere.

Her recent publications reveal a strong focus on wildfire emissions, greenhouse gas monitoring, and atmospheric chemistry, with particular attention to Australian conditions. The research shows increasing integration of field measurements with satellite observations and modeling approaches, addressing urgent environmental concerns like the 2019-2020 Australian Black Summer fires. Her work demonstrates growing interdisciplinary connections between atmospheric science, indigenous knowledge systems, and public health considerations.

• Co-chair of International Global Atmospheric Chemistry (IGAC) Scientific Steering Committee (2020-2024)
• Founding lead and co-chair of IGAC Southern Hemisphere Working Group (2018-present)
• Theme Leader for Clean Air at the Clean Air and Urban Landscapes Hub (CAUL)
• Editor-in-Chief for Air Quality in journal Atmosphere
• Member of the Clean Air Society of Australia and New Zealand

Professor Paton-Walsh actively supervises numerous PhD and Master's students across diverse atmospheric science topics and leads multiple significant research projects including the Regional and Urban Greenhouse Gas Emission Detection (RUGGED) project, Southern Ocean aerosols research, and Satellite Methane Assessment for Livestock Emissions. Her research group operates within the Centre for Atmospheric Chemistry, utilizing advanced instrumentation for atmospheric monitoring and analysis. Current work focuses on integrating traditional ecological knowledge with atmospheric science and developing improved methods for monitoring and understanding atmospheric composition changes in the Southern Hemisphere.