Jorg Hacker

Jorg Hacker serves as Director and Chief Scientist of Airborne Research Australia (ARA), Australia's National Research Aircraft Facility, affiliated with Flinders University's College of Science and Engineering in the Department of Biological Sciences. With over 6,000 flying hours in various aircraft including high-altitude research missions up to 15km altitude, Hacker has established himself as a leading expert in airborne environmental research.

Hacker's research spans atmospheric boundary layer studies, innovative instrumentation development, and measurement strategies using airborne platforms. His work pioneered the concept of using cost-efficient small aircraft for atmospheric research, with special emphasis on airborne meteorology and hydrology, air quality monitoring, land degradation assessment, evaporation measurements, and atmospheric phenomena affecting air safety. His research integrates quantitative and area-averaged measurements of crucial components in global, regional and local weather and climate systems.

Analysis of Hacker's recent publications reveals a strong focus on methane emissions quantification from coal mines and LNG facilities, ultrafine particle research, cloud physics, and environmental monitoring using advanced airborne techniques. His work demonstrates increasing integration of multiple measurement approaches (airborne in situ, remote sensing, ground-based) to address complex environmental challenges, particularly greenhouse gas monitoring and climate-related atmospheric phenomena.

• Max-Planck-Prize (1994) awarded jointly by the German Alexander-von-Humboldt-Foundation and the Max-Planck-Society
• Two OSTIV-Diplomas for papers presented at international conferences
• World Record for flying a self-launching glider over a 500km triangle at 172km/h average speed

Though Hacker has no formal teaching duties as his salary is 100% externally funded for research, he has served as supervisor and co-supervisor for numerous graduate and doctoral students at Flinders University and other institutions worldwide. His research has been supported by significant external grants enabling the operation of Australia's only National Facility for environmental research aircraft.

As Director of Airborne Research Australia, Hacker leads Australia's National Research Aircraft Facility, which operates specialized aircraft including the Grob G520T Egrett capable of high-altitude research missions. The facility conducts critical environmental monitoring missions across Australia and internationally, focusing on atmospheric research, environmental assessment, and climate-related studies using innovative airborne measurement techniques.