About Us

We research how Australia’s weather is being reshaped by climate change

Under the directorship Professor Christian Jakob and his leadership team, 21st Century Weather is a consortium of 24 organisations, led by Monash University in partnership with the University of Melbourne, the University of New South Wales, the Australian National University, and the University of Tasmania. The Centre was established in February 2024 and will run until early 2031.

Amongst the Centre’s Industry, Government and Science partners are the Bureau of Meteorology and the CSIRO, as well as eight international research centres, three government departments and five private companies. Funded under the Centre of Excellence scheme, the Centre receives $35 Million in funding from the Australian Research Council over seven years with an additional $10 million contributed by the Centre partners.

The Centre conducts blue-sky research with real-world applications for industry, government and communities. Our Engagement and Impact team and our Partner Forum offer two-way dialogue that links our innovative science and model development to provide answers to some of society’s most pressing questions related to future weather change. 

We offer an unparalleled environment for early career researchers and PhD students to develop research careers with our Researcher Development Program which offers breadth and depth of training and opportunities. 

Australian Partner Organisations

  • Monash University (Lead)
  • Australian National University
  • University of Melbourne
  • University of New South Wales
  • University of Tasmania
  • Bureau of Meteorology
  • CSIRO
  • Department of Climate Change, Energy, Environment and Water (C’wealth)
  • Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (NSW)
  • Department of Environment, Energy and Climate Action (Vic)
  • Energy Australia
  • Global Sustainable Energy Solutions
  • Insurance Australia Group
  • Water NSW

Global Partner Organisations

  • Columbia University
  • ETH Zurich
  • Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory (GFDL)
  • Massachusetts Institute of Technology
  • Max Planck Institute for Meteorology
  • Met Office UK
  • National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR)

Governance

21st Century Weather is funded by and operates according to the guidelines and rules of the Australian Research Council (ARC) Centres of Excellence scheme. Our robust governance and management structure ensures the Centre operates according to the principles outlined by the funding body. We challenge ourselves to be ambitious, innovative and principled in all activities. The Centre’s Governance Plan is available to view or download here.

Advisory Board

Chaired by Dr Helen Cleugh, the Advisory Board provides independent, strategic feedback and advice to the leadership team of 21st Century Weather. The Advisory Board connects the Centre to the public and private sectors to ensure our science produces meaningful societal impact. The Advisory Board meets twice a year.

Members:

Centre Executive

21st Century Weather’s purpose is to create the scientific knowledge and technology necessary for robust, evidence-based decision-making in response to weather change.

This ambitious scientific agenda is supported by clearly defined portfolios in executive leadership, operational management, researcher training and development, and engagement and impact. The members of the Centre Executive can be found here.

Our visual identity

The 21st Century Weather logo is composed of colours inspired by three components of the Earth System, configured in a sphere representing our planet.

Ochre has been chosen for the land. Blue represents the ocean, and grey the atmosphere.

The interaction between these components determines our climate and weather, and is the focus of the Centre’s vital research.