Name: Dr. Stephen Rintoul
Position: CSIRO Fellow, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Australia

Biography: Dr Steve Rintoul is an expert on the role of the ocean in the climate system and has a particular fascination with the Southern Ocean. Born and educated in the USA, he moved to Australia in 1990 to take up a position with CSIRO. His research has provided new insights into the structure and variability of the worldÕs largest ocean current, the contribution of the Southern Ocean to global circulation patterns and the climate system, and the control of biological productivity by ocean physics. Over the last 20 years, he has been the driving force behind a number of major experiments investigating the role of the Southern Ocean in the climate system. Most recently, he led the Climate of Antarctica and the Southern Ocean program of the International Polar Year, involving scientists from 18 nations. His scientific achievements have been recognised by many national and international awards, including appointment as a CSIRO Fellow, the organisationÕs highest honour for science. He is a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science.