Brian Turner

Scientist
Inducted 25 November 2009

Brian Turner was born in Cessnock in 1937, and educated at Cessnock High School.

He gained his first academic qualification, a Bachelor of Science in Forestry, at the University of Sydney in 1958, before obtaining a number of others, culminating in his Doctorate in Forestry at Yale University in the United States.

Brian spent much of his earlier working life in the US, teaching and researching at the Pennsylvania State University, where he reached the positions of Professor of Forest Management and Co-Director of the Office for Remote Sensing of Earth Resources. In 1984, Brian returned to Australia to take up the position of Reader in Forest Management at the Australian National University (ANU). 

Brian’s career and achievements reflect his lifelong interest in forest management planning, prediction of future production of managed native forest goods and services, and the collection and analysis of GIS and remotely sensed data.

His work has included forestry and remote sensing research projects in Australia and around the world, teaching and consultancy, participation in numerous professional and academic committees, presentation of papers at conferences and an extensive list of publications including reports to government agencies.

Brian has been one of Australia’s substantial contributors to the work of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the body which was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2007. In recognition of his contribution to the IPCC and this prize, Brian was the recipient of a special IPCC award. In presenting Brian with this award, the IPCC Chairman stated it was being presented “only to those who have contributed substantially to the work of the IPCC over the years since the inception of the organization”, and acknowledged that the “credit for this prestigious award goes to you and other colleagues who have contributed so admirably to the work of the IPCC”.

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Plaque location
55 Vincent Street, Cessnock (garden bed)