Ken Day is a current PhD student who is transitioning to retirement from his position as Science Leader with the Queensland Government Department of the Environment, Tourism, Science, and Innovation. Ken’s PhD topic, “Foreshadowing rainfall and native pasture growth in northeastern Australia: building (and rebuilding) on the pioneering work of Sir Gilbert Walker” addresses a need for better management of climate risks in Queensland’s grazing lands. Ken’s thesis will bring together his interests in seasonal climate forecasting and pasture modelling and will build on a long-term (~40-year) data set from Brian Pastures Research Facility, which he is currently re-compiling.
Ken’s principal supervisor is Professor Peter Grace, and his associate supervisors are Professor David Rowlings and Professor William J. Parton (Colorado State University).