PEOPLE

Centre Management

ACEAS Director, Professor Jo Whittaker, aboard the RSV Nuyina as part of the Denman Marine Voyage in 2025. Credit: Taryn Noble.
Jo Whittaker
Director

E:  jo.whittaker@utas.edu.au


Social Links

   

Current ACEAS Activities:

As Director of ACEAS, Jo leads the delivery of the research programs, strategy, governance, and operations for the Centre.

More about Jo
Biography

Jo is Director of the Australian Centre for Excellence in Antarctic Science, an ARC Future Fellow, and a Professor at the Institute for Marine and Antarctic Science based at the University of Tasmania. Jo's research interests are predominantly in plate tectonics, marine geophysics and geodynamics.

Associated links

UTAS Profile

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Carl Bennett
Business Manager

E:  carl.bennett@utas.edu.au

 

Current ACEAS Activities:

Carl supports the Director and Research Program Leaders to manage ACEAS and position the centre to achieve its strategic objectives.

He provides:

  • Executive business management, policy assistance and advice;
  • Management of the Centre’s budget;
  • Reporting on the Centre’s activities and compliance with contractual arrangements;
  • Assistance on developing project governance and monitoring arrangements with all project collaborators, the Advisory Board and the Australian Research Council;
  • Coordination of the activities of the Centre, including its strategic plans and business plans;

Engagement with stakeholders and end-users in government and industry.

More about Carl
Biography

Carl has a BSc in Physics, and has applied his technical interests to systems thinking and sustainability.

He has worked in the NGO sector with The Wilderness Society and Sustainable Living Tasmania, gaining experience in operations and project management.

He has served at the University of Tasmania since 2015, holding senior roles in IT, technical project management and general management of four schools in the College of Sciences and Engineering: Architecture & Design, Engineering, Geography Planning & Spatial Sciences, ICT.

In his spare time, Carl enjoys bushwalking and cycle touring. 

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Karen Young
Centre Project Officer

E: ACEAS.project.office@utas.edu.au

 

Current ACEAS Activities:

The role of ACEAS Centre Project Officer includes:

  • Coordination of day-to-day administration needs of ACEAS including finance, record management and human resources.
  • Planning and logistical support for workshops and other events
  • Project coordination support for ACEAS research staff and students
  • Centre liaison for internal and external stakeholders
  • Coordinate the preparation of formal reports on research delivery against Key Performance Indicators
  • Secretary to the Management Committee and Advisory Board
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Grace Moss
Communications and Stakeholder Engagement Advisor

E: grace.moss@utas.edu.au

 

Current ACEAS Activities:

Grace is the Communications and Stakeholder Engagement Advisor at ACEAS. She leads ACEAS’s communications program and drives stakeholder engagement initiatives to connect decision-makers, public policy practitioners, and end users with ACEAS’s research across government and industry.

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Pratiksha Bhatt
Project Officer - University of New South Wales

E: pratiksha.bhatt@unsw.edu.au

 

Current ACEAS Activities:

Pratiksha manages the UNSW node of ACEAS. She supports the research staff and students with everyday administration and provides operational management for the centre.

More about Pratiksha
Biography

Pratiksha moved to Australia in 2016 and has been working in administration and project coordination since then. She has a master’s degree in Clinical Dietetics and has worked extensively in public health research in India. Pratiksha has always been interested in sustainable practices and conservation science. She joined ACEAS in February 2022 and is looking forward to learning more about Antarctic sciences.