Bob Carter Memorial Fund

In 2016 a group of Bob Carter’s friends and associates got together to create a lasting tribute to his life and scientific work. They envisioned an annual series of events to encourage scientists and others to meet and discuss those scientific issues where ideology had come to dominate rationality and scientific integrity. Initially the focus could be on climate change but it would subsequently be extended to other issues, which were close to Bob’s heart, and eventually new issues that had come to suffer the same fate.

Their efforts led to the AEF establishing the Bob Carter Memorial Fund, within its DGR Fund. A deductible gift recipient (DGR) fund is eligible to receive donations that are tax deductible.

AEF manages the Bob Carter Memorial Fund and uses its funds to finance conferences or lecture tours by eminent speakers on topics which are difficult or impossible to discuss in mainstream scientific fora. Since the Fund was established, the AEF has used it to host public lectures delivered by Dr Peter Ridd (2019), the Hon Tony Abbott (2018) and Dr Tim Ball (2016).

To donate to the Bob Carter Memorial Fund, please go to our Donate webpage. 

Robert (Bob) Merlin Carter 1942-2016

Bob Carter was born in Reading, England on 9 March 1942. In 1956 Bob emigrated to New Zealand. There he attended Lindisfarne College in Hastings.

In 1963 Bob graduated from the University of Otago with a BSc (Hons) in geology. Five years later the University of Cambridge awarded him a PhD in paleontology. After graduation, Bob returned to New Zealand to lecture at the University of Otago.

Subsequently Bob accepted a Chair at James Cook University (JCU) and became the Head of its School of Earth Sciences, a post he held for 17 years. Between 1998 and 2005 Bob was an adjunct research professor at the JCU Marine Geophysical Laboratory and, from 2001 to 2005, a visiting research professor in geology and geophysics at the University of Adelaide.

Bob's published research is diverse. It encompasses the fields of palaeontology, palaeoecology and paleoclimatology, the Great Barrier Reef and changes in its sea-level and climate, a well as changes to the climate of New Zealand's over the past 3.9 million years.

A Strong Advocate for Scientific Rigour

Bob was one of the world’s leading authorities on the science of climate change and a staunch critic of poor science and of public policy based on poor science.  

Bob was a founding member of the New Zealand Climate Science Coalition, an emeritus fellow and science policy advisor at the Institute of Public Affairs in Australia and the Heartland Institute in the US, a science advisor at the Science and Public Policy Institute in the US, and the Chief Science Advisor to the International Climate Science Coalition. 

Last but by no means least, Bob served as a Director of AEF and its Scientific Adviser up to the time of his death.

Bob passed away in Townsville on 19 January 2016.  He is survived by his wife Anne, and their son Jeremy.