It is with deep sadness that we acknowledge the recent passing of Piers Dunstan who was an integral part of the hub team, and a research leader at CSIRO.
Piers’s contribution to the hub and its predecessors spanned almost two decades. He led several research areas that ranged across aspects of marine spatial planning, modelling and conservation.
Piers was a well-respected part of the marine research community who consistently took a collaborative approach to conducting research. He has left a substantial legacy of scientific papers and reports that will continue to contribute to the knowledge base for many years to come.
His curiosity, knowledge, innovative ideas and skills provided the foundation for driving substantial advancements on how we manage our oceans. Important to his thinking was how to make best use of data and information and how this is communicated to the end-users of the research.
We were fortunate in the hub to have Piers contribute to the program and take a leadership role that required commitment and forward thinking. His contribution to the hub was substantial and influenced his colleagues and collaborators in many positive and supportive ways.
Just as importantly, Piers loved his pushbike as much as he did his computer, and his life was balanced between family, work and fun in the right combination. This was reflected in his positive and encouraging approach to engaging with people, regardless of their position on an issue, or what type of pushbike they rode.
We will miss him and will be forever thankful that he dedicated a big part of his life improving the world around him. We extend our deepest sympathies to Piers’s family, friends and colleagues.
