Professor Craig Simmons

Academic Status

College of Science and Engineering

place Information Science & Technology (316)
GPO Box 2100, Adelaide 5001, South Australia

Distinguished Professor Craig T. Simmons FAA FTSE is a leading groundwater scientist, recognised for major contributions to groundwater science, science leadership, education and policy reform.

Craig is Matthew Flinders Distinguished Professor of Hydrogeology, Schultz Chair in the Environment at Flinders University and Foundation Director of the ARC National Centre for Groundwater Research and Training. From July 2020 he is seconded to the Australian Research Council in the role of Executive Director for Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry and Earth Sciences. Prior to this appointment he was Pro Vice-Chancellor (Strategic Research Projects) at Flinders University.

Within Australia Craig is an Honorary Professor at The Australian National University (ANU), a member of the Australian Government’s Statutory Independent Expert Scientific Committee on Coal Seam Gas and Large Coal Mining Development (IESC) and chairs the Alligator Rivers Region Technical Committee (ARRTC). Internationally he is a member of the U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine Roundtable on Unconventional Hydrocarbon Development.

Craig is a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science (AAS), the Australian Academy of Technology and Engineering (ATSE) and the American Geophysical Union (AGU).

His work has been recognized by numerous national and international research and teaching awards including the Anton Hales Medal for distinguished contributions to research in the Earth Sciences awarded by the Australian Academy of Science, and an Australian Award for University Teaching. In 2015 Craig was named South Australian Scientist of the Year, and in 2017 he was awarded Australian Water Professional of the Year. He received the International Association of Hydrogeologists Presidents’ Award in 2022.

Craig is a lead author of the United Nations World Water Development Report “Groundwater: Making the Invisible Visible” and a coauthor of the IPCC Sixth Assessment Report.

Qualifications

GAICD Graduate, Australian Institute of Company Directors (2013, Australian Institute of Company Directors) 

PhD in Science: Hydrogeology (1997, Flinders University/CSIRO)

BSc Double Major in Theoretical and Experimental Physics (1994, University of Adelaide)

BE Electrical and Electronic Engineering with First Class Honours (1993, University of Adelaide)

Honours, awards and grants

2022 Presidents' Award, International Association of Hydrogeologists (IAH)

2022 Fellow, Australian Academy of Science (FAA)

2021 Fellow, American Geophysical Union (AGU)

2020 Editors’ Choice article, Hydrogeology Journal, Springer Nature

2020 Foreign Academy Distinguished Lecturer, Nanjing University, China

2017 Convocation Medallist, Flinders University

2017 Biennial Medallist, Modelling and Simulation Society of Australia and New Zealand (MSSANZ)

2017 Fellow, Modelling and Simulation Society of Australia and New Zealand (FMSSANZ)

2017 Australian Water Professional of the Year

2016 Premier's Water Medal for Water Professional of the Year SA

2015 South Australian Scientist of the Year

2014 Fellow, Australian Academy of Technology and Engineering (FTSE)

2013 Finalist, Australian Museum's Eureka Prize for Leadership in Science

2013 Water Industry Alliance Smart Water Award in Leadership

2013 American Society of Civil Engineers Best Paper Award

2011 Flinders University Researcher of the Year

2011 Fellow, Royal Society of South Australia

2011 Australian Academy of Science, Anton Hales Medal for Distinguished Research in the Earth Sciences

2008 Staff Award for Outstanding Contribution to Flinders University

2007 American Geophysical Union (AGU) 2007 Editors’ Citation for Excellence in Refereeing for Water Resources Research

2005 – 2006 Tall Poppy Science Award, Australian Institute of Policy & Science

2002 Australian Award for University Teaching

2002 Distinguished Lecturer, Fred L. and Frances J. Oliver Centennial Lectureship in Texas Hydrology and Water Resources, University of Texas at Austin

Key responsibilities

Executive Director for Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry and Earth Sciences at the Australian Research Council.

Supervisory interests
Groundwater hydrology
Groundwater modelling
Hydrogeology
Higher degree by research supervision
Current
Principal supervisor: Groundwater hydrology (2)
Associate supervisor: Groundwater hydrology (4)
Completion
Principal supervisor: Groundwater hydrology (14)
Associate supervisor: Groundwater hydrology (13)
Expert for media contact
Environment
Groundwater
Minerals/Mining
Water Resources
Available for contact via
Or contact the media team
+61 8 82012092
0427 398 713
Media expertise
  • Environment
  • Groundwater
  • Minerals/Mining
  • Water Resources
Further information

MEDIA AND EDITORIAL BOARDS

 

SCIENTIST IN RESIDENCE THE ADVERTISER

2015Scientist in Residence at The Advertiser

2016 Advertiser Articles: Grounds for competitive advantage, Nuclear Reaction

 

EDITORIAL BOARDS CURRENT

2020 – Editorial Board, Applied Sciences, MDPI’s open access journal on all aspects of applied natural sciences.

2015 Editorial Board, Australasian Journal of Water Resources, Engineers Australia Journal.

2008Associate Editor / Member of the Editorial Board of the international journal Groundwater, the official journal of the United States National Ground Water Association.