Professor Craig Simmons
Academic Status
College of Science and Engineering
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.
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)
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
Executive Director for Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry and Earth Sciences at the Australian Research Council.
INTERNATIONAL
2021 – United Nations World Water Development Report (WWDR) 2022 – Groundwater: Making the Invisible Visible.
2019 – Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Sixth Assessment Report.
2019 – United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) World Water Quality Alliance Groundwater Committee.
2017 – International Steering Committee, The Groundwater Project.
2017 – Core Group, Groundwater Solutions Initiative for Policy and Practice (GRIPP).
2015 – U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine Roundtable on Unconventional Hydrocarbon Development.
NATIONAL
2018 – Chair, Alligator Rivers Region Technical Committee (ARRTC).
2012 – Independent Expert Scientific Committee on Coal Seam Gas and Large Coal Mining Development (IESC).
- Environment
- Groundwater
- Minerals/Mining
- Water resources
MEDIA AND EDITORIAL BOARDS
SCIENTIST IN RESIDENCE – THE ADVERTISER
2015 – Scientist 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.
2008 – Associate Editor / Member of the Editorial Board of the international journal Groundwater, the official journal of the United States National Ground Water Association.
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