Man wearing blue suit standing in front of green trees

Dr Richard Brinkman

Chief Operating Officer

Operations & Infrastructure

Contact email
Townsville
Background
About

 As a member of the AIMS Leadership Team, Dr Brinkman is responsible for strategic and operational leadership of Health, Safety and Environment, Infrastructure and Facilities, and Engineering and Field Support, including Vessels and Diving Operations.

Dr Brinkman has a PhD in Oceanography and is an adjunct Professor at James Cook University, Townsville. Through his extensive research and management career, Richard has a detailed understanding of the science delivery chain from observations and data collection through to solutions and impact. He has more than 20 years of practical, operational experience with research infrastructure and vessel operations and management.

Employment
2021 - Current
Chief Operating Officer, Australian institute of Marine Science, Townsville AU
2015 - 2021
Research Program Director, Australian institute of Marine Science, Townsville AU
Education
2006
PhD Oceanography, School of Mathematics and Physics, James Cook University, Townsville AU
1991
BSc Hons, Oceanography and Meteorology, Flinders University, Adelaide AU
Research

My current research interests fall within the broad topics of coastal oceanography and physical-biological interactions on continental shelves. A unifying theme of my research is the development and application of validated models of hydrodynamic circulation and materials transport. 

Current projects include: 

  • eReefs - integrated observation and modelling of water quality on the GBR. eReefs projects consist of enhanced monitoring, operational marine and catchment modelling, data standards and architecture and reporting and visualisation.
  • WAMSI Kimberley Marine Research Project: Bio-physical Oceanography of the coastal Kimberley
Publications

Xu J, Lowe RJ, Ivey GN, Jones NL, Brinkman R (2015) Observations of the shelf circulation dynamics along Ningaloo Reef, Western Australia during the austral spring and summer, Continental Shelf Research 95: 54-73

McKinnon AD, Duggan S, Holliday, Brinkman R (2015) Plankton community structure and connectivity in the Kimberley-Browse region of NW Australia, Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science, 153: 156-167

Schiller A, Herzfeld M, Brinkman R, Stuart G (2014) Monitoring, predicting and managing one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World. Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society 95(1): 23-30

McKinnon AD, Williams A, Young J, Ceccarelli DM, Dunstan P, Brewin RJW, Watson R, Brinkman R, Cappo M, Duggan S, Kelley R, Ridgway K, Lindsay D, Gledhill D, Hutton T, 

Richardson AJ (2014) Tropical Marginal Seas: Priority regions for managing marine biodiversity and ecosystem function. Annual Review of Marine Science 6: 415-437

Xu J, Lowe RJ, Ivey GN, Pattiaratchi C, Jones NL, Brinkman R (2013), Dynamics of the summer shelf circulation and transient upwelling off Ningaloo Reef, Western Australia, Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans 118(3): 1099-1125

Ceccarelli, McKinnon, Andréfouët, Allain, Young, Gledhill, Flynn, Bax, Beaman, Borsa, Brinkman, Bustamante, Campbell, Cappo, Cravatte, D'Agata, Dichmont, Dunstan, Dupouy, 

Edgar, Farman, Furnas, Garrigue, Hutton, Kulbicki, Letourneur, Lindsay, Menkes, Mouillot, Parravicini, Payri, Pelletier, Richer de Forges, Ridgway, Rodier, Samadi, Schoeman, 

Skewes, Swearer, Vigliola, Wantiez, Williams, Williams, Richardson (2013) The Coral Sea: Physical Environment, Ecosystem Status and Biodiversity Assets. In Michael Lesser, editor: Advances in Marine Biology, Vol. 66, AMB, UK: Academic Press, 2013, pp. 213-290.}

Lowe RJ, Ivey GN, Brinkman RM, Jones NL (2012) Seasonal circulation and temperature variability near the North West Cape of Australia. Journal of Geophysical Research 117: C04010.

Young JW, McKinnon AD, Ceccarelli DM, Brinkman RM, Cappo MC, Dichmont C, Doherty PJ, Furnas MJ, Gledhill D, Griffiths S, Hutton T, Ridgway KR, Williams A, Smith DC, Skewes T, 

Bustamante RH, Richardson AJ (2012) Workshop on the ecosystem and fisheries of the Coral Sea: an Australian perspective on research and management. Reviews in Fish Biology and Fisheries 22: 827-734.

Over 70 Publications: See More