Atmospheric Science Group, Department of Physical Geography,
Division of Environmental and Life Sciences

Richard de Dear, Ph.D

I obtained my PhD from the University of Queensland, Brisbane Australia under the supervision of Professor Andris Auliciems in 1985. Between 1985 and 1987 I worked as a post-doc with Professor PO Fanger at the Technical University of Denmark in Copenhagen. From 1987 until 1991 I taught in the Department of Geography at the National University of Singapore. I have been on the teaching faculty here at Sydney's Macquarie University since 1991.  

Teaching

I am currently involved in lecturing and curriculum development for these units:

GEOS117 BIOPHYSICAL ENVIRONMENTS
This unit is a broad-ranging introduction to physical geography, with a particular focus on the biophysical environment of Sydney. It is a new subject offered by the Department of Physical Geography for the first time in 2001. 

GEOS112 PLANET EARTH
This unit is a broad-ranging introduction to earth systems science. It is organised into four modules: [1] the solid earth (lithosphere), [2] the fluid earth (atmosphere and hydrosphere), [3] the interface (surface of the earth), and [4] life processes and humans (the biosphere). I am responsible for the 2nd module.

GEOS216 ATMOSPHERIC ENVIRONMENT
This unit is a broad introduction to the atmospheric sciences- climatology and meteorology. There are two hours of lectures and three hours of lab-work each week. GEOS216 forms a prerequisite to all 3rd year atmospheric science units (GEOS301, GEOS320, GEOS393).

GEOS320 BIOMETEOROLOGY
This unit reviews the interdisciplinary area involving interactions between atmospheric processes and living organisms - plants, animals and humans. It concerns the process-response system of energy and matter flows within the biosphere.  There are two hours of lectures and a four hour laboratory practical each week.  Additionally there is a compulsory field experiment.

GEOS393 APPLIED METEOROLOGY
This unit consists of two hours of lectures and a four hour laboratory practical each week. Additionally there is a compulsory field experiment. The course's curriculum consists of three modules:
[1] acquisition and analysis of data from in situ instrumentation (temperature, psychrometrics, radiometrics, wind, dataloggers and automatic weather stations),
[2] remotely sensed data (radar, satellites) and radiosondes
[3] diverse applications including aviation, marine transport, agriculture, architecture/engineering, renewable energy and urban air quality management

GRADUATE STUDENT RESEARCH SUPERVISION
In the general area of applied meteorology/climatology, specifically in connection with architecture, neural networks, urban air quality and air pollution, indoor climates, thermal stress/comfort and biometeorology.

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Current Research Activities

My main area of research is in biometeorology, with continuing interests in other aspects of applied meteorology and climatology. A list of my recent publications may be found by clicking here.

Some recent research activities include:

• During 2000 I spent a sabbatical working with Professor PO Fanger and colleagues in the International Center for Indoor Environment and Energy at the Technical University of Denmark. Among other things I worked on ultra fine and PM2.5 particles in the atmosphere.
• Hybrid ventilation. Buildings in the commercial sector can be designed or retrofitted with hybrid ventilation systems that utilise a natural ventilation mode whenever outdoor weather permits, and then revert to conventional air conditioning or heating systems when necessary. I have been working on thermal comfort issues related to hybrid ventilation systems in collaboration with Gail Schiller Brager, University of California at Berkeley, since 1998.
• I am a member of the Australian Research Institute for Climate, Comfort and Performance. ARICCP is a multi-institution organisation with ‘state of the art’ research facilities, including a climate chamber, located in Sydney. ARICCP comprises scientists from Sydney University, Macquarie University, CSIRO Wool Technology, University of New South Wales, and the Australian Institute of Sport, all actively researching the relationships between thermal comfort/strain on the one hand, and health, work efficiency and sport performance on the other.
• During 1997~99 I was co-investigator with Kris Cena, D.Sc (Murdoch University, Perth, Western Australia) on ASHRAE RP-921 for field studies of occupant comfort and thermal environments in a hot-arid climate (Kalgoorlie, Western Australia). In 1999 this project received a Technical Paper Award from the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers the paper entitled "Field Study of Occupant Comfort and Office Thermal Environments in a Hot, Arid Climate." ASHRAE Transactions, V.105(2) pp. 204-217. The Final Report on ASHRAE RP-921 may be downloaded from here, Appendix A here, and Appendices B though E here (all downloads are available free but require Acrobat Reader® software which may be downloaded for free from here).
• From1996 until 98 I was PI on ASHRAE RP-884 Adaptive Models of Thermal Comfort, which aims to develop control algorithms for indoor climate that conserve energy (and reduce greenhouse gas emissions) by taking advantage of human thermal adaptive capabilities. The adaptive model for naturally ventilated premises is currently under consideration for inclusion in the latest revision of ASHRAE's Standard 55, as described in an article to be published in the October 2000 issue of the ASHRAE Journal (A standard for natural ventilation).
• During 1995 I spent a five-month sabbatical with colleagues in the Building Science Group at the Center for Environmental Design Research, University of California at Berkeley. I worked on problems of heat transfer from the human body using a thermal manikin and a wind tunnel. Whilst at Berkeley I also worked on adaptive models of thermal comfort.
• During 1995 I spent a month as Visiting Researcher in the Department of Building Services Engineering, Hong Kong Polytechnic University. My main activity there was helping to establish thermal comfort research programmes in that department.

Other Professional Activities, Consulting and Awards

• I chaired the Local and International Organising Committees for the 15th International Congress of Biometeorology and the International Conference on Urban Climatolgy which was hosted in Sydney in November 1999. The combined event attracted 320 delegates from 52 countries. Sponsors included the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), World Health Organization (WHO) amongst others. Copies of the Proceedings with over 300 full papers on CD-ROM may be obtained by completing this order form, then faxing it to me in Sydney (the form requires Acrobat Reader®, software that may be downloaded for free from here). I recently co-edited (with Professors Tim Oke, Jetse Kalma and Andris Auliciems) a book of selected papers from ICB-ICUC'99 entitled Biometeorology and Urban Climatology at the Turn of the Millennium, published by the World Meteorological Organization, Geneva, August 2000 (ISBN 92-63-01026-9). 674 pp.
• I am currently a voting member of ASHRAE's Technical Committee 2.1 - Physiology and Human Environment
• In 1999 I was elected to the Executive Board of the International Society of Biometeorology.
• I am Field Editor (Artificial Systems) for the International Journal of Biometeorology. I also serve on the Editorial Board of the Journal of Human Environmental System and I'm a Review Editor for Climate Research.
• I am a referee for papers submitted to the following journals: International Journal of Climatology, Transactions of the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers, Boundary-Layer Meteorology, Energy and Buildings, Building and Environment, International Journal of Wildland Fire, Indoor Air, Singapore Journal of Tropical Geography, Australian Meteorological Magazine, Architectural Science Review, and New Zealand Geographer.
• I administer an internet discussion group called "comfortzone." With over 200 subscribers worldwide, this email discussion group is focused on issues pertaining to the human thermal environment, including thermal stress, comfort, standards and indices. Details of the group's aims, scope along with instructions on how to participate in the discussions may be found here. Subscription to the COMFORTZONE group is free and may be obtained simply by sending an email to majordomo@penman.es.mq.edu.au with the following command (and nothing else) in the body… subscribe comfortzone
• In 1999 I received the Crosby Field Award, ASHRAE's highest award for a technical paper (co-authored with Gail Schiller Brager) entitled "Developing an adaptive model of thermal comfort and preference" which appeared in ASHRAE Transactions., V.104(1a), pp.145-167. This research project also won the Environmental Design and Research Association (EDRA) and "Places" Research Awards Competition in 1999.
• I was invited by Professors A Maarouf and G Jendritzky in May 2000 to join an ISB Commission to develop a Universal Thermal Climate Index. This International Commission was one of the major outcomes from the recent Internet Workshop on Windchill, hosted by Environment Canada (April 3-7, 2000).
• I was the recipient of ASHRAE's 1993 RG Nevins Award for "contributions to the area of man's response to the environment."
• I regularly act as a consultant or expert witness in matters relating to the human thermal environment. Recent clients include:
  The National Parks and Wildlife Service in a matter pertaining to heat stress assessment and management at Uluru- Kata Tjutu National Park (Ayers Rock and the Olgas). I wrote two reports and undertook one on-site day of field measurements in January 1999. The matter was brought by the Tourism Council of Australia Ltd to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal.
  Hungry Jacks Pty Ltd. I provided technical advice and expert witness services in the areas of human thermal comfort, stress and indoor climatic measurement to a national chain of burger outlets. The work was in connection with litigation between Burger King (USA) and Hungry Jacks (Australia) in 1998.
  Airservices Australia. The matter concerned cold stress in relation to passengers on a small aircraft forced to ditch in Lake George in 1996. The subjects were partially immersed in water at 5degC and I provided expert advice on cold stress for the respondent in 2000.
  The Built Environment Unit of the Queensland Government’s Department of Administrative Services. Preparation of design guidelines for indoor climate in air-conditioned and naturally ventilated premises throughout the Queensland public sector.
  Lincolne Scott Australia Pty Ltd (Consulting Engineers). The project involved thermal comfort assessments (modelling and measurement) of a prototype task air-conditioning and environmental systems to be installed in a currency trading room within Chifley Towers, Sydney Australia.
  
  Consultancies of this type are administered on my behalf by Macquarie Research Limted (MRL), the commercial research arm of Macquarie University.

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How to Contact Me

Last modified  7 September 2000