2026 Winner: Outstanding Alumnus Award, Sciences (and overall winner)
Doctor of Philosophy, 1990
Professor Mark Howden AC is a globally recognised climate scientist whose research has shaped international approaches to climate change, sustainability and food systems. A long-serving leader within the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), he has spent more than 35 years advancing science, informing policy and mentoring future generations.
How do you describe what you do in one sentence?
I connect dots, create potentially useful ideas, and form coalitions to progress, test and communicate these.
What impact are you most proud of having?
With Dr Greg McKeon, being the first to connect the dots between the climate science understanding of El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and the decisions made in climate-sensitive industries so as to enhance risk management decisions.
Can you share a valuable lesson you learned from a setback or failure in your career?
Maximise the learning. Take a deep breath. Reflect on what actually went on as well as what you perceive went on, including via consultation with others. Be accountable for what you did or did not do–including apologies where appropriate. Put in place the ideas, mechanisms or behaviours to do better in the future.
What challenges or obstacles shaped who you are?
Throughout my career, the political contestation around climate change has meant there have been only a couple of short periods of political support in Australia and funding for climate change research. In the face of fickle, flukey headwinds, you have to be creative, committed, mentally tough, positive, outcomes-focused, and work with like-minded people from diverse backgrounds. Together we could make progress.
Can you share a specific initiative or current project you are working on that excites you?
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Seventh Assessment Cycle. As Vice Chair, my role is to provide strategic oversight so it delivers a rigorous, policy-relevant set of reports.
What does a typical day or week at work look like for you?
There is no typical day. Whilst I am ‘retired ’, my workload has not eased off – just changed. This means I can be doing IPCC or other work, sitting on an advisory board, co-authoring a paper, reviewing proposals, drafting a policy brief, making a presentation to interested groups, doing home repairs/renovations, gardening and taking the dog for a walk flexibly in the one day.
How do you spend your downtime?
Often it is doing home repairs/renovations, gardening and taking the dog for a walk, but I also like long hikes, making food grown in the garden (e.g. curing olives), surfing and spending time with family and friends.
Why are you proud to be a Griffith alumnus?
Griffith was a pioneer university in the environment arena, particularly around inter-disciplinary research, and it retains this focus.
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