Cameron Barr

Cameron Barr

School of Physics, Chemistry and Earth Sciences

Faculty of Sciences, Engineering and Technology


Cameron is a palaeolimnologist, studying indicators of past environments that are preserved in lake sediments. His specialty is high-resolution studies, to develop insights into when, how and why environments changed in the past. After gaining a Bachelor of Environmental Studies, with a major in Physical Geography, Cameron achieved first class Honours for a project that reconstructed 350 years of climatic and hydrological variability in the upper-southeast of South Australia. Questions arising from this research led him to undertake a Ph.D. in which he reconstructed drought intensity, frequency and duration over the last 1500 years in south-eastern Australia (e-thesis link: http://hdl.handle.net/2440/65582), and for which he was awarded the John Lewis silver medal for the most outstanding geography thesis in South Australia. Cameron has held two post-doctoral research positions since then; both examining lake sediments from North Stradbroke Island, Queensland. The first focussed on climates of the last 10,000 years and the response, and resilience, of vulnerable freshwater wetlands to large shifts in aridity. More recently, Cameron has been examining environmental change of the last 100,000 years, addressing questions around the impact of remote climate drivers, human arrival in Australia, and the subsequent extinction of megafauna.

  • Appointments

    Date Position Institution name
    2019 - ongoing ARC Research Associate University of Adelaide
    2018 - 2018 University of Adelaide Research Fellow University of Adelaide, Adelaide
    2015 - 2017 ARC Research Associate University of Adelaide, Adelaide
    2011 - 2013 Post Doctoral Research Associate University of Adelaide
  • Awards and Achievements

    Date Type Title Institution Name Country Amount
    2018 Award University of Adelaide Research Fellowship University of Adelaide Australia $154,920
    2010 Award The John Lewis Silver Medal for Geography The Royal Geographical Society Australia -
  • Education

    Date Institution name Country Title
    2010 University of Adelaide, Adelaide Australia PhD
    2001 University of Adelaide, Adelaide Australia Bachelor of Environmental Studies (Hons 1st)
  • Research Interests

  • Past Higher Degree by Research Supervision (University of Adelaide)

    Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name
    2015 - 2020 Co-Supervisor A 210,000-year reconstruction of subtropical climates from Fern Gully Lagoon, North Stradbroke Island (Minjerribah), Australia Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Christopher Wilde Kemp
  • Memberships

    Date Role Membership Country
    2010 - ongoing - International Palaeolimnology Association -
    2009 - 2019 Member Australasian Quaternary Association (AQUA) Australia

Connect With Me
External Profiles