MSS CCRS
Singapore Government

Prof Jeff OBBARD

Principal Research Scientist
Department of Climate Research
Climate Change Impacts Branch

  • jeff_obbard@nea.gov.sg

Prof Jeff OBBARD

As Principal Research Scientist of the Climate Change Impacts Branch (CCI), Professor Jeff Obbard is responsible for the project management & coordination activities relating to climate change impacts in Singapore & Southeast Asia. The CCI Branch works with a range of government and academic to stakeholders to promote the research in climate science. Climate science research aims to understand the complexities of the climate system, and how it is projected to change over time and space. The CCRS performs scientific underpinning and impact-based climate research including the provision of high-resolution climate projections for Singapore & Southeast Asia by downscaling global climate models used by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). The CIB translates fundamental scientific knowledge to inform policy-based decisions for adapting to the impacts of climate change & mitigating its causes (i.e. greenhouse gas emissions). The CCI Branch focuses on several key research areas in climate science, including: sea level rise; water resources & flood management; urban heat island effect; biodiversity & food security; the impact of warming trends on human health & the energy sector, and cross-cutting links between these areas.

Prior to joining the CCRS, Jeff worked in both the academic and private sectors in Singapore, as well as internationally. He was previously a professor and director at the Faculty of Engineering at the National University of Singapore (NUS) in environmental science & engineering. Whilst at NUS, he also served as the Director of the Sustainable Development & Water Alliance and as Research Director at the Tropical Marine Science Institute. Whilst at NUS, he held a joint appointment with the Agency for Science, Technology & Research (A*STAR) as the Principal Scientist for Singapore’s Bioenergy Research Programme. On a sabbatical from NUS, Jeff served as Vice President for Science & Technology in a joint-venture between Royal Dutch Shell Petroleum and the University of Hawaii Manoa on a renewable biofuel derivative and carbon-capture project. He has also served as Head & Professor of the Environmental Science Centre at Qatar University.

Jeff’s academic PhD training is an environmental biogeochemist where he studied microbially-mediated greenhouse gas fluxes between terrestrial & atmospheric systems, as impacted by anthropogenic activities. His interest in climate science & technology is in the biogeochemistry of the carbon cycle, and carbon capture. In Singapore, Jeff is the Climate Change Advisor to the National Youth Achievement Award Council (NYAAC). He is also a Visiting Professor to the School of Water, Energy & Environment at Cranfield University (Cranfield) in the United Kingdom. Cranfield is an applied postgraduate engineering university that conducts advanced research on carbon-capture, as well as sustainable transport and manufacturing.

Education

    • 1987-1991
    • PhD, Environmental Science, Lancaster University, UK
    • 1984-1987
    • BSc (1st Class) in Ecology (Environmental Science, Biology, Mathematics)

Working Experience

    • 2021-present
    • Principal Research Scientist, Centre for Climate Research Singapore, MSS
    • 2018–present
    • Professor (Visiting), School of Water, Energy & Environment, Cranfield University, UK
    • 2018–2021
    • Founder & Director, Living Planet Pte Ltd, Singapore
    • 2015–2018
    • Head & Professor, Environmental Science Centre, Qatar University, Qatar
    • 1997–2014
    • Director & Associate Professor, Faculty of Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore
      Director of the Sustainable Development & Water Alliance
      Research Director of the Tropical Marine Science Institute
      Principal Scientist for Bioenergy, Agency for Science, Technology & Research (A*STAR)
      Vice President for Science & Technology, Cellana LLC – a joint-venture between Royal Dutch Shell Petroleum & the University of Hawaii, Manoa on renewable biofuels & carbon capture, Hawaii, USA
    • 1991–1997
    • Associate & Senior Environmental Scientist, Aspinwall-Enviros, Hong Kong & United Kingdom

Research Interests

  • Biogeochemical & earth system science
  • Renewable energy, carbon capture
  • Project management
  • Communication, stakeholder engagement

Prof Obbard’s full publication record can be accessed here.