CQUniversity researcher Dr John Abbot works on projects for our Centre for Plant and Water Sciences, but lately he's been casting a legalistic eye over the processes behind scientific claims and counter claims, including those relating to climate change.

Dr Abbot says that, as taxpayers and citizens, we all have a right to understand the basis of scientific findings. However, the FOI process has been revealed as a deficient way of achieving this understanding.  LINK for Jury still out on cause of mangrove dieback

Dr John Abbot

What was a key turning point for you?

"After 20 years or more as a research scientist in industry and academia, a project I was working on for a Caltex refinery came to an end.

"I have broad interests, one being the legal area, so I did law degrees at undergraduate and masters levels and registered as a solicitor."

What are you doing now?

"I only praticised law for about six months, working on intellectual property in the area of patents for explosive products, before returning to work as a scientist.

"I'm currently working on the viability of turning green waste into biochar and looking into the alleged role of pesticides in mangrove dieback and the FOI process relating to climate science and government policy.

What's coming up in future?

"I'm likely to continue examining the FOI process, particularly relating to environmental science, as there have been and probably still are deficincies in how it operates. It's important that it operates properly so citizens can see what their governments are doing and how they've arrived at conclusions."

What's something people might not know about you?

"I'm interested in financial trading and applications of mathematical models, in particular neural networks."

What advice do you have for young people?

"If you can find an area you find interesting and have passion about you an end up in a situation where you are not just going into work because you need to pay the mortgage."