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Ray Wills

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Adjunct Professor, School of Earth and Environment, The University of Western Australia

Prof Ray Wills has had a wide-ranging career at different times as researcher, academic, planner, consultant, adviser, manager and executive. Ray has substantial expertise in ecology, sustainability, climate change science and the effects of expected future climates on Australia, and functional responses to mitigate and adapt to global warming. He is an authoritative and respected commentator and adviser on sustainability across all sectors including the built environment, cleantech, energy infrastructure, industrials, manufacturing, resources, transport, and water.

Ray is an Adjunct Professor with the School of Earth and Environment at The University of Western Australia contributing to the academic program and providing advice to UWA on sustainability. His current research interests include adoption rates of technology, and the impact of social media on markets and disruptive technology.

Ray is Managing Director of the advisory firm Future Smart Strategies, Blue Cities Leader and Emerging Technologies Expert of the new ‘blue economy’ startup Blue Australasia, a Board Member of remote energy services provider Horizon Power, a Director of the bioenergy startup BioTek Fuels Pty Ltd. Between 2007 and 2012, Ray was also CEO of the energy chamber, the Sustainable Energy Association of Australia.

Ray was recognised by Singapore-based ABC Carbon as one of the Top 100 Global Leaders in Sustainability in 2011, an honour renewed each year since, and in 2014 and 2015 listed by UK-based SustMeme Magazine, based on independent social media metrics, as one of the top 100 Global Influencers in Social Media on climate change and energy.

Experience

  • 2009–present
    Adjunct Professor, School of Earth and Environment, The University of Western Australia
  • 2014–present
    Managing Director, Future Smart Strategies
  • 2012–2013
    Director, Duda&Wills
  • 2007–2012
    CEO, Sustainable Energy Association of Australia
  • 1996–2009
    Adjunct Senior Research Fellow, The University of Western Australia
  • 2006–2007
    Manager Sustainability Services, SMEC
  • 2004–2006
    Senior Adviser, Chamber of Commerce and Industry WA
  • 2001–2004
    Principal Research Officer, Parliament of Western Australia
  • 2003–2003
    Scientific Adviser, Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining
  • 1996–2001
    Senior Ecologist, Botanic Gardens and Parks Authority
  • 1988–1996
    Research Scientist, Department of Conservation and Land Management WA

Education

  • 1989 
    UWA, PhD
  • 1983 
    UWA, BSc (Hons)

Publications

  • 2010
    Chapter 13. Sustainable energy as the primary tool to ameliorate climate change, Managing Climate Change: Papers from the GREENHOUSE 2009 Conference eds I Jubb; P. Holper, & W Cai

Research Areas

  • Ecology (0602)
  • Biogeography And Phylogeography (060302)
  • Conservation And Biodiversity (050202)
  • Environment Policy (160507)
  • Economic Development Policy (160505)
  • Ecological Impacts Of Climate Change (050101)
  • Environmental Sciences (05)
  • Geospatial Information Systems (090903)
  • Economics (14)
  • Policy And Administration (1605)

Honours

Top 100 Global Leaders in Sustainability since 2011, as recognised by Singapore-based ABC Carbon.Top 100 Global Leaders in Sustainability 2012, as recognised by Singapore-based ABC Carbon. 2014 and 2015 listed by UK-based SustMeme Magazine, based on independent social media metrics, as one of the top 100 Global Influencers in Social Media on climate change and energy.