Patrick De DeckkerPatrick De Deckker is a geologist with a doctorate in zoology. He was educated in Belgium, Switzerland and Australia. He commenced working on microcrustaceans (ostracods) and salt lakes, then used the remains of microorganisms to determine environmental change in large lacustrine systems. Using the same approach, he continued his investigations with the aim of identifying changes in all three oceans surrounding Australia, and spent much time investigating the Australian sector of the Southern Ocean. Patrick spent one summer season sampling lakes in the vicinity of the Australian Antarctic Casey base, and also examined the possible record of Australian dust in Antarctic ice cores (with results published). Patrick is a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science and also the recipient of several distinguished awards, including the Christoffel Plantin Medal bestowed by the Governor of the Antwerp Province in Belgium. Read More Read Less