Australian of the Year

Professor Hilary Bambrick is an environmental epidemiologist and bioanthropologist who researches how climate change affects human health, especially in vulnerable communities.  

Contributing regularly to media and public debate, Hilary’s work explains how changes in heat, water, food and air reshape the relationship between people and their environment. Critically, Hilary spotlights why the health impacts from heatwaves, infectious diseases and food insecurity fall hardest on the world’s poor.  

Hilary has advised governments in Australia and overseas, worked with the World Health Organization and the United Nations Development Programme, and led major national and regional climate health assessments. Hilary also served as an expert witness in the historic Queensland Land Court decision that rejected coal mine expansion. The ruling cited potential impacts on the health and human rights of First Nations peoples, children and young people.  

In bringing evidence to action, Hilary helps Australians understand climate risks and the practical adaptation strategies needed to build healthier, more resilient communities.