Jen Purdie
Senior Research Fellow, Centre for Sustainability, University of Otago
Dr Jen Purdie is a climatologist and energy researcher with 30 years’ experience looking at climate impacts on natural and built environments. Jen works as a senior research fellow at the University of Otago.
Her PhD was in seasonal climate forecasting, and she spent 12 years in the energy industry looking at better optimisation of wind, water, and snow melt in energy forecasting on all time scales, and modelling the future New Zealand energy system out to mid-century.
Recent research includes projected changes to wind and water in coming decades and the impact of this on renewable energy generation (funded by the Deep South Science Challenge). Another project looks at energy implications of avoiding carbon lock-in in the built environment (funded by MBIE Smart Ideas fund).
Jen provides consulting services on climate and energy issues, with clients ranging from industry to government. This has included reports on climate change impacts on rivers and for proposed wind farms, and the projected impact of climate change on probable maximum flood, for resource consenting purposes. Jen has been an expert witness in environment court cases around access to water, and lectured at University on this and other topics.