Charitha Pattiaratchi is Professor of Coastal Oceanography at The University of Western Australia where has been based for the past 27 years. He leads the IMOS Australian National Facility for Ocean Gliders. He received his tertiary degrees from the University of Wales. He has supervised over 40 PhD students and 140 honours students and has published over 300 articles/reports on coastal oceanography, including over 130 in peer-reviewed international journals. The research programs he has developed integrate ocean observation, numerical modelling and synthesis to define the role of physical processes in pathways of water and sediment (including morphological changes), weather and climate and ecosystem function in the coastal ocean (including estuaries and beaches) and the adjacent deep ocean.