Ol Perkins

Ol is a complex systems modeller. This basically means building computer models of systems and processes that are too messy to be neatly summarised in 'top-down' mathematical formulas. Because of complex interactions between people, governments, landscapes & natural-systems like climate change or infectious diseases, complex systems need to be simulated from the bottom up to understand them.

Ol applies this to climate change mitigation - specifically trying to put some reasonable constraints on the potential for carbon removal through reforestation and bioenergy. Ol is also interested in wildfires, particularly how they may place restrictions on our ability to reforest!

Ol comes to science as a self-taught data scientist, having previously worked in the healthcare, engineering and political spheres as an analyst of various sorts.