When Peter Dexter began his career in meteorology, the weather bureau had just one computer to its name.
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“When I was on a meteorological training course in 1967 the bureau got its first computer… we were all over-awed by this computer, everyone went along to look it. We would go and stare through the window of this giant array of boxes. It had about as much computing power as my mobile phone does now,” he said.
“That was the start and the bureau has got more and more powerful computers now and basically we couldn’t do what we do in the bureau without the huge computing power.
“In fact, I believe a lot of the development in computing technology was due to the need for weather services, for increased power to do weather forecasts.”
Dr Dexter has been at the forefront of meteorology for almost 50 years and worked all over the globe, most notably at the World Meteorological Organisation in Geneva.
He and his wife now call Tower Hill home, and while Dr Dexter is keen to keep his hand in the meteorological world, he is also sharing his wisdom with local audiences, most recently with speaking to the Warrnambool U3A group on Tuesday as part of a series of tutorials.
For someone who has made a lifelong career in the industry, Dr Dexter fell into meteorology almost by accident.
Growing up in Bundaberg, he studied physics and maths at the University of Queensland from 1963.
“We were very poor in those days, my parents were struggling to keep me going, so I applied for scholarships all over the place and got a cadetship at the weather bureau,” he said.
He went on to work as a weather forecaster in Brisbane and Townsville, but was not a fan of the shift work that came with the role. So it was back to university, where Dr Dexter completed a masters degree in ocean remote sensing, or using radars to measure waves on the surface of the ocean. He went into research and development, including being part of the first numerical wave model for Australia in the late 1970s.
After completing his PhD, Dr Dexter was looking for a change of scene and found himself in Geneva, going into science management at the World Meteorological Association. He managed the marine science program for 20 years.
“We did lots of wonderful things there. That was the best period of my life, it was really so productive and we did an enormous amount,” he said.
“We lived in France. That was great. I loved that as well, it was my home for 20 years. My son basically spent his whole life there up until the age of 18.”
He returned to Australia in 2004, heading up the bureau’s ocean services group and helping to develop the nation’s tsunami warning service in the wake of the Boxing Day Tsunami.
Basically retired these days, Dr Dexter is still amazed at just how far the science has come.
“The amount of improvement in technology and the ability to measure things from satellites now is just astounding. We can actually get pressure profiles through the atmosphere from satellites. We can measure sea surface temperatures to within a point one of a degree centigrade and that’s critical for measuring climate change, for example.
“We can measure ocean waves, we can measure the variations in the height of the sea level to within a few centimetres, so you can get tidal estimates from satellites. You can measure things even in the interior of the oceans now.
“It’s just amazing.”
New look for Warrnambool U3A group
From science to history to cryptic crosswords and film appreciation – there is plenty out there to keep older minds active through Warrnambool U3A this year.
Short for University of the Third Age, U3A is designed to keep older brains active in retirement, and Warrnambool president Max Couper said participants would not be short of subjects in 2018.
“It’s a broader spectrum of subjects. The number of classes… it’s as wide and as broad as you want them to be,” he said of the organisation.
In the science field, Professor John Sherwood and retired meteorologist Peter Dexter will both undertake a series of lectures. Local historian Elizabeth O’Callaghan will share Warrnambool stories and language lessons and the popular Bookworm Club will also return.
Mr Couper said enquirers had grown, with the volunteer organisation developing a website to help spread the message further.
He said subjects were driven by members and their interests.
“Members provide the presentation of classes and topics, plus outside tutors and speakers,” he said.
“We’re getting a program into place of interesting speakers and topics that people can discuss.”
An arrangement with Deakin University means U3A members can attend some classes and lectures at the Warrnambool campus.
Mr Couper said the organisation, which operates across the globe, helped to keep older minds within the community active.
“The organisation is one for older age learning, for people over 55, at very little cost,” he said.
To get involved contact Mr Couper on 0409 002 061, email u3awarrnambool@thecoupers.net, or visit u3awarrnambool.org.au