Born and educated in the USA, Dr Rintoul joined the CSIRO Division of Oceanography in Hobart in 1990, where he has been based ever since. The Hobart location provided him with a ready stepping off point to explore the Southern Ocean, home to the world's largest ocean current - the Antarctic Circumpolar Current. He has participated in 14 research voyages, 11 as Chief Scientist, on major expeditions to the Southern, Indian and Pacific Oceans. Dr Rintoul's research has laid the foundation for the growing recognition of the importance of the Southern Ocean in the climate system. For example, he has shown that the Southern Ocean plays a critical role in the global overturning circulation that controls climate. He has made pioneering contributions to understanding the dynamics, structure and variability of the world’s largest ocean current, the Antarctic Circumpolar Current. His scientific interests are broad, including the interactions between physical, biological and biogeochemical processes in the sea. Dr Rintoul's commitment to science leadership is evident in his roles as: •Co-chair, International Climate of Antarctic and Southern Ocean (CASO) research program •Co-chair, Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR) Expert Group on Oceanography •a participant of the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR) Southern Ocean Implementation Panel •Acting Chief of CSIRO Marine and Atmospheric Research, May-Nov 2009. He has contributed to the design of a multi-national Southern Ocean Observing System currently being discussed in the science community.