Pursuit of knowledge protects planet

South African research team members Greg Bodeker (left), Lawrence Kieser, now  of Auckland, Dirk...
South African research team members Greg Bodeker (left), Lawrence Kieser, now of Auckland, Dirk Wessels, now of Australia, and Scarre Celliers, of South Africa, while studying space physics in the Antarctic in 1989-90. Photo: supplied
A photo of aurora australis taken during Greg Bodeker’s time in the Antarctic. Photo: Greg Bodeker
A photo of aurora australis taken during Greg Bodeker’s time in the Antarctic. Photo: Greg Bodeker
Greg Bodeker with a Google Loon balloon in Tekapo. Photo: Jono Edwards
Greg Bodeker with a Google Loon balloon in Tekapo. Photo: Jono Edwards

Greg Bodeker directs a company co-heading a project that could send satellites to the sky. Central Otago reporter Jono Edwards finds out a bit more about this man of science who has chosen Alexandra as home. 

On his office wall at Bodeker Scientific, past a cute note written by his daughter Hazel, is a certificate commending Greg Bodeker for "contributing to the award of the Nobel Peace Prize''.

It is one memento from a life of science.

"My work is very personal. It's very important to me. I think your job should be something that's important to you.''

Dr Bodeker (48) lives just outside Alexandra with his wife Karin Kreher and their children Hazel (9) and Joshua (12) but growing up in the small town of Hillcrest, South Africa, Dr Bodeker's father wanted him to study accounting and economics.

Dr Bodeker gravitated towards maths and science.

By the time of his honours year, in 1988, at the University of Natal (now the University of KwaZulu-Natal) in Durban, Dr Bodeker, influenced by a paper published three years earlier that identified a seasonal ozone hole developing above the Antarctic, had decided to make global environmental change his subject of expertise.

In late 1989, while completing a master's degree, he left for the Antarctic for 14 months to study space physics for the South African government.

Part of his job was taking photos of the aurora australis (the southern lights).

Dr Bodeker's time there coincided with a solar maximum, which meant aurora were visible "every two or three nights''.

"It's amazingly big and powerful, like a curtain that covers the entire sky. I was amazed at how quickly the ripples move.''

Technology in the Antarctic at the time was limited - his only contact with the outside world was 50 words every two weeks on a telex, a machine similar to a telegraph.

"We were completely isolated.

"No money, no cars. It distils everything down to the essence of life.''

The work he did there was supposed to take about six hours a day but in his first two months there he developed software that whittled it to about two and a-half.

"I would have 20 hours a day on my own.

"At 4pm Ivan and I would play Scrabble.

"And it was the same routine for 400 days. I loved it.''

After it was over he wanted to go back.

"It changed me. I was a very different person after that.''

He says he tries to create positive change by voting for the right party and contributing to environmental protection through his work, but also taking action in his lifestyle.

"I drive a Prius, ride a bike. I have an impetus to protect the planet.''

• Dr Bodeker heard of the work being done at New Zealand's National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (Niwa), so after returning to South Africa and completing his PhD he sent a letter to its director Andrew Matthews requesting a job.

He was accepted and moved to Central Otago to study the atmosphere from Niwa's Lauder Station.

"The scientists at Niwa are great. They are smart and committed to doing good work.''

A high point of his time there was a collaboration with Richard McKenzie and Brian Connor.

In a 1999 paper published in international journal Science they showed New Zealand's levels of ultraviolet radiation were higher than levels at a comparable latitude in the northern hemisphere.

While at Niwa he was part of a 700-strong international team that won the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize.

That year the prize was split between Al Gore and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change for building knowledge about, and laying the groundwork for understanding, man-made climate change.

His work continued at Niwa for 15 years before he quit over what he calls the "over-commercialisation'' of its operation.

"Niwa's approach diverged from my view of how science should be done.

"I woke up one day and thought 'this has to change' and handed in my resignation.''

• After leaving Niwa he established his own non-profit company, Bodeker Scientific, which now employs 13 people.

One of its projects received $785,000 from the Marsden Fund in 2014 for a study of Google's Loon project, which aims to make internet available in remote areas via antenna mounted on balloons.

Bodeker Scientific researchers found "fascinating'' flight patterns in the balloons, launched from Tekapo, and measured winds in the stratosphere, which affect the Earth's climate and weather, he says.

"This is stuff you give your left arm for as a scientist.''

The company received $1.1million to improve New Zealand's ability to manage climate change from the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment-funded Deep South National Science Challenge.

Last year he started another company, Kentron, which he describes as an "intellectual property incubator''.

"It's about taking things from ideas to commercial reality.''

One of these ideas began when his heart stopped beating three years ago.

"One day I just fell to the floor.''

This happened several more times and he eventually required a pacemaker.

When it was implanted, it caused blood clotting and he had to stay in Dunedin Hospital for several days to determine his required drug dosage.

While there he asked the staff some questions, worked out the maths, and developed an app that could calculate dosages much faster.

"This could cut hospital rest times, but I haven't had one spare moment to test it.

"I parked it as a Kentron project,'' he said.

Dr Bodeker says he is unable to talk about the proposed Centre for Space Science Technology, which Bodeker Scientific is helping to steer, as it is in the assessment process for funding.

If successful, the satellite project will no doubt mean more late nights but he cannot rest now, as there is "too much to do''.

jono.edwards@odt.co.nz

 


Profile

Who: Greg Bodeker (48)
What: Atmospheric scientist
Where: Bodeker Scientific in Alexandra


 

 

 

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