Rate My Professor Peter Kershaw

Peter Kershaw is Emeritus Professor in the School of Earth, Atmosphere and Environment, Faculty of Science, at Monash University. He obtained a BSc (Hons) in Geography from the University College of Wales, Aberystwyth in 1966, an MSc in Ecology from Durham University in 1967, and a PhD in Vegetation History from the Australian National University in 1973. Kershaw began his academic career as a research assistant at the Australian National University in 1967, where he conducted fieldwork on the Atherton Tableland. In 1973, he joined Monash University's Department of Geography and Environmental Science as a Lecturer, advancing to Senior Lecturer, Reader, and Professor over nearly four decades. He served as Chair of Physical Geography and Environmental Science from 1994 to 2010, Head of the Department from 1995 to 2004, and Head of the School in 2005 and 2009. Additionally, he directed the Centre for Palynology and Palaeoecology and was appointed Emeritus Professor upon retirement in 2010.

Kershaw's research centers on palynology and palaeoecology, employing fossil pollen analysis to reconstruct Quaternary vegetation, climate, and fire histories in Australasia and Southeast Asia, with key sites including Lynch’s Crater in northeast Queensland. His pioneering work demonstrated the profound impact of Aboriginal burning on landscapes from around 38,000 years ago, challenging traditional views of natural-only environmental change. He developed bioclimatic profiles for quantitative palaeoclimate reconstruction and integrated multi-proxy approaches. Major publications include the book "Quaternary Environments" (1993), "Climatic change and Aboriginal burning in north-east Australia during the last two glacial/interglacial cycles" (Nature, 1986), "Late Quaternary fire regimes of Australasia" (Quaternary Science Reviews, 2011), and "Past and future global transformation of terrestrial ecosystems under climate change" (Science, 2018). Kershaw edited volumes such as "Bridging Wallace’s Line" (2002) and served as Editor-in-Chief of Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology (2005-2013). He held the presidency of the Australasian Association of Palynology and Palaeobotany (1988-1992) and is a Life Member of the Australasian Quaternary Association. In 2026, he will receive the J. P. Thomson Medal from the Royal Geographical Society of Queensland.