Vale Paul Holper

from Scientell

It is with deep sadness that we mourn the loss of Paul Holper, co-director and co-founder of Scientell. Paul was a highly respected leader in the research and science communication community.

Paul leaves a lasting legacy in environmental and climate change communication. He was a generous leader, mentor and friend. His care for his colleagues and clients was evident in his insightful questions, wise advice, and humour.

As co-director of Scientell, Paul led numerous projects, helping government, research agencies, and industry interpret and communicate complex scientific and technical information. He was skilled at succinctly communicating the value of research, helping to increase the impact of science and encourage further research funding. 

Throughout his distinguished career at CSIRO, Paul made significant contributions to the climate change research community, advocating for and managing large national research programs and liaising with government and industry stakeholders. He played a pivotal role in climate science communication, including convening the influential GREENHOUSE conferences from 2005 to 2015 to discuss pressing climate issues.

Paul’s passion for science and making science accessible led to him co-authoring 20 popular science and climate change books with Simon Torok. Many of the books were for children, and many have been translated into multiple languages.

The Scientell team will greatly miss Paul and his contribution to the team and science communication, as well as his ideas, discussions, and jokes.

Our thoughts are with Paul’s family, his wife, Janet, and their daughters, Kate and Sarah, as well as Paul’s wide network of friends and colleagues.

A celebration of Paul’s life will take place at 11 am on Friday 20 September at The Royal Society of Victoria, 8 La Trobe St, Melbourne (please wear colour).  

The celebration will be live-streamed
https://www.vividstream.com.au/live/paul-holper

In lieu of flowers, please donate to: 
https://123read2me.org.au/donate-support


Dear ASC Members,

I am writing with some sad news: Paul Holper—a long-time member of ASC, respected communicator of climate science and writer of avidly read children’s books—has died of a stroke. 

Many of you would have met him over the decades working in science communication, perhaps during his 25 years of pioneering climate communication at CSIRO, or over the past decade with Scientell, the science communication business that he founded with Simon Torok. 

You may have one of his books on your bookshelves – he and Simon wrote over 20 popular science, climate change and children’s books.

A celebration of Paul’s life will take place at 11am on Friday 20 September at The Royal Society of Victoria, 8 La Trobe St, Melbourne (please wear colour).  

The celebration will be live-streamedhttps://www.vividstream.com.au/live/paul-holper

In lieu of flowers, please donate to https://123read2me.org.au/donate-support

Paul was one of the nicest people you could ever meet. 

He calmly provided his extensive knowledge and experience of science communication, and particularly about the complex relationships between climate and the environment, to anyone who was interested. 

He was always positive and supportive, and never disparaging. He worked hard at his vocation – to make science accessible to all.

We were privileged to have been early colleagues of Paul in the world of science communication. We learnt from Paul, we were inspired by Paul and laughed with Paul. 

He was a true gentleman with a decency and humbleness admired by all. He will be sorely missed by our community, but his legacy through excellence in storytelling and science communication will continue. 

Vale, Paul

Sarah Brooker, Niall Byrne, Jenni Metcalfe and Tim Thwaites.
Together with, and on behalf of, Simon Torok and the Scientell team. Our hearts are with you, and with Paul’s family.


From the Scientell website

Simon and Paul first met at the GREENHOUSE 1994 climate change science conference, organised by Paul in New Zealand and attended by Simon as a PhD student.

Their paths crossed again in 1996 when Paul was communication manager for CSIRO Atmospheric Research and Simon started as communication manager for CSIRO Environmental Mechanics. 

A couple of years later, Paul suggested they write a science trivia book together, which was published by ABC Books in 1999.

Over the ensuing decade, Paul worked at CSIRO in Melbourne and Simon worked in Canberra, England, and then also at CSIRO in Melbourne. As they worked their day jobs, they continued to write together in their spare time, with an average of one book published each year. This efficient, ‘spare-time’ writing and their collaborative work together at CSIRO laid the foundation for Scientell, the science communication company they established in 2015.


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