Te Uru Institute for Sustainability, in association with Tūhura Otago Museum, is delighted to bring you this informative free public talk.

The El Niño-Southern Oscillation is a 2–5 year climate cycle spawned in the equatorial Pacific, but with wide-ranging impacts on the weather around the Pacific and beyond. Dr Jen Purdie from the University of Otago will help us understand what exactly an El Niño is, what makes this year’s one “super” and how it is different from previous El Niños. We will hear about the likely impacts on Otago and Aotearoa New Zealand, and internationally, and learn what this has to do with climate change.

The talk will be 40 minutes, followed by Q&A. If you would like to attend but can't be with us in person, the event will be live streamed via Zoom – simply select your attendance option when you register.

Dr Jen Purdie works in the field of seasonal prediction of climate, using climate indices such as the El Niño-Southern Oscillation to forecast rainfall and river flows in New Zealand. Jen also explores climate change projections and their impacts, particularly on energy and agriculture. She is a Senior Research Fellow at the Centre for Sustainability Research at the University of Otago.