So, who is Dr Bryant Macfie?
BMAC is the acronym for the Bryant Macfie Environmental Charity.
In 2003, Bryant Macfie decided to become a philanthropist, focused on supporting evidence-based public policy. This included support for Dr John Abbot and Dr Jennifer Marohasy through the B. Macfie Family Foundation including research into new ways of forecasting rainfall using artificial intelligence — work that has resulted in many peer-reviewed publications, collaborations with the Indonesian Bureau of Meteorology, Chinese Academy of Sciences and greater public understanding of natural climate change.
Bryant Macfie grew up in Scotland, the son of a Scottish doctor. Bryant remembers his father working tirelessly for the community that he served.
Bryant followed in his father’s footstep, becoming a doctor, and then training as a radiologist in London. A radiologist is a medical doctor who interprets medical images to diagnose and treat diseases.
After migrating to Australia in the 1970s, Bryant worked hard, invested wisely, and slowly built a very successful medical practice focused not just on Perth, but also serving rural and regional Western Australia.
The philanthropy grew out of his commitment to open scientific inquiry, initially through environmental research scholarships at the University of Queensland facilitated through the Institute of Public Affairs.
Dr Macfie is also acknowledged in volumes of the Climate Change: The Facts book series edited by Jennifer Marohasy.
BMAC will honour this legacy and build on it.