E. Murray Poulter received the B.Sc. (Hons.) and Ph.D. degrees in physics from the University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand, in 1972 and 1978, respectively.
He then worked on satellite to ground radio propagation at the University of Lancaster, U.K., and on hydromagnetic wave propagation at the Max Planck Institute for Aeronomie, Germany, before returning to New Zealand to take up a position with the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research in 1981. He continued the work on hydromagnetic waves and initiated studies applying microwave radar techniques to the measurement of ocean surface properties, before joining the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA), Wellington, New Zealand, in 1992. He is currently the Wellington Regional Manager of NIWA. His current research interests are in the areas of ocean surface dynamics, air-sea interaction, and the application of radar to ocean problems.
Dr. Poulter is a recipient of the New Zealand Association of Scientists Research medal.