Murray L. Parkinson was born in Sydney, Australia, in 1963. He received the M.Sc. degree in physics (applied optics) and the Ph.D. degree in physics (radar oceanography) from the University of Queensland, Brisbane, in 1988 and 1993, respectively.
During 1989-1990, he adapted a phased-antenna array on Bribie Island, Queensland, to perform sea-scatter experiments and is presently employed as a Research Associate (Space Physics) at La Trobe University, Australia. During January-February 1996, he used an HF radar to study ionospheric convection above Casey, Antarctica.