Associate Professor Newbigin is a plant biologist who led research in the cellular and molecular biology of plants in the School of BioSciences at the University of Melbourne for over 30 years. Associate Prof Newbigin has coordinated the Melbourne Pollen count service since 1998 and has been instrumental in delivering this community service to Melbourne’s allergy sufferers, providing them with resources and information about the impact of grass pollen on human health. Since 2016, he has played a pivotal role in establishing the world's first Thunderstorm Asthma forecast system, working closely with the Victoria Department of Health and the Australian Bureau of Meteorology.