David Cliff was Professor of Occupational Health and Safety in Mining and the Director of MISHC from 2011 to 2016. In January 2017, he was appointed Professor of Risk and Knowledge Transfer, becoming Professor of Occupational Health and Safety in Mining in 2018. His primary roles include providing education, applied research and consulting in health and safety in the mining and minerals processing industry. He has been at MISHC for over 15 years. Previously, David was the Safety and Health Adviser to the Queensland Mining Council, and prior to that Manager of Mining Research at the Safety In Mines Testing and Research Station. In these capacities he has provided expert assistance in the areas of health and safety to the mining industry for over 23 years. He has particular expertise in emergency preparedness, gas analysis, spontaneous combustion, fires and explosions, including providing expert testimony to the Moura No.2 Warden’s inquiry, the Hazelwood Mine Fire Inquiry and the Pike River Royal Commission. Recently, he has also devoted a lot of energy to fitness-for-duty issues, particularly fatigue management. He has been a member of the organising committee for the level one emergency exercises in Queensland underground coal mines since their inception in 1998. He has also attended or provided assistance in over 30 incidents at mines. In recent years, he has collaborated closely with Nikky LaBranche, researching respirable dust; particularly coal dust and silica.