Meteorology receives Queen's Anniversary Prize – University of Reading
18 November 2005
The Department of Meteorology at the University of Reading has been awarded a distinguished Queen's Anniversary Prize for Higher and Further Education. The official announcement took place at St James's Palace on Thursday 17 November. The presentations by the Queen take place at Buckingham Palace in February 2006. The Queen's Anniversary Prizes are awarded for exceptional contributions by institutions in the Higher and Further Education sectors to the wider community. Reading's Department of Meteorology is recognised as one of the outstanding departments of its kind in the world. Ruth Kelly, Secretary of State for Education and Skills, said: "I would like to congratulate the winners of the Queen's Anniversary Prizes for Higher and Further Education. The breadth of their achievement is an outstanding testament to the remarkable work being done by universities and colleges in the UK. They clearly demonstrate that we can be proud of our educational institutions and of the expertise and commitment to excellence of those who teach in them." Reading's Department of Meteorology, celebrating its 40th birthday in 2006, is internationally renowned for its training and research in weather, climate and physical oceanography. After graduating from its uniquely broad range of undergraduate and postgraduate degree programmes, its alumni have gone on to serve in weather services, environmental agencies, government and industry, both in the UK and overseas. Research within the Department focuses on the fundamental understanding of the physics of the atmosphere and oceans, and it has contributed significantly to the understanding and predicting of air quality, weather systems and climate change. Important research centres, funded by the Government's Natural Environment Research Council, designed to improve the national capability in atmospheric science, are based at Reading and there is considerable interaction with Met Office research scientists working in the Department. One of the areas in which the Department has contributed is in the understanding of the differential effects of emissions of different greenhouse gases, which is needed by the Kyoto Protocol of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. Professor Gordon Marshall, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Reading, said: "The Department is engaged in the very highest quality of research, which helps inform the vital global debate concerning climate change. We are absolutely delighted that Meteorology's exceptional contribution has received such prestigious recognition." Head of Department, Professor Keith Shine, is delighted by the award. He said: "The prize represents a real team effort by all the staff and students in the Department, not only in showing our past achievement, but in showing the depth and breadth of our current training and research in an area of such importance to society." The University previously won a Queen's Anniversary Prize in 1998 for its work on the dynamics of theatre performance in Shakespeare's time, done collaboratively with the Globe Theatre on Bankside in London. End Notes for editors 1. The Queen's Anniversary Prizes for Higher and Further Education sit alongside the Queen's Awards for Industry in the nation's honours system. However, the Prizes are administered by an independent charitable trust: The Royal Anniversary Trust. 2. The Prizes are awarded biennially to institutions of higher and further education for work of exceptional quality and of broad benefit either nationally or internationally. They were first awarded in 1994 and originated as a result of the commemorations for the 40th anniversary of the Queen's accession to the throne. 3. In this, the sixth round of the Prizes, Reading is one of 21 winners. Including those announced on 17 November, 129 prizes have been awarded in total over the course of the six rounds. For more information, see http://www.royalanniversarytrust.org.uk 4. For more information about the Department of Meteorology, please see: http://www.met.rdg.ac.uk For media enquiries, please contact: Craig Hillsley, Press Officer at the University of Reading T: 0118 378 7388 E: c.hillsley@rdg.ac.uk Hugh Rickard, Chief Executive of The Royal Anniversary Trust T: 0207 904 0751 E: info@royalanniversarytrust.org.uk