Reading Professor to become Head of the Met Office's Hadley Centre

Wednesday, 19 October 2011

Professor Stephen Belcher

Professor Stephen Belcher from the University's department of Meteorology has been appointed Head of the Met Office Hadley Centre.

One of the world's foremost climate change research centres, the Met Office Hadley Centre is co-funded by Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra). It provides guidance to Government and business on the science of climate change.

Acting Vice-Chancellor, Professor Tony Downes, said: "We are proud that Stephen is to take on this challenging new role, whilst keeping a part-time appointment at Reading. We look forward to an even closer collaboration between the Department of Meteorology here and the Met Office Hadley Centre."

Professor Belcher said: "I am very excited to be joining the Met Office Hadley Centre and to contributing to its world wide reputation in climate science. To be the Head will be exciting and a privilege."

Professor Belcher has held key science leadership roles in the Department of Meteorology and has pursued a highly productive research career at Reading, Stanford University in the USA and the University of Cambridge.

He will take up his Met Office Hadley Centre leadership responsibilities from January 2012, and will continue, part time, his work at Reading into the effects of climate change on cities, and the role of the oceans in climate.

Professor Belcher's scientific interests include atmospheric and oceanic turbulence, boundary layer meteorology, especially urban meteorology and the impact of climate change on urban areas. Stephen has won a number of awards including the Smiths Prize, University of Cambridge, and the Rosenstiel Award for Oceanography, University of Miami.