Past News from 2003
02.12.03
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15.10.03
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11.08.03
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23.07.03
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10.07.03
17.06.03
17.03.03
24.02.03
28.01.03
ANNOUNCEMENT OF OPPORTUNITY: The THORPEX/Vaisala Cooperative Postdoctoral Research Fellowship
13.01.03
Abrupt climate change: evidence, mechanisms and implications
07.01.03
02.12.03 Rupert Ford Memorial Awards for 2004
Each Award is in the form of a bursary valued at around £3,000 ($4,500)
to assist with the costs for an outstanding young scientist to work for a
period at a leading centre for atmospheric or related sciences outside the
applicant’s own country.
Applicants may be of any nationality and may be planning to work or study
abroad in any other country. Applicants do NOT need to be members of the Royal
Meteorological Society.
Awards are competitive but more than one may be made in a given year if candidates of sufficiently high standard apply.
For more info contact:
The Executive Director, The Royal
Meteorological Society, 104 Oxford Road, Reading RG1 7LL UK
Applications must be received at least three months before the proposed
commencement of the work period.
15.10.03 Special Deal for Society members
The Youth Hostel Association (which is no longer confined to “youth”
and no longer requires that visitors “do the chores” see www.yha.org.uk
) run “Weather, Climate and Energy” weekends at their hostel at
Langdon Beck in beautiful Teesdale. The Society has negotiated special rates
with the YHA which provide Society members with a discount of 17.5%
(from £79 to £65 fully inclusive) for these weekends. This includes
twelve month membership of the YHA. In addition, members can secure a 25%
discount on the overnight fees (excluding meals) for any other stay at
Langdon Beck. This hostel runs many themed weekends on topics such as Watercolour
Painting, Bird Watching, A Pudding Festival, “Farming, Conservation
And Modern Rural Life”, “Sheep To Sweater” and “Meadow
and Moorland”. For further details of the next Weather, Climate and
Energy weekend, provisionally scheduled for 23rd/24th April 2004, watch for
advertisements in Weather.
11.08.03 Royal Meteorological Society Bylaws update proposals
The AGM held on 5 September 2003 will vote on the changes to bylaws explained in the AGM Agenda, which has been circulated with August Weather.
The proposed bylaws can now be downloaded for viewing:
Any comments regarding the proposed changes can be mailed to the Executive Director or brought with you to the AGM.
23.07.03 Royal Meteorological Society Awards Dinner
The Society Awards for 2002 will be presented at an Awards Dinner at 18:45 on Thursday 4th September 2003 at St Andrew’s Hall, Norwich preceded by a Reception (sponsored by the Met Office) following the Presidential Address and the AGM
Dress: smart jackets
Tickets £29 incl. Vat
The Royal Meteorological Society Dinner 1907, held at
the Trocadero Restaurant, London
This year, Council has decided as an experiment to present the Society’s Awards at an AWARDS DINNER rather than at the AGM as has been the practice for some years past.
The Dinner will be held in the magnificent setting of the medieval St Andrew’s Hall in the centre of NORWICH on Thursday 5th September and will be preceded, at 1845, by a reception which is being generously sponsored by the Met Office.
The Dinner will follow the Presidential Address and the AGM which are to be held at the University of East Anglia (UEA) in the afternoon of the same day. This departure from established practice of holding these events in London is an attempt to bring them closer to our many members who do not live in, or close to, the metropolis. Council hopes that this effort to be less centralised will be welcomed by members and will be supported by those who are within reach of the venue.
Although these events are being held in association with the Society’s Conference 2003, which is also being held at UEA, they are NOT formally part of the Conference. The Presidential Address is free and open to ALL, whether conference participants or not. The AGM is, of course, free to all members. Tickets for the dinner and reception cost £29 each and are available from HQ (see overleaf). Dress code for the dinner is “smart jackets” (no jeans, shorts, T shirts, trainers or similar casual wear, please).
There are good public transport links to Norwich and adequate parking quite close to St Andrew’s Hall. Alternatively, there is parking at UEA and the Society will run buses free of charge from UEA to St Andrew’s Hall and back.
This is a new venture by the Council and they hope that it will receive your support. Members who have never attended an AGM of the Society will be particularly welcome and partners are welcome to the Presidential Address and to the dinner.
For further information contact the Executive Director.
10.07.03 Professor Raymond Hide FRS honoured by the Royal Meteorological Society
The Royal Meteorological Society has bestowed its most prestigious award, The Symons Gold Medal, on Professor Raymond Hide FRS. The medal will be presented to Professor Hide at the Society’s Awards dinner in St Andrew’s Hall, Norwich on Thursday 4th September 2003.
A past President of the Society, Raymond Hide is distinguished for his original and inspirational experimental and theoretical studies of non-linear hydrodynamics and magneto-hydrodynamics of rotating fluids, and their application to understanding the dynamics of planetary atmosphere and interiors.
Of particular importance to meteorology are his pioneering studies of wave motions generated in a fluid contained in a cylindrical rotating annulus and subjected to a radial temperature gradient. He discovered various regimes of ‘vacillation’ and other multiply-periodic flows and aperiodic flows, which influenced seminal mathematical studies by Lorenz and others of deterministic chaos, and provided a paradigm for interpreting large-scale flows in planetary atmospheres. The experiments were complemented by precise numerical simulations that permitted deeper understanding of the underlying mechanisms.
His researches on fluctuations of the Earth’s rotation led Raymond Hide to new models of its liquid-metallic core acting as a self-exciting dynamo generating the magnetic field, and to his discovery that fluctuations in the angular momentum of the atmospheric circulation were correlated with observed tiny changes in the length of the day.
His very recent discovery of non-linear quenching of Lorenzian chaos promises to have wide implications in the study of non-linear systems.
Professor Hide’s work, which covers a wide range of geophysical phenomena, is characterised by great originality, deep physical insight, and an unusual ability to combine theory, experiment and observational analysis in tackling difficult and complex problems in meteorology and geophysics. For several decades he has been the most productive and influential scientist in his field.
For further information contact the Executive Director.
17.06.03 University Challenge TV Schedules
Following their narrow semi-final victory over the journalists from The Times, the team representing the Royal Meteorological Society narrowly lost a very exciting contest against a very good team from the Inland Revenue in the final of "University Challenge - The Professionals" by a margin of 110-145.
The Meteorological Society was off to a slow start as the Inland Revenue stormed ahead. The Meteorologists soon caught up to reach a level pegging at 50 points and for a short while they took the lead before the Revenue staged a fight back.
With just minutes to go, it looked all over for the Meteorologists with a mere 70 points to the Revenue's stunning 125. But in the last few gasp moments, the contest hung in the balance as the Meteorologists came within 10 points of the Revenue.
Although they put up a fight, the Meteorological Society couldn't quite catch up and the Revenue took the spoils.
Captain of the Royal Meteorological Society team, Peter Francis, knew they were in for tough contest.
Says Francis: "We knew what a formidable team they were. Even Paxman thought we'd be annihilated! The match was fairly close, it could have gone either way. It was incredibly exciting at the end. We'd gone in fairly light-hearted, but about half way through we realised we could actually win!"
The teams answered questions on subjects as diverse as 18th Century sneers, monarchs, thermodynamics, films made in 3D and neologisms reflecting working practices.
The trophy was presented to the Inland Revenue by former Cabinet minister, Mo Mowlam, who said that she could only answer two questions.
Mowlam says it was, "a fantastic evening. It's just great to be amongst so many bright people, the brightest in the country I'd guess."
First Round |
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June 16th |
BRITISH VETERINARY ASSOCIATION V ROYAL METEOROLOGICAL SOCIETY |
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June 23rd |
FINE ART AUCTIONEERS V PSYCHIATRISTS |
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June 30th |
WOMEN'S INSTITUTE V ROYAL NAVAL COLLEGE |
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July 7th |
INLAND REVENUE V COLLEGE OF ARMS |
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July 14th |
POETS V NURSES |
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Quarter Finals |
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July 21st |
JOURNALISTS V FINE ART AUCTIONEERS |
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July 28th |
ROYAL METEOROLOGICAL SOCIETY V WOMEN'S INSTITUTE |
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August 4th |
CLERGY V TUC |
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August 11th |
INLAND REVENUE V BRITISH DENTAL ASSOCIATION |
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Semi Finals |
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August 18th |
JOURNALISTS V ROYAL METEOROLOGICAL SOCIETY |
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September 1st |
TUC V INLAND REVENUE |
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Final |
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September 8th |
ROYAL METEOROLOGICAL SOCIETY V INLAND REVENUE |
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Runners-up |
ROYAL METEOROLOGICAL SOCIETY |
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Winners |
INLAND REVENUE |
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| Royal Meteorological Society Team |
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| Pete Francis (captain) Met Office | Pete Inness Reading University | |||
| "I'm 38, and I joined
the Met Office in 1991 after leaving Oxford University, having done a
Physics degree and a DPhil in Atmospheric Physics. I worked at the Met
Office's Met Research Flight facility at Farnborough (i.e. flying around
on Snoopy) until 2001, carrying out research into the radiative transfer
properties of clouds and aerosols. Since 2001 I've been at Bracknell Met
Office HQ, carrying out research into satellite data and its use in the
Met Office Unified Model." |
"I'm 35, and I joined the Met Office straight from school in 1985. I did stints as an observer/assistant at Birmingham Airport and Tiree before going to Reading University to do a meteorology degree. I then worked at the Hadley Centre for a few years and at the Met Office College as an instructor in the Forecaster Training programme before leaving the Office to take up a research fellowship at Reading University in 1999. I did my PhD whilst working here and work on various aspects of tropical meteorology including the Madden-Julian Oscillation, ocean-atmosphere interaction and convection." | |||
| More information on research at the Met Office can be found on the Met Office web-site | More information on degrees and research at the Reading University, Department of Meteorology can be found on their web-site | |||
| Peter Gibbs Met Office / BBC Weather Centre | Phil Avery Met Office / BBC Weather Centre | |||
| BBC broadcast meteorologist. More details on Peter can be found on the BBC Weatherwise and BBC News 24 websites |
BBC broadcast meteorologist. More details on Phil can be found on the BBC Weatherwise and BBC News 24 websites |
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28.06.03 Somerset and the Weather
To mark the 300th anniversary of the Great Storm of 1703 and the death of Bishop Kidder, the Somerset Archaeological and Natural History Society are holding a day seminar at Wells Town Hall on Saturday 28 June, 2003, from 10:00-16:00.
Speakers include the County Archivist, the President of the Somerset Archaeological and Natural History Society, and the County Historian, with talks including Weather and climate in West Somerset 1950-2000; Extreme rainfall in Somerset: issues and implications; The Great Storm of 1703 and the death of Bishop Kidder; Weather in relation to distribution of wildlife; the Weather in Medieval Somerset.
Registration and coffee 10:00, lunch 13:10 (NOT PROVIDED), tea and close
16:00.
Prior booking is advisable tel: 01823 272429
24.02.03The Rolex Awards 2004 - Call for Entries
Rolex has issued its call for entries to the 2004 Rolex Awards for Enterprise. The Rolex Awards for Enterprise are presented to individuals from around the globe who are asked to submit innovative working projects in one of five areas of human endeavour:
- science and medicine
- technology and innovation
- exploration and discovery
- the environment
- cultural heritage
An independent selection panel will judge these initiatives based on their originality, feasibility, potential impact and, above all, on whether the applicant demonstrates a spirit of enterprise. All projects must expand knowledge of our world, improve the quality of life on the planet or contribute to the betterment of humankind. The five entrants who present the most outstanding projects will each receive US$100,000 and a gold Rolex chronometer. As many as five runners-up may also be granted cash awards by the judging panel.
If you would like further details or an application form, visit the website at www.rolexawards.com. Applications from Europe must reach the Secretariat by September 30th, 2003
31.01.03 European Meteorological Society Award Presentation
European Meteorological Society is glad in announcing the first annual Young Scientist Award for the year to be presented during the next Annual Meeting of EMS in Rome.
In order to support excellence among young European scientists, EMS honours
each year one promising young scientist with the Annual European Meteorological
Society Young Scientist Award. This award includes a sum of 1000 € and
the reimbursement of travel and local costs for the winner’s
participation in the entire EMS Annual Meeting at which the award is presented.
The EMS is supporting young European scientists by a number of Young Scientist
Travel Awards per year. For 2003, the EMS Awards Committee has selected three
conferences and will divide the available sum as follows:
· Three awards for 300 € each at the ICAM 2003 in Brig (Switzerland)
· Three awards for 400 € each at the EWOC Conference in Madrid.
· Three awards for 400 € each at the EMS Annual Meeting in Rome.
The Award winners are selected jointly by the Scientific Committees of each
conference and the EMS Awards Committee.
Young scientists from countries which are EMS Members are entitled to receive
an award. For a country overview please consult the EMS
Web Site.
Recipients shall be under 32 years of age on the first of January of the calendar
year in which the award will be presented.
The candidate must have written a high quality publication in a reviewed international
scientific journal, or an outstanding PhD thesis. The paper shall have been
published in a three years’ span before nomination.
Proposals should be arriving no later than six weeks prior to the start of
the EMS Annual Meeting.
Further details are given on the web page www.emetsoc.org/ems_awards.html
28.01.03 ANNOUNCEMENT OF OPPORTUNITY: The THORPEX/Vaisala Cooperative Postdoctoral Research Fellowship
Vaisala announces a program to co-sponsor a limited number of postdoctoral research fellowships in support of improved global numerical weather prediction through studies that seek to assess the value and effectiveness of: 1) earth-based atmospheric observing strategies; 2) existing and new earth-based in situ observing systems and remote sensing systems; or 3) the interplay between earth-based and space-based observing systems. These research studies will be carried out under the oversight of the World Weather Research Program (WWRP) and THORPEX - A Global Atmospheric Research Programme. Qualifying scientists must be postdoctoral researchers not more than four years beyond award of the Ph.D. degree or equivalent; i.e. Ph.D. completed not earlier than June 1999. Proposing scientists may be either the postdoctoral scientist or the research supervisor; it is preferred but not essential that the postdoctoral candidate be identified in the proposal.
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28.01.03 RMS University Challenge Team Announced
RMS are pleased to announce that the team to represent the Meteorologists in the forthcoming television series of "University Challenge - The Professionals" will be:
Pete Francis (captain)
Pete Inness (Reading University)
Peter Gibbs (TV)
Phil Avery (TV)
13.01.03 Abrupt climate change: evidence, mechanisms and implications
This two-day meeting is to be held at the Royal Society in London on the
4/5 February 2003.
Entrance is free, but registration is required. It is possible to register
on-line at http://www.royalsoc.ac.uk/events
Records on land, in deep-sea sediments and ice cores have revealed rapid climate change during the recent geological past. Numerical modelling studies of increasing sophistication have demonstrated that such rapid change, related to shifts in the ocean thermohaline circulation, might be a response to the human-induced increase of atmospheric CO2. The consequences for climate and societies, especially European ones, could be large and serious. This meeting will discuss climate stability during glacial-interglacial cycles, the potential future instability of ocean circulation and climate under increased concentrations of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, and the impacts of abrupt climate change on economic and ecological systems.
A full programme of the meeting and a printable registration form can be downloaded here:
07.01.03 End of an Era at Culdrose
After more than forty years of occupying the same building at RNAS Culdrose, the Royal Naval Hydrographic, Meteorological and Oceanographic School, formerly and affectionately known as RNSOMO or "The Met School", is leaving its West Cornwall base to relocate with the other facility of the school based at HMS Drake in Devonport Naval Base. The merged sections will be known as Maritime Warfare School, Hydrographic, Meteorological and Oceanographic Training Group.
Since its move to RNAS Culdrose from HMS Harrier in South Wales in 1959, hundreds of Royal Navy meteorological and oceanographic forecasters and observers have been trained at the school as well as many personnel from foreign and Commonwealth navies. In recent years training has been brought under the direction of the Maritime Warfare School at HMS Collingwood and now incorporates Hydrographic training in conjunction with the RN HM School at HMS Drake.
A series of events is planned to mark the end of meteorology training at RNAS Culdrose including a ceremonial met-balloon release and formal closing ceremony on the afternoon of Wednesday 26 February 2003 followed by an informal all-ranks social function. It is hoped that as many previous School staff instructors and METOC/HM branch officers and ratings, together with their families, will attend.
Full details of the events and applications for tickets should be made to RNHMS (CU), RNAS Culdrose, HELSTON, TR12 7RH. Telephone 01326 557284 or email rnhms.culdrose@gtnet.gov.uk. (Numbers for each function will be limited to 150 and if over subscribed a draw will be made and successful applicants contacted).