Symons Gold Medal Lecture: On Missing Gravity-Wave Forces, and Scientific Understanding
LOCATION
Virtual - Hosted on Zoom
The lecture is in two parts. The first part is about an unresolved technical issue in weather and climate modelling -- the `missing forces' problem -- which I suspect may have dropped out of sight in the community, but which is still a big challenge for a bright young dynamicist. The second part broadens out to visit some generic issues about science itself, and how best to understand it and communicate it. The generic issues have a philosophical flavour, but as a humble scientist I think I'm permitted to discuss them in a simpler and more direct way than can a card-carrying philosopher.
This talk has been pre-recorded and the speaker will be available to answer any questions at the end of the presentation.
Speaker
Professor Michael Edgeworth McIntyre
Professor Michael Edgeworth McIntyre has made outstanding contributions to our understanding of geophysical fluid dynamics.
Michael’s work on fluid dynamical `wave breaking' lies at the foundation of many classes of extreme weather events. His prescient insights and anticipation of the dynamics of breaking Rossby waves is at the heart of some of the most extreme bouts of severe weather in the world, including long-lived ‘blocking events’ that cause intense cold air outbreaks in winter and devastating heatwaves and firestorms in summer. The impacts of Michael’s work extend to tropical cyclones and even other planets such as the gas giants.
Michael is an exceptionally inspiring scientist. His deep understanding, combined with careful communication, make his lectures and seminars an unparalleled experience. Numerous prominent researchers have profoundly benefitted from McIntyre’s mentorship and have gone on to hold leading academic positions worldwide. Michael’s influence also extends to many other fields, including much-cited work in musical acoustics, a breakthrough in solar physics (the first credible model of the fluid dynamics of the solar tachocline), and a recent book (Science, Music and Mathematics – The Deepest Connections) discussing biological evolution, human language, all of which demonstrate our unconscious mathematical abilities.
Professor McIntyre is a giant in the geosciences. His untiring communication of deep scientific ideas has armed generations of scientists with new tools, insights and communication skills and he has contributed to the amazing strength and vitality of meteorological research in the UK and beyond. He is a very worthy winner of the Symons Gold Medal and Lecture.
Registration
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The lecture is in two parts. The first part is about an unresolved technical issue in weather and climate modelling -- the `missing forces' problem -- which I suspect may have dropped out of sight in the community, but which is still a big challenge for a bright young dynamicist. The second part broadens out to visit some generic issues about science itself, and how best to understand it and communicate it. The generic issues have a philosophical flavour, but as a humble scientist I think I'm permitted to discuss them in a simpler and more direct way than can a card-carrying philosopher.
This talk has been pre-recorded and the speaker will be available to answer any questions at the end of the presentation.
Speaker
Professor Michael Edgeworth McIntyre
Professor Michael Edgeworth McIntyre has made outstanding contributions to our understanding of geophysical fluid dynamics.
Michael’s work on fluid dynamical `wave breaking' lies at the foundation of many classes of extreme weather events. His prescient insights and anticipation of the dynamics of breaking Rossby waves is at the heart of some of the most extreme bouts of severe weather in the world, including long-lived ‘blocking events’ that cause intense cold air outbreaks in winter and devastating heatwaves and firestorms in summer. The impacts of Michael’s work extend to tropical cyclones and even other planets such as the gas giants.
Michael is an exceptionally inspiring scientist. His deep understanding, combined with careful communication, make his lectures and seminars an unparalleled experience. Numerous prominent researchers have profoundly benefitted from McIntyre’s mentorship and have gone on to hold leading academic positions worldwide. Michael’s influence also extends to many other fields, including much-cited work in musical acoustics, a breakthrough in solar physics (the first credible model of the fluid dynamics of the solar tachocline), and a recent book (Science, Music and Mathematics – The Deepest Connections) discussing biological evolution, human language, all of which demonstrate our unconscious mathematical abilities.
Professor McIntyre is a giant in the geosciences. His untiring communication of deep scientific ideas has armed generations of scientists with new tools, insights and communication skills and he has contributed to the amazing strength and vitality of meteorological research in the UK and beyond. He is a very worthy winner of the Symons Gold Medal and Lecture.
Registration
REGISTRATION IS NOW CLOSED
Registration for this event is closed.
If you have any queries with regards to this event or require any further information please contact us at meetings@rmets.org.
We take data privacy seriously. Please read the RMetS privacy policy to find out more.
