New President takes up office

Please join us in welcoming Professor Lesley Gray, PhD, FRMetS, as the new President of the Royal Meteorological Society. Following the announcement at the AGM earlier this year, Lesley will formally take office on 1 October 2022. Departing President Professor David Griggs will take up the post as Vice-President alongside current Vice-Presidents Robert Varley and Catherine Senior and Vice-President for Scotland Gary Johnston.

President Professor Lesley Gray works as an atmospheric researcher at the National Centre of Atmospheric Science (NCAS) unit based in the University of Oxford Physics Department. She is a Professor of Climate Dynamics. Her expertise is in understanding and modelling dynamical processes in the stratosphere with an emphasis on natural variability and its impacts at the Earth’s surface. She has many years of experience leading national and international research projects.

Lesley has been a long-standing member of the Royal Meteorological Society, a previous Council Member, co-Editor-in-Chief of the Society’s Quarterly Journal and most recently, Vice-President. She is looking forward to being actively involved in learning more about the many different activities of the Society and getting to know the people involved. Her main aim is to maintain the Society’s role in a fast-changing world so that it continues to reach out and meet the needs of its diverse membership, from primary school age to retirement and across the working spectrum from academic researchers through to commercial providers and interested members of the public.

On election, Lesley said:

“It is an incredible honour to serve as RMetS President. I'd like to thank Dave Griggs, the outgoing President, for the considerable contributions he has made to the Society in what has been a particularly challenging couple of years. I aim to maintain his momentum in promoting the importance of weather and climate across all aspects of sustainable development and in promoting the importance of achieving net-zero targets.

“During my time as a Vice-President, I have learned so much about the amazing work of the Society. I would like to help raise the profile of its activities and ensure that the Society's activities continue to adapt, grow and flourish in a fast-changing and challenging world. Now that we are able to get out and about again and meet in person, I am looking forward to meeting members and especially hearing their views on how we maintain our vibrancy and relevance.”

Departing President David Griggs. As we greet our new Council members, we would also like to take the opportunity to thank our departing President, Professor David Griggs FRMetS.

Our Chief Executive – Professor Liz Bentley, said:

“It has been a pleasure working with Dave over recent years, and I would like to add my personal thanks for his support during the challenging times of the pandemic. I’m sure it has been a strange presidential term for Dave, not being able to meet with staff and members of the Society until the last few months. However, we were fortunate that Dave has been able to contribute in many other ways through virtual meetings, support in delivering our new strategic plan at the beginning of 2021 and his guidance on matters of sustainability and net zero targets. I’m sure Dave will continue to play an important role in supporting the Society in the years to come.”  

In his departing statement, David commented:

“When I started my term as President, I said, “the thing I was looking forward to most was meeting staff and volunteers, attending stimulating conferences and meetings, visiting local centres and generally immersing myself in the work of the Society”. Well, thanks to COVID-19, my term as President could not have been more different, until recently largely being carried out over video calls and email. It has certainly been a challenging two years with staff working largely from home. However, it is to their enormous credit that a varied and full work program has been maintained, and membership has stayed strong. So, although I feel like I have been an invisible president, nonetheless, it has been enjoyable and rewarding thanks to the staff, committee members, volunteers and everyone who ensures that the Society continues to thrive, and I wish Lesley well for her term as President.”

The Society is also looking to fill vacancies for Members of Council retiring on 30 September 2023. The positions are as follows:

• General Secretary
• Treasurer
• Member

The role description for these vacancies and details on how to apply or nominate can be found here.

The closing date is 21 October 2022.