Press Releases
University climate change expert recognised in Queen's Birthday Honours List
Release Date : 18 June 2008
Professor Julia Slingo, Director of Climate Research at the National Centre for Atmospheric Science (NCAS) based at the University, is one of three University of Reading academics to be recognised in the recent Queen's Birthday Honours list.
Professor Slingo, also Professor of Meteorology at Reading, was awarded an OBE for her outstanding contribution to climate science. Emeritus Professor John Dunning was also awarded an OBE for services to International Business Scholarship and Dr Angela Alexander, Senior Clinical Lecturer in the School of Pharmacy was awarded an MBE for services to Pharmacy Practice, Education and to the Voluntary Sector.
Julia, who is a leader in the field of climate research, both nationally and internationally said: "I'm delighted and honoured to receive an OBE. Of course it is only through the work and commitment of so many friends and colleagues, particularly at the University of Reading, that I've been able to achieve all the things that have led to my being given this award, and I'm very grateful. Reading's Department of Meteorology is at the forefront of climate and weather research and it's been a great privilege to be part of that for the last 18 years."
Professor Stephen Belcher, Head of the School of Maths, Meteorology & Physics commented: "Julia has played a pivotal role in directing the climate division of the NCAS into the world class research force that it is today. She was also an instigator in the recent World Summit on Climate Modelling and a major driving force behind the University's now renowned Walker Institute for Climate System Research. Many congratulations to Julia for this recognition. It's much deserved."
As well as inspiring many young scientists to pursue their careers in climate science and its wider implications, she has led and advised major international programmes of research on the climate system, and contributed to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) reports and towards the Stern review on the Economics of Climate Change.
Her research interests include climate modelling, natural variability of the climate system, variability and predictability of the Asian summer monsoon and seasonal prediction in the tropics.
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Notes for Editors:
During her career Professor Slingo has worked as a research scientist at the Met Office (1972-80), the European Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasting (1982-85), the National Center for Atmospheric Research, Boulder, Colorado (1986-90), and as a senior scientist, rising to director of the Centre for Global Atmospheric Modelling, Reading (1990-2005). She was the Founding Director of the Walker Institute for Climate System Research established at the University of Reading in 2006. She is currently vice president and president elect of the Royal Meteorological Society.
Professor Slingo has published broadly and extensively, including numerous publications in the Quarterly Journal of the Royal Meteorological Society, the Proceedings of the Royal Society and the Journal of the American Meteorological Society. She has written articles for newspapers and has conducted many media interviews on climate variability and change. She has been very influential in communicating the latest research on climate science to the non-specialist through numerous public lectures abroad and in the UK.