Andrew Brown took up his position as ECMWF’s Director of Research on 1 July. His appointment had been approved by ECMWF’s Council in December 2016. He was previously the Director of Science at the UK Met Office.
“After a couple of visits to ensure a smooth transition, I am delighted to have officially started in my new role,” Dr Brown said. “One of my first tasks will be to get to know people both in the Research Department and in the other departments with which Research works in order to help deliver ECMWF’s Strategy. The Strategy sets ambitious goals for the next eight years. Meeting them will require a sustained research effort across all areas of numerical weather prediction. Collaboration of our hugely skilled staff with scientists in our Member and Co-operating States and beyond will be a key to success.”
Dr Brown succeeds Erland Källén, who stepped down from the post after eight years to resume his professorship in dynamic meteorology at Stockholm University. A symposium held at the Centre on 8 June to mark Professor Källén’s departure brought together leading World Meteorological Organization officials and experts in numerical weather prediction (NWP). For details on the event, visit: www.ecmwf.int/en/about/media-centre/news/2017/top-nwp-experts-mark-research-directors-departure.