Crystal shares her experience with the Royal Meteorological Society (RMetS), the UK’s Professional and Learned Society for weather and climate. She discusses the Society’s work, how she became interested in the field, and RMetS events and career support for students.
Crystal is an MPhil in Holocene Climates student in the Department of Geography. Her research uses past climate records to improve climate model simulations and future projections. She is currently supporting the RMetS as their Student Ambassador for Cambridge, by raising awareness of the Society’s membership and activities and promoting weather and climate as a science, profession, or general interest.
Who are the RMetS and what do they do?
The RMetS is one of the world’s largest meteorological societies, with members from diverse backgrounds brought together by a shared passion for meteorology, climate, or related sciences. The Society works to strengthen the science and raise awareness of the importance of weather and climate while connecting professionals and inspiring enthusiasts. They run various events across the UK for members, the public, educators, policy- and decision-makers, and the wider meteorological and climate community. Their latest initiative, the ‘Diverse Voices’ online series, aims to amplify and celebrate the rich diversity among scientists contributing to the field of weather and climate in the country, as well as to provide opportunities to gain insight from the experiences of senior people within the sector. The Society also provides a range of student support, including education programmes, professional development, outreach activities, and funding opportunities. For anyone interested in weather and climate, it is a wonderful community to be a part of.
What made you interested in weather and climate?
I’m fascinated by natural processes that have sculpted planet Earth as we know it and continue to reshape our world every day. Weather and climate feel particularly close to us as we can observe and feel their changes in our day-to-day lives, be it an unusually severe heatwave or an exceptionally stormy winter. I’m intrigued by these complex, chaotic, and ever-changing systems, whose countless components and intricate interactions form a grand puzzle waiting to be solved. As I delve into the field, I’ve learned about clues that nature has left for us, in the forms of rocks, sediments, ice cores, tree rings, and more. These archives have recorded past climate changes, including their timings, magnitudes, and effects on various Earth system components, offering us invaluable lessons for the future. As modern climate change accelerates, the need to advance climate science to ameliorate societal impacts further motivates my research. With the weather and climate sector at the forefront of tackling this global crisis, I’m looking forward to exciting developments over the next decade.
What are your favourite RMetS events?
My favourite RMetS events are their talks and masterclasses, which feature speakers from the Met Office or university meteorology departments and address a wide range of topics, from cloud science and extreme weather to energy transition and forecast models. Tuning into their live streams from Cambridge, I get to learn from expert meteorologists and climate scientists around the UK about their specialities, gaining insights into the latest developments in the field. To top it all off, they are free to attend! The RMetS also has a Youth and Early Career Special Interest Group, which organises events oriented to students and early career professionals. I’m most looking forward to their Early Career and Student Conference, an occasion specifically for students, including undergraduates and postgraduates, and early-career researchers to present their work in a friendly environment. It’ll be an amazing opportunity to discuss research and gain feedback, as well as to meet other researchers and learn about their work. I highly recommend anyone researching topics related to meteorology and climate to join us at the Met Office on 1-3 July!
How has the RMetS helped with your professional development?
The RMetS has placed me within a broad community consisting of students, researchers, academics, professionals, enthusiasts, and observers of weather and climate. With such a diverse membership, the numerous events that the RMetS hold throughout the year present me with great networking opportunities as well as useful career insights. For example, they recently invited two operational meteorologists to share their experiences working at the Met Office, including the opportunities and challenges they’ve had, offering practical advice and guidance on navigating the sector. As a member of the RMetS, I also enjoy access to monthly newsletters and event recordings to keep up with the latest advances in weather and climate science, plus grants and bursaries to finance expeditions, carry out research, or attend meteorological conferences. Their career support is a great resource for students and early career scientists.
Find out more about the Royal Meteorological Society (RMetS) and register for their events on their website: https://www.rmets.org/.