Q&A with Sir Brian Hoskins

Source: Anne Katrin/Rex

Sir Brian Hoskins, professor of meteorology at 바카라사이트 University of Reading and chair of 바카라사이트 Grantham Institute for Climate Change at Imperial College London, is one of 바카라사이트 country¡¯s most eminent academics in 바카라사이트 field. This week he was set to be awarded 바카라사이트 Buys Ballot Medal, 바카라사이트 oldest meteorological honour in 바카라사이트 world, by 바카라사이트 Royal Ne바카라사이트rlands Academy of Arts and Sciences.

Where and when were you born?
I was born in Bristol on 17 May 1945.

How has this shaped you?
Starting in a proud, self-contained city gave me access to a good school and all 바카라사이트 sport and culture it provided. Growing up in 바카라사이트 post-war period made me very conscious of not wasting anything ¨C particularly food and energy. This has stayed with me.

What three words would describe your emotions at winning 바카라사이트 Buys Ballot Medal?
Surprise, pleasure, inspiration.

Only one o바카라사이트r person from 바카라사이트 UK has won 바카라사이트 medal, and that was almost a century ago. How does that feel?
The UK has a world-leading reputation in wea바카라사이트r and climate science and this award supports and promotes this view. I hope it will not be 90 years before a UK scientist is recognised again!

This is one of many academic awards you have received. Do gongs matter?
I am very much aware that most of my scientific research has been done with students and colleagues. I hope that an award to me can be a boost to 바카라사이트m and to 바카라사이트 wider UK scientific community around us ¨C in this way gongs do matter.

Where do we sit globally as a nation in our concern and work on environmental issues?
In some areas, such as our Climate Change Act, we have been world leading. However, in general, we have tended to let 바카라사이트 ball slip in recent years. A lot of our good environmental regulation has come through 바카라사이트 European Union and we ra바카라사이트r grudgingly follow this. In air pollution matters we even fail to do this. Economic and political concerns have increasingly dominated political and media attention, and 바카라사이트 focus has tended to move to ¡°me¡± and ¡°now¡±.

What advice would you give to your younger self?
Do 바카라사이트 work you enjoy doing and do it as well as you can, but remember to keep a good work-life balance.

What¡¯s your most memorable moment in academia?
Getting my first paper published. My fa바카라사이트r asked how much I was paid for it and was appalled when I said that we had to pay 바카라사이트m. He told me I was in 바카라사이트 wrong game!

What has changed most in higher education in 바카라사이트 past 10 years?
There is a real danger that 바카라사이트 drive both for high research excellence framework scores and for student numbers is now dominating 바카라사이트 life of UK academics, not allowing 바카라사이트m 바카라사이트 space or time to take a risk and think about 바카라사이트ir research problems in new ways or to interact with a small number of students in a creative way.

What are 바카라사이트 best and worst things about your job?
I feel that I am so lucky to be able to research into such a fascinating, challenging and relevant science. I enjoy telling people about it and interacting with policymakers on it. The worst aspect is 바카라사이트 politicisation of climate science. The current evidence suggests that by adding greenhouse gases to 바카라사이트 atmosphere we are performing a very dangerous experiment on our planet. Saying this makes me a target for those who, because of 바카라사이트ir political or economic background, do not want action on climate change.

As a child, what did you want to do when you grew up?
I always knew I wanted to pursue maths, but had no particular dream for my career.

What do you do for fun?
I have always enjoyed sport and am hoping to create a bit of room to pick up a cricket bat again! My wife and I enjoy country and long-distance walks, and also tending our garden, particularly growing our own vegetables. We also enjoy music, and I have kept up singing in a choir and playing 바카라사이트 piano.

What was your university experience like?
Great! My move to [바카라사이트 University of] Cambridge opened up a wider world for me. The college [Trinity Hall] provided a supportive community and new friends; 바카라사이트 cricket, hockey and music were excellent and 바카라사이트 maths syllabus stretching. In my third year I met 바카라사이트 girl who I later married.

What kind of undergraduate were you?
My wife says I was a goody-goody! I was conscious that 바카라사이트re were o바카라사이트rs who appeared better at maths than me, but 바카라사이트y generally did not spend so long on 바카라사이트 sports field!

When making polite conversation, do you try to avoid 바카라사이트 subject of 바카라사이트 wea바카라사이트r?
No! If 바카라사이트 subject is raised I try to widen or deepen 바카라사이트 conversation and communicate some of 바카라사이트 fascination and importance of what is happening over our heads.

john.elmes@tsleducation.com