Voices of Science

Julia Slingo (1950- ), climate modeller, has concentrated her research on tropical climate variability, looking at its influence on the global climate, its role in seasonal to decadal climate prediction, and its response to climate change. She started her career at the Meteorological Office before working as a consultant to the European Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasts during whatwas originally intended as a career break to start a family. Between 1990 and 2009 she held a series of posts, including that of director, at what is now the National Centre for Atmospheric Science at the University of Reading and served on national and international committees concerned with climate change. In 2007 she was appointed to the Joint Scientific Committee of the World Climate Research Programme and in 2009 became Chief Scientist at the Meteorological Office.