The Met Office Scientific Advisory Committee (MOSAC) has appointed Professor Gideon Henderson, a professor at the University of Oxford and current chief scientific adviser for the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, as its new chair. He takes over from Dr Gilbert Brunet after 2025’s MOSAC meeting.
Research review expertise
MOSAC meets annually to review the Met Office’s Science and Technology programs, ensuring all research meets customer requirements and strategic aims. The committee comprises external experts in the fields of climate science, meteorology, oceanography and numerical weather prediction.
Professor Henderson has been the chief scientific adviser for the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) since 2019. He is also director general for science and analysis, where he is responsible for overseeing the quality of evidence that the department relies on for policy decisions and sets the priorities for scientific research and evidence-gathering.
He has also held the position of Professor of Earth Sciences at the University of Oxford since 2006 – his impactful research spans the carbon cycle, climate science and ocean chemistry.
Ensuring high-quality meteorological data
Professor Henderson enthused, “I’m honored and excited to become the next chair of the Met Office’s Science Advisory Committee. The Met Office is a truly world-leading organization for climate and weather science, delivering critical information about atmospheric systems that influence all our lives. I’m looking forward to getting under the hood and taking a deeper look at the science of the organization, and to working with the Met Office’s excellent scientists to help keep their work at the forefront of global meteorology.”
Professor Stephen Belcher, chief scientist at the Met Office, said, “I’m delighted to welcome Professor Henderson and his wealth of experience on board and would like to acknowledge the valuable work of Dr Gilbert Brunet, the outgoing chair. The Met Office team of more than 500 research scientists has earned a global reputation for excellence in weather and climate science. This is partly due to MOSAC, which encourages teams to reflect on their progress and direction regularly and rigorously. Gideon’s research and experience is brilliantly aligned with our work, and we’re looking forward to welcoming his contributions to our cause.”
In related news, Simon Thompson was recently selected by the UK’s Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) to be the new chair of the Met Office board. He started his appointment on December 1, 2024. Click here to read the full story.