Thank you to the Royal Meteorological Society and Legacies Fund for providing me with the funding to attend the RMetS “share your science” Student Conference on the 4th to 6th July 2016. As a PhD student who wanted to present work from a Met Office summer placement and his 1st year of PhD studies, the opportunity to present in front of a friendly and engaging audience was worthwhile and beneficial.
The conference was attended by a wide variety of students and young professionals from a number of different institutes, increasing my knowledge of the working environment at different locations. Alongside informative and thought-provoking talks from fellow meteorology and climate science students, keynote sessions broadened my interest in career opportunities after my PhD and the different ways in which young scientists can share their science. Listening to speakers who spend their careers ensuring that the weather and climate is understood by the public and policy-makers illustrated the importance of research but also the necessity to ensure that your science can be communicated effectively. One of my favourite talks was given by Dr Candice Howarth from the University of Surrey who spoke on the struggles and opportunities present in communicating science to policy-makers. Not only was her work inspirational but also introduced a career path that I will consider once finishing my PhD.
During the conference I presented my own work asking the question, “Can global climate models predict tropical rainfall?” My talk was based on comparing historical CMIP5 model runs with observations including rain gauge and satellite data. Presenting my own work allowed me to gain advice from fellow students and improved my presentation skills. Attending the conference also allowed me to publicise PhD students from other universities on social media and improved my knowledge of other projects being taken across the UK.
To conclude, the RMetS “Share your Science” Student Conference was an invaluable experience and I would encourage any young scientist related to the field of meteorology and climate science to attend this annual event.
Thanks once again RMetS!
Joshua Talib
j.f.talib@pgr.reading.ac.uk
PhD Student, “What controls the location and intensity of the Intertropical Convergence Zone?”
