Posted 08 October 2014
European Meteorological Society Silver Medal for UCD Emeritus Professor Peter Lynch
The European Meteorological Society (EMS) has awarded its Silver Medal 2014 to UCD Emeritus Professor Peter Lynch from the UCD School of Mathematical Sciences, University College Dublin. The award honours his outstanding contribution to meteorological education and outreach activities, his important scientific contribution to numerical weather forecasting, and his leadership in international collaborations.
As Met Éireann Professor of Meteorology at University College Dublin, Professor Lynch worked tirelessly to promote meteorological education and enhance public understanding of meteorology and related sciences through numerous lectures, TV/Radio appearances/broadcasts and a column in The Irish Times entitled “That’s Math”. He also writes a blogs and likes to share his knowledge in the media by maintaining open access to all of his publications and lecture material on the web. He is an excellent teacher and communicator of complex scientific topics.
UCD Emeritus Prof Peter Lynch from UCD School of Mathematical Sciences
Professor Lynch has demonstrated scientific leadership in many aspects of meteorological science, in particular in numerical weather forecasting (NWP). Most notable is his pioneering work on the method of initialization, based on digital filtering (DFI), to control spurious gravity-wave oscillations in NWP models. He was also instrumental in establishing a Community Climate Change Consortium for Ireland and led the automation and extension of the national observing network, managing the design and deployment of the unified climate and synoptic observing network (TUCSON).
Peter Lynch has been of service to the European research community through an impressive number of activities, such as being Project Leader of the HIRLAM Project (High Resolution Limited Area Model, 1997–1999), and a member of many international committees including the Scientific Advisory Committee of the European Centre for Medium-range Weather Forecasts, the International Association for Meteorology and Atmospheric Sciences and the Advisory Board for Tellus.
The official presentation ceremony, which included a special lecture by the Laureate, took place on 07 October 2014 at the EMS Annual Meeting and European Conference on Applied Climatology (ECAC) in Prague, Czech Republic.
About Peter Lynch
Peter Lynch completed his BSc (Hons) in Mathematical Science, National University of Ireland (UCD) in 1968 and his MSc (Hons) in Mathematical Science, National University of Ireland (UCD) in 1969. He then completed his PhD in Dynamic Meteorology, University of Dublin in 1982. In 1971, Peter Lynch joined the Irish Meteorological Service Met Éireann, and from 1990 to 1994 he was Head of the Research and Training Division, and from 1994 to 2004 he was Deputy Director of Met Éireann. He was the project leader of the HIRLAM Project from 1997 to 1999. In 2004 he became Professor of Meteorology at University College Dublin.
About the EMS Silver Medal
The EMS Silver Medal was established in 2008 to highlight distinguished contributions to the development of meteorology in Europe. The Award is presented annually.
Candidates for the EMS Silver Medal can be nominated by EMSMember Societies and Associate Members, EMS Committees and Project Teams, and EMS Council representatives. The EMS Awards Committee, consisting of senior members of meteorological institutions in Europe, makes recommendations to the EMS Council for a final decision.
The Award consists of the Silver Medal and a certificate. The recipient is invited to give a Silver Medal Lecture the EMS Annual Meeting.
Previous recipients include: (2013) Hartmut Graßl, Germany; (2012) Tim Palmer, UK; (2011) Jean François Geleyn, France; (2010) David Burridge, UK; (2009) Lennart Bengtsson, Sweden; and (2008) Karin Labitzke, Germany and René Morin, France.
(Produced by UCD University Relations)
