AI expert Andrew Parnell named Met Éireann Professor of Weather and Climate Research
Posted 19 November, 2024
Professor Andrew Parnell to lead new multi-million-euro programme to develop weather and climate services using AI and data science, funded by Met Éireann.
Aiming to develop AI-enhanced models to allow the National Meteorological Service to build on its forecasting capabilities, the Met Éireann Weather and Climate Research Professorship will help to make Ireland more weather and climate prepared.
“This exciting research programme will allow Ireland and Met Éireann to substantially improve their capabilities in providing services related to climate and weather whilst leveraging the full power of AI-based technologies," said Professor Parnell.
“We are reaching the end of the critical period where we can still reduce our emissions in compliance with the Paris Agreement and will soon be forced to move into an era where we must also adapt to new weather conditions. I believe AI can play a vital role in understanding the impacts of our emissions and providing predictions of future extreme weather events.”
Announced last December, the Met Éireann Weather and Climate Research Professorship was established to bridge the gap between research and operations by examining the context of high-impact weather, flood forecasting, and the understanding of Ireland's climate.
Its main aim is to create a world-class weather and climate research centre that develops researchers through core PhD and postdoctoral research programmes, and one that plays a significant role in supporting Met Éireann to achieve its advancing strategic objectives such as enhancing citizen safety, bolstering economic and environmental resilience, and supporting multi-sectoral decision-making.
The new centre will be hosted between UCD School of Mathematics and Statistics and UCD Earth Institute, and will draw expertise from their faculty as well as from UCD School of Computer Science and from Met Éireann.
“This Professorship is a significant and ambitious step towards advancing our understanding of weather and climate through Artificial Intelligence. It aims to enhance Ireland’s preparedness and response to the challenges posed by high-impact weather and the rapidly changing climate," said Eoin Moran, Met Éireann Director.
“Recent extreme weather events and record global temperatures highlight the critical juncture the world faces. Under Professor Parnell’s leadership, Met Éireann is not only investing in groundbreaking research but also in Ireland’s future resilience. We are eager to collaborate closely with him and UCD.”
Andrew Parnell is a Professor of Data Science, and previously Director of the Hamilton Institute at Maynooth University.
His research is in machine learning and statistical modelling applied to many different climate and ecological areas, and, to date, has published more than 110 peer-reviewed publications and received over €16m in direct funding.
Currently he is the Principal Investigator and Deputy Director of the Research Ireland Co-Centre in Climate, Biodiversity and Water.
He is also a funded investigator in the MAREI centre for Energy, Climate, and Marine Research and Innovation, and a funded investigator in the SFI Insight Centre for Data Analytics.
By: David Kearns, Digital Journalist / Media Officer, UCD University Relations
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