Walker welcomes Peter Gibbs onto the board

We are delighted to welcome Peter Gibbs, former BBC weather forecaster and journalist, on to our Board.

Peter is a uniquely experienced meteorologist.  Upon graduating from the University of Newcastle, his first job was working with the British Antarctic Survey at the Halley Research Station on the Brunt Ice shelf of the Antarctic.

Following his time in the Antarctic, his career has included more than 30 years as a front-line forecaster with the UK Met Office and the national weather broadcasting team at the BBC. Initially working with the military, making detailed aviation forecasts for RAF fast jets and for missile trials in the Outer Hebrides, Peter later moved into the public and commercial forecasting side of the Met Office, before progressing to the weather broadcast team at the BBC in London in 1997.

On the weather broadcasting team, Peter became somewhat of a weather journalist, providing weather forecasts as well as explaining the more intricate and complex aspects of climate science to the public. 

At the BBC, he helped create and present multiple documentaries including Radio 4’s ‘Costing the Earth’ and regularly chairs the Radio 4 show ‘Gardeners’ Question Time’. This is one of the things Peter is passionate about, science communication especially about climate change, and he hopes to bring this expertise into Walker.

Peter is now a freelance broadcaster, maintaining strong links with the scientific community and is recognised as a skilled communicator. A Fellow of the Royal Meteorological Society and a Visiting Fellow at the University of Reading, Peter has presented and facilitated sessions at several of the Walker Institute’s conferences and meetings, including our annual Post-COP Debrief.

Peter’s expertise including his recent work with organisations working in Africa, trying to modernise and improve climate services, means we are very excited about the unique and valued perspectives he will bring to Walker.

Peter Gibbs had this to say of his appointment onto the Board:

"I've seen first-hand how farmers in Africa are already being hit by climate change, as rainfall becomes more erratic and weather extremes more common. Science and technology can help to mitigate those impacts, and I'm really looking forward to helping reinforce the Walker Institute's vital role in coordinating and driving that effort."