Celebrating the 150th Anniversary: RMetS Quarterly celebrates a century and a half of scientific excellence
The Royal Meteorological Society (RMetS) recently held a celebration of the 150th anniversary of its quarterly journal, a historic milestone in the world of meteorological and climate science.
The event attracted a wide cross-section of the meteorological and climate community. Delegates were impressed by talks by prominent figures in the field, reflecting the historical importance of the journal, its role in shaping the discipline, and its growing importance in addressing modern climate challenges.
Among the many attractive presentations were:
- Advances in climate science through the pages of QJ, by Joanna D. Hay, Emeritus Professor of Atmospheric Physics at Imperial College London.
- Numerical Weather Forecasting: The Search for Accurate Precipitation Forecasts, by Professor Brian Golding, OBE (he/him), Fellow in Weather Effects, Met Office.
- Sea, Sea – A Fine Tradition of Oceanographic Research in the Quarterly Review, by Pablo Sinha (he/him), Chief Scientist, National Oceanographic Center.
This was followed by a lively panel discussion on scientific publishing. Chaired by Fran Morris, a postdoctoral research assistant at the University of Oxford, the discussion covered several crucial aspects of scholarly publishing:
Reviewer sources: The committee stressed the importance of finding qualified reviewers for scientific articles. Reviewers play a pivotal role in maintaining the quality and integrity of published research, and RMetS is keen to hear from individuals interested in supporting the advancement of science in this capacity. Expressions of interest can be made by contacting Dr Alison Brown, Head of Scientific Publishing and Engagement at RMetS via alison.brown@rmets.org.
Impact of artificial intelligence: The conversation also addressed the potential impact of artificial intelligence on the future of publishing. Participants discussed how AI technologies can help in various aspects of the publishing process, from manuscript review to content recommendation, ultimately enhancing the efficiency of scientific publishing.
Open access: The panel discussed RMetS’s approach to open access, which recognizes that although open access is an important trend in scholarly publishing, it has not yet become the norm worldwide. RMetS, as an association with global influence, recognizes the need to provide options that meet diverse publishing needs. By offering a hybrid model for the quarterly journal, RMetS ensures that international authors continue to have an accessible path to publishing their research while accommodating different funding mandates that encourage open access publishing.
The day’s program concluded with poster presentations from past LF Richardson laureates and 2023 RMetS Early Career and Student Conference award winners, providing the opportunity to celebrate the promise and potential embodied by the students and early-career professionals who will shape the next 150 years of meteorology and climate science.
RMetS Quarterly, which documents new research findings in atmospheric science and related fields, is available via online member dashboards. To learn more about RMetS membership, please click here: https://www.rmets.org/membership
See the timeline for the quarterly magazine’s 150th anniversary
With support from volunteers, we have created a digital timeline of QJ that includes 21 papers selected by past and current editors-in-chief of the journal, more than 60 papers selected by the History of RMetS Special Interest Group, key milestones of RMetS, and information about previous QJ editor-in-chiefs. All papers included in the schedule are free to access.
View QJ 150 schedule
