Malcolm Kitchen
Observations R&D brings technical change into Operational Observations Networks. Malcolm manages the five teams involved in this strategic area.
Areas of expertise
- Weather Radar
- Observations Strategy
Current activities
Malcolm is working on projects that will bring convergence of IT in systems for central processing of Observational data. Also seeking to achieve technology convergence in signal processing systems deployed at remote observing sites. His personal interest is in the development of novel observing techniques to increase observing capability and/or efficiency. For example, extracting additional information from existing data from the weather radar and wind profiler networks.
Career background
- 1977-1981 Cloud Physics Research Scientist - aerosol/cloud physics research including instrument development
- 1981-1983 Atmospheric Radiation Research Scientist - clear air radiation research using aircraft mounted radiometers
- 1983-1990 Upper Air Trials Team Leader - development and execution of trials of upper air and remote sensing instrumentation, (e.g. radiosonde, lightning location)
- 1990-1997 Nimrod Development Scientist - radar meteorology and development of operational radar data processing systems
- 1995 Secondment to weather radar operations team to investigate radar hardware problems
- 1997-2000 Observing Systems Manager - development and day-to-day running of radar and satellite data processing systems, dissemination and forecaster display systems
- 2000-2008 Weather Radar R&D Manager - managing weather radar R&D team, development of the UK radar network
- 2008-present Observations R&D Manager
External recognition
- 1991 Prof Vilho Vaisala award for analysis of data from the global radiosonde network
- 1995 L G Groves Memorial Prize for Meteorological Observation for work on weather radar corrections
- 2008 Royal Meteorological Society Hugh Robert Mill prize for development of the UK Weather Radar Network
