Awards for Advancing Science

Sir John Mason generously funded an award for Members or Fellows of the Society, known as The Mason Gold Medal. The medal ranks alongside The Symons Gold Medal as the premier award of the Society and is bestowed in alternate years to the Symons medal. The citation for the Mason Gold Medal is “For outstanding contributions to the understanding of the fundamental processes that determine the variability and predictability of weather and climate”. The medal is presented at an appropriate special event and consists of a lecture by the recipient known as The Mason Gold Medal Lecture. The first Mason Gold Medal was awarded in 2006 to Paul Mason.

Regulations

1. The Mason Gold Medal shall be awarded to a Member or Fellow of the Society for outstanding contributions to the understanding of the fundamental processes that determine the variability and predictability of weather and climate.
2. The Medal shall, subject to the regulations following, be awarded biennially, and the Society shall arrange for the delivery of the Mason Lecture on a subject relevant to the work for which the medal is awarded.
3. In alternate years, at one of its regular Meetings, the Council shall take into their consideration the awarding of the Medal to whomsoever is recommended by the Awards Committee to receive it.
4. The Medal shall not be awarded unless two‑thirds at least of the members of the Council present shall agree thereto. In the event of the requisite majority of votes not being obtained, the Medal shall not be awarded in that year.
5. A detailed list of the qualifications of the person selected to receive the medal shall be recorded and read at the occasion of the presentation of the medal.
6. In the event of no award being made at the time prescribed, it shall be in the power of the Council to make an award in the following year.

Award

The award consists of a gold medal and certificate.

In 1901, in memory of George James Symons FRS a British meteorologist who founded the British Rainfall Organisation, a gold medal was established. The medal is awarded biennially to a Member or Fellow of the Society for distinguished work in connection with meteorological science. A representation of the Tower of the Winds at Athens appears on the reverse side of this medal. The medal was designed by Mr Frank Bowcher of Chiswick and the dies for it were furnished and executed by Mr John Pinches of London. The medal ranks alongside The Mason Gold Medal as the premier award of the Society and is bestowed in alternate years to the Mason medal.

Regulations

1. The Symons Gold Medal shall be awarded to a Member or Fellow of the Society for distinguished work done in connection with Meteorological Science.
2. The Medal shall, subject to the regulations following, be awarded biennially, and the Society shall arrange for the delivery of the Symons Lecture on a subject relevant to the work for which the medal is awarded.
3. In alternate years, at one of its regular Meetings, the Council shall take into their consideration the awarding of the Medal to whomsoever is recommended by the Awards Committee to receive it.
4. A detailed list of the qualifications of the person selected shall be recorded and read at the occasion of the presentation of the medal.
5. The Medal shall not be awarded unless two‑thirds at least of the members of the Council present shall agree thereto. In the event of the requisite majority of votes not being obtained, the Medal shall not be awarded in that year.
6. In the event of no award being made at the time prescribed, it shall be in the power of the Council to make an award in the following year.

Award

The award consists of a gold medal and certificate.

Dr Alexander Buchan was a Scottish meteorologist and oceanographer and is credited with establishing the synoptic chart used in weather forecasting. The Buchan Award (formerly the Buchan Prize) was instituted to commemorate the amalgamation in 1921 of the Scottish Meteorological Society and the Royal Meteorological Society. The Buchan Award is awarded annually to members of the Society for a paper or papers published in the previous five years in Society journals and adjudged to contain the most important original contribution or contributions to meteorology or its applications. Recognizing the increasingly collaborative nature of work that advances science, nominations are welcome for joint-author groups as well as for individuals. In all cases, the contribution of each nominated joint/co-author must be explained in the nomination.

Regulations

1. In order to commemorate the amalgamation of the Scottish Meteorological Society with the Royal Meteorological Society and in memory of Alexander Buchan, Scotland’s foremost meteorologist, an Award termed the “Buchan Award”, shall be awarded annually.
2. The Award shall be made to the author or authors of the paper or papers contributed to the Society journals in the previous 5 years, which shall be adjudged by the Council to contain the most important original contribution or contributions to meteorology.
3. Papers published in other journals within the time prescribed may be considered, but only in support of authors who have papers of merit published also in the Society journals within the time prescribed.
4. The award shall be confined to members of the Society. In the case of joint or collaborative authorship the award may, at the discretion of the Council, be divided and the certificate duplicated, even if any author is not a member of the Society.
5. No group of co-authors or team shall be eligible for the award a second time. Individuals may in exceptional circumstances receive the award more than once as part of a different team or co-author group and for a different and distinct contribution to that for which they have previously received the award.

Award

The award consists of a certificate.

Hugh Robert Mill was a British geographer and meteorologist who exercised a great influence in the reform of geography teaching and on the development of meteorology as a science. He was Director of the British Rainfall Organisation from 1901 to 1919, and Honorary Secretary of the Royal Meteorological Society from 1902 until 1907 when he became President. The Hugh Robert Mill Award is awarded annually for original research into the distribution or variation of rainfall or its application to meteorology or a related science. Recognizing the increasingly collaborative nature of work that advances science, nominations are welcome for teams or groups as well as for individuals. In all cases, the contribution of each nominated member of the team / group must be explained in the nomination.

Regulations

1. The Hugh Robert Mill Award shall be made for original research into the distribution of precipitation, or into the variation of precipitation in time at any place, or into precipitation either as a meteorological phenomenon, or in relation to climatology, agriculture, water supply, water power or other applications.
2. The Award shall be awarded annually if a nomination of a sufficiently high standard is forthcoming. 
3. The award shall not be confined to Fellows or Members of the Society.
4. No group of co-authors or team shall be eligible for the award a second time. Individuals may in exceptional circumstances receive the award more than once as part of a different team or co-author group and for a different and distinct contribution to that for which they have previously received the award. 

Award

The award consists of a certificate.

The Adrian Gill Award (formerly the Adrian Gill Prize), named after the Australian meteorologist and oceanographer, is awarded annually to a member or members of the Society who has made a significant contribution, in the preceding five years, in the specified fields, and who has also been an author of a paper(s) in the Society’s journals. The specified fields are those that interface between atmospheric science and related disciplines. These related disciplines include oceanography, hydrology, geochemistry and numerical methodologies and their applications. Recognizing the increasingly collaborative nature of work that advances science, nominations are welcome for joint-author groups as well as for individuals. In all cases, the contribution of each nominated joint/co-author must be explained in the nomination.

Regulations

1. In memory of Adrian Gill, and in recognition of his outstanding scientific contributions, an award called the “Adrian Gill Award” shall be awarded annually if a nomination of a sufficiently high standard is forthcoming.
2. The Award shall be awarded to a member or members of the Society who has / have made a significant contribution(s), in the specified scientific fields, and who has also been an author of a paper(s) in the Society’s journals. The specified fields are those that interface between atmospheric science and related disciplines, thereby allowing the contributions to be referred to as “multi-disciplinary”. These related disciplines include oceanography, hydrology, biogeochemistry, numerical methodologies, etc.
3. The period under consideration for this Award shall be the five consecutive calendar years preceding the year of the award.
4. No group of co-authors or team shall be eligible for the award a second time. Individuals may in exceptional circumstances receive the award more than once as part of a different team or co-author group and for a different and distinct contribution to that for which they have previously received the award.

Award

The award consists of a certificate.

Lewis Fry Richardson was an English mathematician and meteorologist, who pioneered modern mathematical techniques of weather forecasting. The L F Richardson Award (formerly the L F Richardson Prize) is given annually for a meritorious paper which was published in a Society journal during the preceding four years, and was contributed by a member of the Society who in their early career in meteorology (which we define as no more than 15 years, if in academia, or 10 years, if in industry, since starting first higher education* qualification, or first further education** qualification if a higher education qualification has not been obtained) at the time of the award nomination. 

Regulations

1. The Award shall be made annually for a meritorious paper which was published in a Society journal during the preceding four years, and was contributed by a member of the Society who is currently in their early career in meteorology (which we define as no more than 15 years, if in academia, or 10 years, if in industry, since starting first higher education* qualification, or first further education** qualification if a higher education qualification has not been obtained) at the time of submission.

2. The Award may be shared by co-authors but all must be eligible in terms of early career and the Award may not be awarded more than once to the same author. The Award shall only be awarded if a paper of sufficiently high quality has been published.

3. No person shall be eligible for the L.F. Richardson Award for a second time.

Award

The award consists of a certificate, £1000 and the opportunity to give the L.F. Richardson Lecture.

For more information about the RMetS’s definition of ‘early career,’ please visit the page RMetS revises definition of "early career" researchers and professionals

The RMetS acknowledges that an individual may not easily fit into the new categories. For instance, a person might have taken a career break or switched to meteorology from a different field. In such cases, individuals can still choose to identify themselves as Early Career by contacting the Society.

*Usually have to be 18 or older to take a higher education course. They’re usually taught in universities, colleges, and specialist institutions like art schools or agricultural colleges. Higher education qualifications include diplomas, bachelor degrees, foundation degree and post-graduate degrees.
**Further education includes any study after secondary education that’s not part of higher education (that is, not taken as part of an undergraduate or graduate degree).

In memory of Malcolm Walker (1942-2015), and in recognition of his outstanding lifelong support for the Society, his wide-ranging knowledge and enthusiasm for meteorology and oceanography, and his encouragement of others, an award called the ‘Malcolm Walker Award’ shall be bestowed annually, if appropriate. The award aims to recognise and encourage new environmental researchers from a wide range of disciplines.

The award is for emerging researchers* who have undertaken their research in the UK and/or sponsored by a UK body. No-one shall be eligible for the award a second time. The candidate’s research should have brought new insights into an aspect of the environmental sciences, which includes elements of meteorology and/or oceanography. The application should demonstrate that the candidate has an understanding of the historical context of their research and is able to communicate their work to a diverse audience.

The application must be supported by the research supervisor(s) responsible for overseeing the work of the candidate which is to be considered for the award. Candidates are encouraged to discuss their suitability for this award with their supervisor(s) as part of their career development.

The successful candidate will be expected to give a plenary talk at the Early Career and Student Conference on their research, outlining its importance, historical context and demonstrating the ability to communicate their research to a diverse audience.

The successful candidate will also be encouraged to submit a paper based on the award lecture for publication in one of the Society’s journals.

* Emerging researchers are defined as students or researchers who have received their highest degree – undergraduate, masters or doctoral – within the past three years (excluding any parental leave falling in that period with up to one year of parental leave time added per child)

Regulations

1. The Malcolm Walker Award shall be bestowed annually to recognise and encourage emerging researchers who have brought new insights into an aspect of the environmental sciences, which includes elements of meteorology and/or oceanography.
2. The application should demonstrate that the candidate has an understanding of the historical context of their research and is able to communicate their work to a diverse audience.
3. The application must be supported by the research supervisor(s) responsible for overseeing the work of the candidate which is to be considered for the award. 

* Emerging researchers are defined as students or researchers who have received their highest degree – undergraduate, masters or doctoral – within the past three years (excluding any parental leave falling in that period with up to one year of parental leave time added per child)

Award

The award consists of a certificate, £250 and a talk at the  Early Career and Student Conference.