The UK National Oceanography Center’s Dr Elizabeth Kent Awarded MBE for Tracking Global Temperatures

The UK National Oceanography Center’s (NOC) Dr Elizabeth Kent has been awarded an MBE for her services to tracking global temperatures. This prestigious recognition acknowledges her decades of research into improving historical sea surface temperature records.

The announcement was made in King Charles III’s New Year Honors list, which celebrates the exceptional achievements of British citizens. Dr. Kent, who is the Associate Head of the Marine Physics and Ocean Climate group at NOC, has dedicated over thirty years to research that has significantly contributed to the development of long-term global surface temperature records.

Her work is vital in enhancing the accuracy and consistency of these records, which are essential for the international science community to detect and analyze human-induced climate change. The datasets resulting from her research are used in climate assessments such as the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Assessment Reports, providing crucial information for policymakers, campaigners, and researchers studying ocean and climate changes.

Dr. Kent is part of a team at NOC focusing on historical marine surface observations. Her meticulous study of these observations, including how they were made, recorded, and stored, has helped to uncover the true variations in marine surface temperature by minimizing the impact of changing measurement methods over time.

By examining the origin and uncertainty of sea surface and air temperature measurements dating back to the 19th century, Dr. Kent has played a key role in ensuring the scientific community has access to the highest quality data possible.

NOC Chief Scientist Prof. Penny Holliday praised Dr. Kent’s contributions, stating, “Liz has been instrumental in ensuring that the sea surface temperature datasets used globally are as accurate as possible. Her expertise is invaluable in continuously improving and understanding historical temperature data, aiding investigations into global climate change.”

Dr. Kent’s MBE award further solidifies her reputation as an innovative and world-leading researcher, a recognition that was previously acknowledged with the Royal Meteorological Society’s Adrian Gill Prize in 2013.