An external view of the Met Office building at night.

Dr Steven Turnock

Areas of expertise

  • Atmospheric chemistry and aerosols
  • Composition-climate interactions
  • Aerosol radiation interactions
  • Air pollutants and human health

Publications by Steven Turnock

Email [email protected]

Current activities

Steven’s research aims to improve the knowledge and understanding of how air pollutants interact with the climate system. His research focuses on how changes in anthropogenic emissions can affect both air quality and climate, with a particular emphasis on how future changes in emissions can result in a benefit to both. 

As part of this work, Steven is currently developing tools and undertaking model simulations to improve our understanding and predictions of future air quality and climate interactions. This will look at how future air quality and climate mitigation policies could potentially interact with one another. The outcome of this research will help to inform future Government policies on air quality and contribute to the climate science for service partnership China (CSSP-China).

Steven also contributes to the evaluation of the United Kingdom Chemistry and Aerosol (UKCA) scheme within the climate model, with a particular focus on air quality relevant metrics.

Career background

Steven recently joined the Met Office in January 2016 to work on aspects of air quality and climate. Prior to this Steven undertook his PhD at the University of Leeds, investigating the impact of changing anthropogenic emissions on European atmospheric aerosols and climate over the second half of the 20th Century.

Before conducting his PhD studies, Steven has used instruments to make observations of atmospheric aerosols at both the University of Manchester and in New Zealand at the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric research (NIWA). Steven has also spent time within the environmental consultancy sector working on local air quality management and also other environmental science issues. Steven has a 1st Class degree in Environmental Chemistry from the University of Leeds and a Masters of Research in Environmental Science from the University of Lancaster.