Dr Henry Odbert

Areas of expertise

• Surface Transport
• Connected Autonomous Vehicles
• Operational systems
• Statistics
• Probabilistic forecasting

Current activities

Henry works within the post processing applications group, developing and delivering forecast data services. His work includes consulting with customers, developing new science and technology capabilities, and implementing new operational forecasting systems.

Henry manages the science development and strategy for the Met Office Surface Transport services – part of a wider team in the Met Office providing the best possible forecasting for roads, railways and runways. He is leading science development to support the growing Connected Autonomous Vehicle sector.

Other recent projects include working with National Grid to enhance short range solar irradiance forecasting; developing cutting-edge statistical and science solutions using cloud-based operational computing; and working on novel applications of probabilistic forecasting.

Career background

Henry studied Earth Sciences at Oxford University, specialising in geophysics, and later completed his PhD on volcano eruption dynamics at Reading University.

He went on to work as a resident scientist of the Montserrat Volcano Observatory, managing the geodetic monitoring programme contributing risk advice throughout an active period of the eruption crisis. In 2012, he returned to the UK as a Senior Research Associate at the University of Bristol, where his research focussed around volcanology and probabilistic risk modelling.

Henry has published in the peer-reviewed literature over a wide range of topics on volcano science, observational data statistics, probabilistic hazard and risk assessment and uncertainty quantification.

Henry joined the Met Office in 2016 to work on cutting-edge operational systems in the applied science group.