Dr Jennifer Brooke
Jenn is the Private Secretary to the Met Office Director of Science.
Areas of expertise
- Strategy development
- Project management
- Land surface-atmosphere interactions
- Boundary-layer processes
Current activities
Jenn has been the Private Secretary to the Met Office Director of Science (Professor Simon Vosper) since August 2022. In this role, Jenn provides support in delivering the Met Office Science Programme including the Next Generation Modelling Systems Programme.
Jenn’s scientific research is focused on the role of land surface-atmosphere interactions in the evolution the atmopsheric boundary layer. Much of her research has been focused on semi-arid regions as they pose a significant modelling challenge due to the highly heterogeneous nature of the environment. Studies have shown that land surface-atmosphere interactions are strongest in semi-arid regions where there is both a sensitivity of the surface fluxes to the soil moisture profile, and a sensitivity in the atmosphere to these surface fluxes. Understanding these processes is essential for accurately modelling air temperature and humidity.
Career background
Jenn joined the Met Office in November 2013 where she spent five years in the Radiation Research Group in Observation Based Research. During this time, Jenn was researching model biases in land surface temperature in the Unified Model. Jenn has participated in a number of international field campaigns including Fennec (2011), SAMBBA (2012), SALSTICE (2013), ICE-D (2015), COSMICS (2015) and the INCOMPASS project (2016). Jenn developed limited area forecasts in support of the Iceland Greenland Seas Project (2018) and the Year of Polar Prediction-endorsed MACSSIMIZE (2018) measurement campaign.
In September 2018, Jenn moved to Atmospheric Processes and Parametrization working to improve the representation of land surface and boundary layer processes in the Unified Model. During this time, Jenn was co-chair of the RMED near-surface process working group collaborating with UM Partners on priority areas of research. Jenn was a member of the LIAISE organisation committee, an international land surface & boundary layer field campaign, which is part of the HyMeX programme (Hydrological cycle in the Mediterranean Experiment) and a GEWEX (Global Energy and Water Exchanges)-led WCRP (World Climate Research Programme) Grand Challenge activity.
Prior to joining the Met Office, Jenn completed her PhD at the School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds. The PhD was co-sponsored by the Met Office through a CASE award. Jenn received a MChem degree in Chemistry with a Year in Industry from the University of York, Department of Chemistry in 2009.