An external view of the Met Office building at night.

Joshua Macholl

Areas of expertise

  • Use of machine learning and deep neural networks for weather observation monitoring and quality control.
  • User engagement for climate service development.                                         
  • Process-based evaluation of high-resolution numerical weather prediction models.
  • Scientific communication for internal and external conferences.

Current activities

Josh currently works at the forefront of high-resolution numerical weather prediction model development. His research aims to contribute to the implementation of global convection-permitting models to improve regional weather forecasts. This work involves running the Met Office Unified Model and visualising the outputs, to explore how different science configurations affect the ability of models to represent accurate meteorology.

On his previous deployment, Josh researched into “bridging the gap” between scientists and users of climate information. Specifically, looking at how scientists can help local authorities prepare for a changing through co-producing climate services.

Career background

Josh joined the Met Office in February 2022. Since then, he has worked on six-month placements within the Urban Climate Services and the Regional Model Evaluation and Development teams.

Prior to this, Josh worked at Devon County Council as a graduate researcher in transport planning. Here, he proposed expansion ideas for local electric bike schemes, utilised transport modelling software to develop improved transport networks and conducted a research project into the effects of the covid-19 pandemic on local travel.

Josh obtained an upper second class combined honours bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and Physics from Exeter in 2021. He is particularly interested in the interplay between these two subjects and aims to promote this way of thinking amongst scientists to harness both the physical intuition and mathematical logic behind a scientific problem.

External recognition

Josh is a member of the Institute of Physics and sits on the committee of two specialist interest groups – Physics Communicators and Nonlinear/Complex Physics. He has helped plan outreach events particularly around physics inclusivity and the history and nomenclature of SI units. He actively engages with scientists from a range of backgrounds and disciplines and is currently undertaking professional Scientist registration status.