Professor Katy Hill
Katy is the Associate Director of National Capability - Applications
Areas of expertise
- Marine, Weather and Climate Science
- Research Infrastructure
- Planning observation, data, prediction systems
- Collaborative programmes and partnerships
- Change management
Current activities
As Associate Director - Applications, Katy oversees this capability within National Capabilities Research and Development (R&D), to develop and enhance National Capability data and tools, creating trustworthy, explainable and application-ready environmental intelligence across weather and climate timescales.
The work is underpinned by advances in statistical and data‑driven methods, emerging data science techniques, AI/ML approaches, and Science IT capabilities to provide value‑added prediction and projection products that maximise the impact of the Met Office’s modelling capability
National Capability - Applications researches, develops and supports advanced tools for environmental applications across weather and climate timescales. These tools underpin research, products and services, ensuring outputs are rigorously evaluated, verified, and transformed into application-ready data, intelligence, and decision-support products.
The area acts as a critical interface between National Capabilities and Products and Services, playing a key role in the Met Office's major transformations. This includes exploiting the potential of the new supercomputer, enabling benefits from the Next Generation Modelling System, and embedding AI and machine learning approaches across evaluation, post-processing and application workflows. These Capabilities are now fundamental to the core business and future success of the organisation.
Career background
Katy joined the Met Office in January 2025, bringing with her a strong background in Marine Science. She previously held a range of national and international responsibilities focused on strengthening our ocean research infrastructure through major collaborative programmes and partnerships. Most recently, she acted as Lead Scientist for the NERC Future Marine Research Infrastructure Programme. She also has significant government and intergovernmental experience, having acted as Expert Advisor to UK Government for the G7 Ocean action, and spent a number of years working for the World Meteorological Organisation on programmes co-sponsored with the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission.
Katy has previously lived, studied and worked in Canada, Australia and Switzerland. She completed her degree at the University of Southampton in Marine Sciences, a Masters' at the University of Victoria, Canada in Climate Dynamics, and a PhD at the University of Tasmania in 2009.
External recognition
- Katy is an Honorary Professor at the University at Southampton for Knowledge Exchange and Enterprise in Ocean and Earth Sciences.
- Katy acts as Non-Exec Chair of the Marine Environmental Data and Information Network (MEDIN).