Anthony Illingworth

Anthony Illingworth is a Professor in the Department of Meteorology at the University of Reading, UK, where he leads research in atmospheric remote sensing, radar and lidar technologies, and weather forecasting. His work is central to major satellite missions such as EarthCARE and WIVERN, and he collaborates extensively with European and international meteorological agencies.

Education and Background: While specific degrees are not listed in the provided text, his long-standing academic career and leadership in advanced meteorological research suggest a PhD in atmospheric physics or a related field, likely from a UK institution.

His research interests span radar meteorology, cloud physics, satellite remote sensing, precipitation measurement, boundary layer dynamics, and numerical weather prediction. He focuses on improving observational techniques using ground- and space-based sensors to enhance forecast accuracy. His work integrates physics-based models with real-world data from instruments such as Doppler radars, lidars, and polarimetric sensors.

The publication trends from 2015 to 2025 reveal a consistent focus on satellite-based wind and cloud observations (e.g., WIVERN and EarthCARE), calibration of remote sensing instruments, and data assimilation for weather models. His articles frequently address technical challenges in radar signal interpretation, wind profiling in extreme weather, and the use of ground networks to validate and improve forecasts. A recurring theme is the development and validation of new methodologies for extracting atmospheric parameters from remote sensing data.

Scientific Awards:

Advising and Grants: While no students or grants are explicitly listed, his frequent senior authorship and leadership in large collaborative projects (e.g., FRANC, EarthCARE) suggest active supervision of PhD students and postdoctoral researchers, as well as success in securing major research funding from agencies such as the UK Met Office, ESA, and NERC.

Labs and Teams: Illingworth is closely associated with the atmospheric remote sensing group at the University of Reading, which operates advanced radar and lidar systems. He collaborates with the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF), CNRS in France, and the CloudSat science team, indicating strong institutional partnerships and team-based research in operational and satellite meteorology.