Christopher Westbrook

Dr. Christopher Westbrook is an Associate Professor in Meteorology at the University of Reading's Department of Meteorology. He specializes in cloud physics, ice microphysics, and remote sensing using advanced radar and lidar technologies. His research focuses on understanding ice particle dynamics, electromagnetic scattering, and the application of multi-wavelength radar data to study cloud microphysics. He leads projects at the Chilbolton Observatory, leveraging state-of-the-art instruments to investigate precipitation processes and atmospheric phenomena.

His academic contributions include advancing methodologies for ice particle fall speed parametrization, radar signal processing, and the analysis of ice crystal aggregation. He supervises multiple PhD students, including Matt Feist, Emma Hopkin, and Will Keat, who explore topics like turbulence in convective clouds and mixed-phase cloud dynamics. Westbrook is an Associate Fellow of the Royal Meteorological Society and actively contributes to academic editing and conference organization.

Key research interests include ice formation in supercooled clouds, the development of novel radar technologies, and the interpretation of polarimetric data. His work bridges theoretical models with observational data from field campaigns, enhancing understanding of atmospheric processes critical to climate and weather prediction.