Paul Agnew
Paul manages the Air Quality and Composition team which is responsible for developing the AQUM model and delivering the operational air quality forecast.
Areas of expertise
- Air quality modelling
- Dispersion modelling
- Dust modelling
- Forecast verification
- Aviation meteorology
Current activities
Paul manages the Air quality and composition team, which is part of the Atmospheric Dispersion Group. The team is responsible for developing the AQUM model (a regional air quality configuration of the Unified Model) and delivering the Met Office operational air quality forecast. The team also undertakes consultancy work, applying atmospheric composition modelling expertise to a variety of customer problems including health impacts of air quality and atmospheric pollution modelling.
Career background
Paul graduated from York University in Physics. He joined the UK Atomic Energy Authority at Harwell to work on radiation effects in materials and completed a PhD at Oxford University on point defect production in solids by radiation.
On secondment to the MoD, he spent three years working on an international collaboration in the US to develop space nuclear power. On his return to the UK he worked on modelling radiation effects in special materials for the UK naval nuclear fleet.
He is a qualified science teacher and taught physics at comprehensive schools in Oxfordshire before joining the Met Office in 2000 to work in aviation meteorology. He is a chartered physicist and a chartered engineer.