Professor Matthew Rigby

Atmospheric science is a truly global endeavour that requires a range of skills, from analytical chemistry to high-performance computing. The highlight of my job is that I get to work daily with extremely bright people from around the world, with expertise in all these varied fields.

Machine learning is rapidly changing the way that we model and observe the Earth system. My team are looking at ways of using machine learning to make use of new, very large satellite datasets of greenhouse gas concentrations. The aim is to provide more rapid, global-scale estimates of greenhouse gas flux changes.

In 2018, my colleagues at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in the USA spotted a puzzling and unexpected change in the global average concentration of ozone-depleting substance CFC-11. The data suggested that new production was occurring somewhere, despite the global ban, but we weren’t sure where. Working with an international team, we were able to find a major source of these emissions in north-eastern China. Within two years of our initial findings, and after a great deal of work by scientists, policymakers, non-governmental organisations, the press, and enforcement agencies, it appeared that this source had largely disappeared again. To be part of this process, which had measurable real-world impact, was enormously exciting and rewarding.

As you progress in your academic career, your time tends to become more fragmented. Whilst part of the fun of an academic job is its variety, I have had to learn to say "no" to some exciting opportunities to make sure I still have time to focus on key projects and maintain a healthy work-life balance.