Heather Reid facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Heather Reid
OBE FIntP
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|---|---|
| Born | 1969 (age 55–56) |
| Alma mater | University of Edinburgh |
| Spouse(s) | Miles Padgett (m. 2001) |
| Children | Jenna Padgett |
| Awards | Public Awareness of Physics prize, Institute of Physics (2001) Kelvin Prize and Medal (2005) honorary doctorate, Paisley University (2003) honorary doctorate, University of Glasgow (2010) |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | meteorology science education |
| Institutions | Met Office BBC University of Glasgow |
Heather Margaret Murray Reid (born around 1969), often called "Heather the Weather", is a Scottish expert in weather and science. She is a meteorologist (someone who studies weather) and a physicist (someone who studies how the world works). Heather is also great at sharing science with others and teaching it. She used to be a popular weather presenter for BBC Scotland.
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Heather Reid's Career
Early Life and Education
Heather Reid was born in Paisley. She went to the University of Edinburgh. There, she earned a degree in physics. After that, she studied how to process satellite images. This helped her understand weather patterns better.
Working with Weather
In 1993, Heather started working at the UK Met Office. This is a place where scientists study weather. She focused on satellite research. From 1994 to 2009, she was a weather presenter for BBC Scotland. Many people watched her on the news show Reporting Scotland. She became the main weather forecaster for BBC Scotland. Her last broadcast was on December 22, 2009.
Promoting Science Education
Today, Heather works as a consultant for science education. She helps schools and groups teach science. She also works to get more people interested in science.
From 1999 to 2001, Heather was the leader of the Institute of Physics in Scotland. This is a group for physicists. She also helped lead the main Institute in London.
Heather was a trustee at the Glasgow Science Centre for ten years. She joined the board in 2006. She helped create fun weather shows and workshops there. She also advises the Scottish Government on science and engineering education.
More recently, in 2018, Heather joined the board of the Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park Authority. She became its Convener (leader) in February 2023. She also joined the board of NatureScot in 2021.
Awards and Honours
Heather Reid has received many awards for her work. She is an honorary lecturer at the University of Glasgow. In 2001, she won a prize from the Institute of Physics. This was for making science easy for everyone to understand. In 2004, she received the special Kelvin Medal.
She has also received honorary doctorates from several universities. These include Paisley University in 2003 and the University of Glasgow in 2010. The Open University also gave her an honorary doctorate in 2015.
Heather was given an Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2007. This award was for her important contributions to physics.
Personal Life
Heather Reid lives in Glasgow. Her husband is Miles Padgett, who is also a physics professor. They have a daughter named Jenna.
