View source for Biography:Heather Reid

{{short description|British weather forecaster}}
{{Infobox scientist
| name = Heather Reid
| honorific_suffix = OBE [[Organization:Institute of Physics|FIntP]] FRMetS
| birth_name = 
| image = 
| image_size = 
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| birth_place = Paisley, Scotland
| fields = [[Physics:Meteorology|meteorology]]<br/>science education
| workplaces = [[Company:Met Office|Met Office]]<br/>BBC<br/>[[Organization:University of Glasgow|University of Glasgow]]
| alma_mater = [[Organization:University of Edinburgh|University of Edinburgh]]
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| awards = Public Awareness of Physics prize, [[Organization:Institute of Physics|Institute of Physics]] (2001)<br/>Kelvin Prize and Medal (2005)<br/>honorary doctorate, [[Organization:University of the West of Scotland|Paisley University]] (2003)<br/>honorary doctorate, [[Organization:University of Glasgow|University of Glasgow]] (2010)
| spouse = Miles J. Padgett (m.2001)
| children = Jenna Padgett
}}

'''Heather Margaret Murray Reid''' {{post-nominals|country=GBR|size=100%|OBE|CPhys|FInstP|FRMetS}} (born c. 1969), also known as '''"Heather the Weather"''', is a Scottish [[Meteorologist|meteorologist]], [[Physicist|physicist]], [[Science communication|science communicator]] and educator. She was formerly a broadcaster and weather presenter for BBC Scotland.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/58196/supplement/1/data.htm|title=New Year's Honours-United Kingdom|date=30 December 2006|website=The Gazette|page=12|language=en|access-date=2018-06-22}}</ref>

==Career==

Reid was born in Paisley. She graduated from the [[Organization:University of Edinburgh|University of Edinburgh]] with an honours degree in [[Physics:Physics|physics]] followed by a master's degree in [[Image processing|satellite image processing]] from the University's Meteorology Department.<ref name=":1">{{Cite news|url=https://www.scotsman.com/200voices/cultural-icons/heather-reid/|title=Heather Reid shares optimism over future of science education - The Scotsman|date=2017-03-27|work=The Scotsman|access-date=2018-06-22|language=en-US}}</ref> In 1993 Reid took a position at the UK Met Office working in satellite research.<ref name=":1" /><ref name="bbc1">[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/8403564.stm Heather the weather to leave BBC Scotland], BBC News Online, 9 December 2009</ref> From 1994 to 2009 she worked as a [[Earth:Weather forecasting|weather presenter]] for BBC Scotland, presenting on Reporting Scotland. She became BBC Scotland's senior weather forecaster, and gave her final broadcast for ''Reporting Scotland'' on 22 December 2009.<ref name=":1" /><ref name="bbc1" /> Reid now works as a science education consultant, and in the public promotion of science.<ref name=":1" />

From 1999 to 2001 Reid was Chairperson of the [[Organization:Institute of Physics|Institute of Physics]] in Scotland, she has also served as a Council member and non-executive director of the Institute in London.

In the summer of 2006 Reid became a member of the Board of Trustees of Glasgow Science Centre, maintaining a connection that has seen her involved in various stages with the Centre, notably developing educational weather shows and workshops.{{Citation needed|date=June 2018}}

Reid is a member of the Science and Engineering Education Advisory Group set up by the Scottish Government.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://infoweb.newsbank.com/resources/doc/nb/news/133499FE697403C8?p=UKNB|title=Heather forecasts heavy footfall for show|date=4 November 2010|work=Paisley Daily Express|access-date=2019-01-26|page=3}}</ref>

Most recently (2018) Reid was appointed by Scottish Government Ministers to the Board of Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park Authority and was elected Convener in Feb 2023. She was also appointed to the Board of NatureScot in 2021.

== Awards and honours ==
Reid is a Fellow of the Royal Meteorological Society, and has an honorary lectureship in the Physics and Astronomy Department at the [[Organization:University of Glasgow|University of Glasgow]]. In 2001 she was awarded the Public Awareness of Physics prize from the [[Organization:Institute of Physics|Institute of Physics]] for her science communication work, and in 2004 received the Institute's prestigious Kelvin Medal. In 2003 Reid received an honorary doctorate from [[Organization:University of the West of Scotland|Paisley University]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.uws.ac.uk/media/3440/university-of-paisley-honorary-awards-1993-2007.pdf|title=Honorary Doctors of the University of Paisley|date=September 2017|website=University of the West of Scotland|access-date=2018-06-22}}</ref> and on 16 June 2010 she was awarded an honorary doctorate by the [[Organization:University of Glasgow|University of Glasgow]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.gla.ac.uk/news/archiveofnews/2010/april/headline_147755_en.html|title=University of Glasgow - University news - Archive of news - 2010 - April - Honorary doctorate for Heather the Weather|website=www.gla.ac.uk|language=en|access-date=2018-06-22}}</ref> She also received an honorary doctorate from The Open University in 2015. 

Reid was awarded an Order of the British Empire (OBE) for services to physics in the 2007 New Year Honours list, announced on 30 December 2006.<ref name=":0" /><ref name="bbc1" />

==Popular culture==

Edinburgh band Randan Discothèque's 2010 single "Heather the Weather" is a homage to Heather Reid.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.list.co.uk/article/31923-randan-discotheques-heather-the-weather-single-of-the-month/|title=Randan Discotheque's Heather the Weather - Single of the Month|last=Meighan|first=Nicola|date=2011-01-14|work=The List|language=en-GB}}</ref>

== Personal life ==
Reid resides in Glasgow with her husband Miles Padgett, a professor of physics, and their daughter.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/1496752.stm|title=Sun shines on Heather the wedder|date=2001-08-17|work=BBC News|language=en-GB}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*{{bbc.co.uk|id=weather/bbcweather/forecasters/heatherreid.shtml|title=Heather Reid}}
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20050310060229/http://www.britishcouncil.org/science-testimonials-heather-reid.htm British Council feature]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20070929022438/http://www.girlguidingscotland.org.uk/information/info_interview_reid.htm Featured interview by Girl Guiding Scotland] (archive)
*{{IMDb name|id=0717286|name=Heather Reid}}


{{DEFAULTSORT:Reid, Heather}}
[[Category:Science communicators]]

{{Sourceattribution|Heather Reid}}