Cédric J. Van Meerbeeck

Climatologist at Caribbean Institute for Meteorology and Hydrology

Barbados

About

As CIMH's Climatologist, I am the Climate focal point for the Caribbean Meteorological Organisation. My main responsibility as part of the World Meteorological Organization designated Regional Climate Centre for the Caribbean (at CIMH) is to build the capacity of National Hydro-Meteorological Services in the Caribbean in the provision of climate information products and services. This involves: - coordinating basic and applied climate research/R&D activities in climatology and climate services; - developing climate information products and services; - delivering training to professional meteorologists, climatologists and technical specialists in climate-sensitive socio-economic sectors in the Caribbean. Programmatically, I am the technical lead with the Caribbean Climate Outlook Forum (CariCOF) which develops, provides and utilises climate products and services to improve decision making within climate-sensitive sectors. As a Senior Lecturer, I train under- and post-graduate students in the field of Climate Science at the University of the West Indies - Cave Hill campus. Within the World Meteorological Organization, I serve on Task Teams/Expert Teams/Task Forces as technical expert and trainer, and as a general member of the Commission for Weather, Climate, Water and Related Environmental Services & Applications (and previously of the Commission for Climatology). For example, I co-led the WMO Regional Association IV Expert Team on Climate Services during its first ever intersessional period 2021-2024 and remained a member afterwards. Specialties: capacity building for climate services, climate research, climate communication, climate modelling, climate prediction, past/present/future climate change

Experience

  • Climatologist at Caribbean Institute for Meteorology and Hydrology
    Oct 2011 - Present · 14 yrs 10 mos

    As CIMH Climatologist, I am responsible for operational, teaching, services and research project aspects of Climatological nature for the CARICOM institute CIMH.

  • The University of the West Indies Cave Hill Campus (14 yrs 10 mos)
    • Senior Lecturer
      Oct 2024 - Present · 1 yr 10 mos

      I teach Introduction to Oceans and Climate and part of the Climate, Biosphere and Ecosystems courses, and am first examiner for Introduction to Climate Change and Society. I mentor post-graduate students as needs arise.

    • Lecturer
      Oct 2011 - Sep 2024 · 13 yrs

      I taught the undergraduate course Oceans and Climate and am involved in 2 more courses, all of climatological content. In addition, I supervised a PhD student and trained MSc students in the field of Climatology.

  • Co-lead at World Meteorological Organization
    Jul 2021 - Present · 5 yrs 1 mo

    I serve with the WMO as the organization's Regional Association IV (RA IV) Expert Team on Climate Services (ET-CLI) co-lead. The ET-CLI aims to help build the RA IV membership's technical capacity in climate services development, delivery, dissemination and use by cross-fertilization of best practices across North America, Central America and the Caribbean.

  • External R&D consultant at Hydrologic Research | Delft
    Jun 2011 - Aug 2011 · 3 mos

  • Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (6 yrs)
    • Researcher
      Feb 2010 - Jul 2011 · 1 yr 6 mos

      I investigated possible causes for a cool episode in and around Antarctica soon after the end of the Last Ice Age using climate models.

    • Guest Scientist
      Jul 2009 - Jan 2010 · 7 mos

    • PhD Student
      Aug 2005 - Jan 2010 · 4 yrs 6 mos

      I studied rapid climate change during the Last Ice Age using climate models and geological records