Pen portraits of Presidents – Sir Basil John Mason, CB, DSc, FRS

• Published in: Weather 2020-01, Vol.75 (1), p.26-29
• Main Authors: Folland, Chris K., Mitchell, John F. B.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Biographies; Climate change; Cloud physics; Earth and Related Environmental Sciences; Geovetenskap och miljövetenskap; Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences; Physics; prediction; Retirement; Weather
• ISSN: 0043-1656; 1477-8696
• DOI: 10.1002/wea.3442

We present a short biography of Sir John Mason, part of Weather's series of pen portraits of Past Presidents of the Royal Meteorological Society. This biography is longer than a normal pen portrait to reflect Sir John Mason's exceptional and wide‐ranging achievements and to show how he contributed to the debate about climate change. We include a discussion of his early years, particularly his pioneering work in cloud physics. We particularly review the key activities of the Met Office with which he was closely involved in his years as Director General, followed by his activities after retirement and his main awards. We present a short a pen portrait of Sir John Mason in the series of Past Presidents of the Royal Meteorological Society published in Weather. The paper reviews Sir John Mason's exceptional and wide‐ranging achievements and awards, including his contribution to the debate about climate change. In addition to a discussion of his pioneering work in cloud physics, we emphasise the key activities of the Met Office with which he was closely involved in his years as Director General. Sir John Mason (left) with Prime Minister Edward Heath at the opening of the Met Office Richardson Wing in 1972. (© British Crown Copyright, Met Office, 1972.)