Photograph of Prof. Len Shaffrey
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Biography
Len is the Director of Marine Science at the National Oceanography Centre. He sits on the Executive Committee and directly line manages the Group Heads for Marine Science. 
He is the Principal Investigator of the NERC National Capability CANARI project, which brings together 80 scientists to study climate change in the Arctic-North Atlantic region and its influence on extreme weather in the UK. Len is also a Visiting Professor at the Department of Meteorology at the University of Reading. His personal research focusses on understanding ocean-atmosphere coupled climate variability and change, with a particular focus on extreme weather hazards and the predictability of climate on seasonal to decadal timescales. His work also bridges science, policy, and finance – helping decision-makers better understand and manage climate risks. Len has contributed to major climate policy reports, including for the IPCC and the UK’s Climate Change Risk Assessment.

Editor for the Journal of Catastrophe Risk and Resilience

PI for the NERC CANARI National Capability Mulit-centre project on Climate change in the Arctic-North Atlantic region and it impacts on the UK 

Previous

Horizon Europe TIPESM project on climate tipping points, 2023-2025, Co-I
Horizon Europe OptimESM project on Earth System models & tipping points, 2022-2025, Co-I
NERC SF-NARMAX project on AI/ML and European seasonal forecasts, 2022-2024, Co-I
NERC Centre for Greening Finance and Investment, 2021-2024, Co-I
NERC ARCTICONNECT project on mid-latitude response to Arctic ice loss, 2020-2024, Co-I
NERC ACSIS one-year extension on Atlantic climate variability, 2020-2022, Co-I
Innovate UK Lloyds Banking Group KTP on wind and flood insurance risk, 2018-202, PI
EU WINDSURFER project on extreme wind and wave risk, 2017-2020, PI
EU EUPHEME project on climate attribution for extreme weather, 2017-2020, Co-I
EU INDECIS project on climate indices for socioeconomic sectors, 2017-2020, Co-I
Copernicus C3S SECTEUR project on user-needs for climate services, 2016-2018, Co-I
EU H2020 APPLICATE project on Arctic sea ice loss and NH weather, 2016-2021, Co-I
EU H2020 IMPREX project on the Future of the Water Cycle, 2015-2018, Co-I
NERC SUMMERTIME project on European Climate Variability, 2015-2019, Co-I
RCUK IMPETUS project for UK Droughts & Water Scarcity programme, 2014-2018, PI 
Innovate UK BP KTP on wind & wave risk to offshore platforms, 2014-2015, PI
NERC SAMBBA project on biomass burning in South America, 2012-2016, Co-I
NERC TEA-COSI project on coupled ocean-atmosphere Arctic change, 2011-2015, Co-I
NERC TEMPEST project on extratropical storms and climate change, 2010-2014, PI
NERC VOCALS-UK project on Pacific subtropical clouds, 2009-2013, Co-I