I work on the EU-funded PolarRES project (www.polarres.eu) which explores how the Arctic and Antarctic climates may change in response to climate change. I run high-resolution regional climate models to predict the future of the poles. Most of my research concerns atmospheric processes and phenomena like clouds, wind patterns and the surface energy balance, as well as how the atmosphere interacts with ice sheets and ice shelves.

I am also passionate about communicating science and making climate science accessible to non-scientists. You can find me on Twitter, Youtube, Instagram and TikTok at @dr_gilbz.

Research interests

meteorology, climate science, atmospheric dynamics, climate modelling, science communication

News articles for a general audience

Record Antarctic temperatures for the Independent, Feb 2020

Ice shelf vulnerability for The Conversation, Apr 2021

Ice shelf vulnerability for Carbon Brief, Apr 2021

Thwaites glacier piece for The Conversation, Dec 2021

Drivers of melt on Larsen C for Carbon Brief, Apr 2022

2022 heatwave for The Guardian, Jul 2022

Record low Antarctic sea ice for The Conversation, Jul 2023

Exceptional sea ice conditions for Carbon Brief, Jan 2024

Thwaites Glacier melt for BBC Science Focus, Jun 2024

Publications from NERC Open Research Archive

1. Polar regions in the Earth system

   PolarRES investigates polar climate processes in the Arctic and Antarctic, improving global climate projections and reducing uncertainties to better assess environmental and social impacts.

   Read more of: Polar regions in the Earth system

   

1. New study reveals what brings rainfall to ice shelves in West Antarctica

   Extreme precipitation events in Antarctica, which are mostly dominated by snowfall due to sub-zero temperatures, also include rainfall, according to new research.

   Read more of: New study reveals what brings rainfall to ice shelves in West Antarctica

   

2. The mystery of the missing Antarctic sea ice

   Winter sea ice in the Antarctic is at a historic low, and scientists are working to understand why an area of ice the size of Greenland is missing. Scientists from […]

   Read more of: The mystery of the missing Antarctic sea ice

   

3. British Antarctic Survey at COP27

   British Antarctic Survey (BAS) scientists will participate in the 27th session of the United National Framework Convention on Climate Change Conference of Parties (COP27), hosted by the Arab Republic of […]

   Read more of: British Antarctic Survey at COP27

   

4. Researchers identify biggest threats to Larsen C ice shelf

   A new study by scientists from British Antarctic Survey (BAS) has used computer modelling to rank the factors responsible for the Larsen C ice shelf melt according to their severity.

   Read more of: Researchers identify biggest threats to Larsen C ice shelf

   

5. Antarctica: Mystery of the ice

   Join climate scientist and #SciComm expert Ella Gilbert online for ‘Antarctica: Mystery of the ice’ at BAS Live, 2:00pm, Thursday 18 June 2020. Antarctica, the world’s most southerly continent, contains […]

   Read more of: Antarctica: Mystery of the ice

   

6. “Hairdryer winds” cause ice melt during Antarctic winter

   A new study involving scientists from British Antarctic Survey (BAS) suggests for the first time that warm winds are creating large surface melting of ice shelves in Antarctica during the […]

   Read more of: “Hairdryer winds” cause ice melt during Antarctic winter