Gordon McBean

Professor Emeritus Gordon McBean, Ph.D., has been at Western University since 2000, in the Department of Geography and Environment and with the Institute for Catastrophic Loss Reduction (ICLR). Previously, he was Assistant Deputy Minister, Environment Canada (1994–2000), responsible for weather, climate and air quality sciences and service; professor, atmospheric-oceanic sciences, University of British Columbia (1988–1994); and senior scientist, Environment Canada. Internationally, he was president, International Council for Science (2014–2018); co-chair, Future Earth Governing Council (2016–2018); and chair, Science Committees for Integrated Research on Disaster Risk (2006–2011) and World Climate Research Programme (1988–1994). Since his appointments to ICLR and Western, he has focused on science and policy issues such as climate change, disaster risk reduction and broader environmental issues. He is a Member of the Orders of Canada and Ontario; Fellow of the: Royal Society of Canada; American Association for the Advancement of Science; American Geophysical Union; International Science Council; American Meteorological Society; and other societies; and was awarded the 2023 American Meteorological Society Warren Washington Research and Leadership Medal; 2017 International Meteorological Organization Prize; 2015 University of British Columbia Alumni Award of Distinction; 2015 American Geophysical Union Ambassador Award; 2015 American Meteorological Society Cleveland Abbe Prize; 2007 Nobel Peace Prize, shared for his contributions to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change; and 1988 Patterson Medal for distinguished contributions to meteorology in Canada.