Mike Sparrow Email & Phone Number

I coordinate and manage the World Climate Research Programme's polar, cryospheric and ocean activities. These include overall responsibility for the Core Projects CliC (Climate and Cryosphere) and CLIVAR (Climate and Ocean - Variability, Predictability, and Change) and the WCRP’s Grand Challenges on Regional Sea Level and Coastal Impacts and Melting Ice and Global Consequences. Working with the scientific leaders of these activities I am responsible for the future strategic directions of the groups, ensuring consistency with WCRP’s overall scientific directions, and funding and planning high-profile meetings and workshops. I also represent WCRP's interests at the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission, for example with regards to the UN Ocean Decade and other relevant initiatives. As WMO polar Focal Point I represent WMO at relevant fora, including the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meetings and am the contact point for several Arctic Council Working Groups. I work with colleagues both within and outside of WMO to ensure a holistic approach to polar-related issues.

Cambridge, Uk

As Executive Director of SCAR I guided and implemented SCAR’s vision and objectives; coordinated with the Executive Committee (Board of Directors) the development and implementation of SCAR activities; raised external funds; oversaw communications; represented SCAR at international meetings (both science and policy); and managed the SCAR Secretariat.

Cambridge, United Kingdom

Main areas of responsibility were:- Working alongside the Executive Director in the day-to-day operation of the Secretariat;- Preparing SCAR budgets, finance reports, managing SCAR’s bank accounts and disbursing funds;- Coordinating administrative contact with SCAR Members, scientific groups and committees, ICSU bodies, and other relevant international organizations including the Secretariats of the Antarctic Treaty System and the Council of Managers of National Antarctic Programmes;- Arranging meetings, preparing agendas and reports of meetings (e.g. SCAR Open Science Conference, Delegates Meeting etc.);- Representing SCAR at national and international meetings;- Managing external SCAR funds including those for CAML (from the Sloan Foundation and Memorial University), SCAR MarBIN (from the Total Foundation) and the Martha Muse Prize (from the Tinker Foundation);- Launching and managing the Martha Muse Prize in consultation with the Tinker Foundation, the US PRB and the SCAR President;- Managing Education and Outreach activities, including running the Fellowship Programme and working with the Association of Early Career Researchers to further SCAR’s CBET activities;- Acting as Technical Secretary to the SCAR/SCOR Oceanography Expert Group and Standing Committee on Antarctic Geographic Information (SC-AGI);- Developing and implementing a plan for a Southern Ocean Observing System (SOOS)

Main areas of responsibility were coordination of (a) the CLIVAR/CliC/SCAR Southern Ocean Region Panel and (b) the Variability of the African Climate System (VACS) panel. Duties included: - Facilitating and coordinating Southern Ocean and African science ativities through organising meetings and workshops; - External communication through the design and maintenance of the panels’ and other associated websites;- Representing CLIVAR at national and international meetings;- Providing advice to the CLIVAR director and staff in matters of Southern Ocean region and, to a lesser extent, African climate science;- Ensuring external linkages by interacting with related international research and operational programmes with an interest in Southern Ocean and African research (e.g. IGBP, IHDP, SCAR, SCOR, GOOS, OOPC etc.);- Mentoring and supervision of staff

Employed on various European Union MAST projects. Worked closely with other European institutes and produced several articles with these partners. Left to take up a position in science management with CLIVAR.

Phd, Southern Ocean Oceanography

Msc, Atmospheric Sciences

Bsc, Physics