Professor Godwin Olu Patrick Obasi, a Nigerian citizen, has been the Secretary General of the World Meteorological Organization since 1 January 1984. He holds a BSc Honours degree (1959) in Mathematics and Physics from McGill University, Montreal (Canada); a Master of Science degree with distinction (1960) and a Doctor of Science degree (1963) in Meteorology both from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, U.S.A. He won the Carl Rossby Award for the best doctoral degree thesis. After graduation, Professor Obasi served the Nigerian Government in several capacities including that of an Adviser to the Federal Government of Nigeria in meteorological research and training. From 1967 to 1976, he was Professor of Meteorology, Chairman of the Department of Meteorology and Dean of the Faculty of Science at the University of Nairobi, Kenya. In 1978, he joined the WMO Secretariat as the Director of the Education and Training Department. Before that, he was Vice-President of the WMO Commission for Atmospheric Sciences. Professor Obasi has been associated with various scientific activities at national and international levels, including the West African Monsoon Experiment and the First GARP Global Experiment. As Chairman of the WMO Working Group in Tropical Meteorology in 1965-1967, he was instrumental in the initial planning of the GARP Atlantic Tropical Experiment (1974). Professor Obasi has received a number of honours and awards for his contribution in meteorology, hydrology and general environment matters. For more information on the World Meteorological Organization, visit http://wmo.ch/index-en.html. This lecture is available in PDF format.
