Celebrities come and go, often more quickly than a front of low pressure over the Irish Sea. But the British public's favourite topic of conversation remains the same – the weather. Which is perhaps why some of the UK's high-profile scientists are television weather forecasters. The human face of Scottish meteorology is Heather Reid. She works as a weather forecaster at the Glasgow Weather Centre and presents the nightly forecast on BBC Scotland's Reporting Scotland news programme.

'I get the best of both worlds,' says Heather. 'I work as a scientist during the day and then become a television presenter in the evening. I thrive on the contrast.' Most television viewers aren't conscious of the highly trained scientist behind the well-groomed persona. Heather's degree in physics at Edinburgh University included courses in geophysics and astronomy. She then studied for a master's degree at Edinburgh's Meteorology Department. This involved extensive computing work and a six-month research project. Modern-day weather forecasting relies on the latest computer modelling schemes, along with satellite and radar technology. The weather graphics are all prepared on computers by Heather. Her broadcast is live and unscripted – she doesn't read from an autocue.

Heather readily gets involved with educational projects and regularly contributes to science festivals across Scotland. She works part-time at the new Glasgow Science Centre, developing shows and workshops for school children and the public. She recently won a public awareness of physics award. She is a former Chairman of the Institute of Physics (Scottish branch) and a Fellow of the Royal Meteorological Society.

'The forecast has changed dramatically during the past three years,' says Heather. 'I get involved in new ideas, production and graphic design. It's scientific, challenging and most importantly, great fun!'