Dr Manton's scientific leadership has played a central role in the development and application of national and international research programs to improve methods for forecasting local weather and regional climate variations. A key attribute has been his ability to work across traditional disciplinary interfaces. Dr Manton is recognised internationally in his field. His high level participation in a variety of multinational scientific programs and projects has enhanced substantially the scope and impact of the forecasting methodology when applied nationally. As a research manager, Dr Manton leads a national scientific program which is respected internationally for its innovative leadership.