Allyn Clarke from Canada is a physical oceanographer whose research has focused on the circulation of the sub-polar gyre of the North Atlantic and its marginal seas. He was co-chair of the scientific steering groups for the World Ocean Circulation Experiment and the Climate Variability and Predictability programme as well as serving as the vice-president of the Joint Scientific Council for the World Climate Research programme. Dr Clarke was also a member of most of the scientific panels and working groups that led to the establishment of the Global Climate Observing System and GOOS.