research interests

Patterns and Drivers of Sea Level Variability Across Timescales

I am broadly interested in the processes moderating regional sea level variability and more specifically how changes are felt along the world’s coastlines. I work to connect observed and modeled changes to ocean heat content, water mass transformation, and large-scale ocean circulation change. I use a combination of observations and state-of-the-art ocean and earth system models to identify the physical mechanisms driving these changes and to assess their predictability across daily to decadal timescales. Key processes of interest include:

  • coastal response to western boundary current changes (e.g. links between US East Coast sea level and the Gulf Stream and the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation).
  • dependence of simulated coastal sea level variability on continental shelf and slope bathymetric resolution.
  • partitioning of sterodynamic sea level change into contributions by water mass
  • watermass transformation and ocean heat content implications
  • ocean model development with respect to sea level processes (non-Boussinesq configuration, terrestrial water storage changes)
  • sea level budget observables (satellite gravimetry and altimetry, Argo float profiles)
  • ocean state estimation (ECCO)

Mesoscale Eddies and Ocean Turbulence

As a member of the Ocean Transport and Eddy Energy Climate Process Team I led investigation in to the distribution of mesoscale eddy kinetic energy andthe structure/behavior of individual eddies interacting with topography.

My PhD research at the University of Washington centered on the three-dimensional structure, evolution, and decay of ocean mesoscale eddies — coherent rotating features roughly 50–200 km in diameter that play a major role in ocean heat, salt, and carbon transport. I used autonomous underwater vehicles — Seaglider and Deepglider — to obtain high-resolution subsurface observations of eddies in the North Pacific, enabling detailed study of eddy vertical structure and the processes responsible for their decay.

Autonomous Underwater Vehicles

A significant part of my early career involved the development and use of buoyancy driven autonomous underwater vehicles (gliders) in the Pacific and Atlantic. After carrying out many field campaigns, I processed and interrogated rich datasets in the study of mesoscale eddy dynamics, water mass structure, and deep ocean variability. I remain interested in the development of observational strategies that combine autonomous platforms with remote sensing and numerical models.

Through this work, I frequently worked with commercial fishing vessels and engaged with people outside of academia. These experiences helped me build skills as an educator while meaningfully engaging with others to discuss how we study the ocean, what we find, and why it matters. This all reinforced my belief that accessible storytelling is essential to meaningful science communication.

Videos

These videos highlight an eddy water mass entrainment experiment (left) and Deepglider deployment (right)