Susan Allen

Susan Allen is a Professor in the Department of Earth, Ocean & Atmospheric Sciences at the University of British Columbia (UBC), part of the Faculty of Science. Her research focuses on physical oceanography, coastal dynamics, and biogeochemical-physical interactions, with a specialization in submarine canyon flows and numerical modeling. She holds affiliations with the Institute of Applied Mathematics and collaborates on interdisciplinary projects.

Education: B.Sc. (Physics, Queen's University, 1984); Ph.D. (Cambridge University, 1989). Postdoctoral work at Seakem Oceanography (1989–1990) before joining UBC in 1990. Served sabbaticals at institutions like the Institute of Ocean Sciences (2000), IFREMER (2006), and Berkeley (2013–2014).

Research Interests: Submarine canyon hydrodynamics, climate-driven ocean processes, trace element distribution (e.g., Mn, Pb), and model development for coastal systems like the Salish Sea. She investigates impacts of anthropogenic carbon on ocean chemistry, upwelling/downwelling dynamics, and ecosystem responses to climate change.

Key Contributions: Developed models for carbonate chemistry in the Salish Sea, Arctic trace metal distributions, and canyon-induced cross-shelf exchanges. Her work bridges numerical modeling with field observations, addressing topics like phytoplankton bloom timing and larval dispersal in coastal ecosystems.

Advising & Grants: Supervised numerous graduate students (e.g., Becca Beutel) in oceanography and atmospheric science. Active in securing grants for projects such as the Salish Sea forecast model under MEOPAR. Collaborates on initiatives like the Canadian Arctic GEOTRACES program.

Labs/Teams: Involved with UBC's Bamfield Marine Sciences Centre and the Pacific Museum of Earth. Contributes to climate crisis research through EOAS committees and interdisciplinary projects addressing ocean acidification and hypoxia.