Eric Chassignet

Eric Chassignet is a Distinguished Professor of Oceanography and Director of the Center for Ocean-Atmospheric Prediction Studies (COAPS) at Florida State University (FSU). His research focuses on ocean-climate interactions, including western boundary currents, eddies, and thermohaline circulation. He leads the development of the HYbrid Coordinate Ocean Model (HYCOM), a globally used operational ocean model. Chassignet also co-chairs OceanPredict, advancing global ocean forecasting systems.

His work integrates coupled ocean-atmosphere models with observations to understand climate variability impacts. COAPS, under his leadership, manages over $8M in annual grants, employing ~70 researchers. He directs the CSOMIO consortium, improving oil transport modeling in coastal waters. Chassignet is a Fellow of NOAA’s Cooperative Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Studies (CIMAS) and Northern Gulf Cooperative Institute (NGI).

Key research interests include high-resolution ocean modeling, marine litter tracking, and Arctic ice-ocean interactions. Recent projects involve machine learning for ocean data assimilation and neural networks in turbulence modeling. Chassignet advises students, including PhD candidate Renee Richardson, and collaborates globally on initiatives like the ODYSEA satellite mission and Gulf of Mexico glider networks.