J. Thomas Farrar

Dr. J. Thomas Farrar is a Senior Scientist in the Physical Oceanography Department at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI), where he conducts research on atmosphere-ocean interactions, tropical dynamics, and upper ocean processes. He holds a joint appointment through the MIT-WHOI Joint Program in Oceanography and teaches graduate courses at MIT. Farrar serves as Science Team co-lead for NASA's Surface Water Ocean Topography (SWOT) Satellite Mission and was Principal Investigator for the $30M NASA Sub-Mesoscale Ocean Dynamics Experiment (S-MODE).

Dr. Farrar's research focuses on atmosphere-ocean exchange of heat and freshwater, dynamics and thermodynamics of the upper ocean, tropical dynamics and equatorial waves, oceanic internal waves and eddies, satellite oceanography, and ocean observing systems. His work combines theoretical approaches with observational data from moorings, ships, satellites, and autonomous platforms to understand fundamental ocean processes that influence climate. He has made significant contributions to understanding air-sea interaction, upper ocean mixing, and the role of small-scale ocean features in climate systems.

His recent publications demonstrate a strong focus on satellite oceanography, particularly related to the SWOT mission, as well as continued research on upper ocean dynamics, air-sea interaction, and the role of submesoscale processes in ocean mixing and biogeochemical cycles. Farrar's work bridges observational oceanography with climate science, contributing to our understanding of how ocean processes influence global climate systems.

• 2024: NASA Group Achievement Award for the Sub-Mesoscale Ocean Dynamics Experiment (S-MODE)
• 2021-present: Science Team co-lead, Surface Water Ocean Topography (SWOT) Satellite Mission
• 2018: Principal Investigator of the NASA Sub-Mesoscale Ocean Dynamics Experiment (S-MODE)
• 2017: American Meteorological Society Nicholas P. Fofonoff Award
• 2012: Editors' Citation for Excellence in Refereeing, Journal of Geophysical Research-Oceans

Dr. Farrar has secured significant research funding, most notably as Principal Investigator for the $30M NASA S-MODE mission. His research has been supported by multiple NASA grants including NNX13AE46G, NNX14AM71G, and NNX17AH54G. He actively collaborates with scientists worldwide and has co-authored numerous papers with researchers from institutions across the globe, contributing to major field programs including SPURS (Salinity Processes in the Upper-ocean Regional Study) and VOCALS (VAMOS Ocean-Cloud-Atmosphere-Land Study).