Jan Zika

Jan Zika is an Associate Professor in the School of Mathematics & Statistics at the University of New South Wales, Sydney. His research focuses on the role of ocean dynamics in climate change, particularly water mass transformation, heat transport, and the interaction between ocean circulation and the global water cycle.

• PhD from CSIRO (Hobart)
• Prior affiliations: Université Joseph Fourier, University of Southampton, Imperial College London

Key research areas include:

• Ocean mixing and its impact on climate sensitivity
• Water mass transformation as a diagnostic for ocean circulation
• Heat engine efficiency in warming climates
• Biogeochemical tracer transport

Recent publications emphasize:

• Advancements in water mass transformation frameworks
• Machine learning applications for salinity mapping
• Constraints on ocean carbon uptake mechanisms
• Historical trends in freshwater transport

Scientific awards:

• 2018 EGU Outstanding Early Career Researcher Award
• 2020 Australian Academy of Science Anton Hales Medal

Grants include NERC Postdoctoral and Senior Fellowships. He leads interdisciplinary teams studying Southern Ocean dynamics and has contributed to ocean modeling benchmarks in CMIP5/CMIP6 frameworks.