Melissa Omand

Melissa Omand is an Associate Professor of Oceanography at the University of Rhode Island, specializing in physical oceanography and biogeochemical processes. Her work focuses on observational techniques to study carbon export, submesoscale dynamics, and the development of low-cost ocean instruments. She leads research on mechanisms driving the biological pump and has contributed to major field campaigns like EXPORTS and S-MODE.

Education:

• Ph.D., Physical Oceanography, Scripps Institution of Oceanography (2004–2011)
• B.Sc. (Honors) in Physics, University of Guelph (1999–2003)

Research Interests:
Dr. Omand develops novel instrumentation to quantify carbon fluxes and study physical-biological interactions. Her projects include deploying MINION floats, GelCam sediment traps, and advancing airborne remote sensing for submesoscale processes. She explores how eddies, turbulence, and stratification influence nutrient distribution and plankton dynamics in coastal and open-ocean environments.

Articles Trends:
Her recent work emphasizes interdisciplinary methods, combining Lagrangian floats, DNA sequencing, and holographic imaging to track carbon pathways. Key themes include salp-mediated carbon export, impacts of extreme weather on ocean biogeochemistry, and advancing open-source ocean technologies. Publications span from submesoscale dynamics to instrument calibration and virtual reality applications in ocean education.

Grants & Collaboration:

• PI on NSF CAREER grant for sensor development
• Co-lead on Twilight Zone Observation Network project
• Contributions to multi-institutional EXPORTS and S-MODE initiatives

Labs/Teams:
Affiliated with URI's Graduate School of Oceanography (GSO), leading teams in ocean technology and biogeochemical process studies. Collaborates with Scripps, NOAA, and international groups on field deployments and data synthesis.