Sanne Cottaar is a researcher at the Department of Earth Sciences, University of Cambridge, specializing in seismology and deep Earth structure. Her work integrates seismic waveform analysis, mineral physics, and geodynamic modeling to investigate mantle plumes, ultra-low velocity zones (ULVZs), and core-mantle boundary dynamics. Key research areas include: Seismic imaging of deep Earth heterogeneity Core-mantle boundary and mantle transition zone structure Multidisciplinary approaches with mineral physics and geodynamics Development of seismic tools like BurnMan for thermodynamic modeling Public engagement through educational initiatives such as Deep Earth Explorers Her recent publications focus on mapping ULVZs using Sdiff and Pdiff waves, resolving mantle plume origins, and benchmarking seismic methods against geodynamic constraints. She actively supervises doctoral projects in seismology and deep Earth dynamics.
Peter Huybers is a Professor of Earth and Planetary Sciences and Environmental Science and Engineering at Harvard University , where he investigates the climate system and its societal implications, including interactions between volcanism and glaciation , extreme temperature predictability , and climate change impacts on food production . Research interests span climate change attribution , paleoclimate reconstruction , drought dynamics , crop yield modeling , and earth system feedbacks . His work often integrates art-historical analysis with climate science, as seen in studies of 19th-century air pollution through Turner and Monet paintings . Scientific awards include funding from Harvard Data Science Initiative (2023) for projects on climate change and food supply volatility Amazon Web Services (2023) grant His 20+ peer-reviewed articles since 2020 focus on climate proxies , hydrological modeling , solar forcing , and agricultural-climate interactions , with recent work in Nature , PNAS , and Science Advances . Advising : Mentored 10+ PhD students including Parker Liautaud , Duo Chan , and Marena Lin , while leading research teams with current members like Greta Berendes and Caro Park . Former staff include Jon Proctor and Lucas Vargas Zeppetello , the latter now at UC Berkeley (2024).
Scott McDougall is an Associate Professor in the Department of Earth, Ocean & Atmospheric Sciences at the University of British Columbia (UBC). He specializes in geohazards, particularly landslides and related risks, with a focus on improving risk assessment and mitigation strategies. His work integrates field data, statistical analysis, numerical modeling, and laboratory experiments to understand landslide dynamics. Education: PhD in Geological Engineering, UBC (2006) BASc in Civil Engineering, University of Toronto (1998) Research Interests: Landslide mobility and runout modeling Tailings dam breaches and their impacts Risk evaluation frameworks for geohazards Shoreline erosion and landslide-generated waves Applications of machine learning in hazard prediction Key Contributions: Development of the UBC Geohazards Research Team to advance landslide risk reduction Leadership in the CanBreach project to improve tailings dam breach analysis Pioneering probabilistic runout prediction models for rock avalanches and debris flows Awards: Engineering Geology Best Paper Award 2024 CDA Published Paper Award Advising & Grants: Supervised over 15 graduate students and postdoctoral fellows Active industry collaborations with mining and engineering firms Funded by NSERC, Mitacs, and industry partnerships Labs & Teams: UBC Geohazards Research Team CanBreach Collaborative Research and Development Project
Dr. Ernst Willingshofer is an Associate Professor of Tectonics in the Department of Earth Sciences at Utrecht University's Faculty of Geosciences. His research focuses on the coupling of deep crustal and upper mantle processes with surface deformation, particularly in collision zones and rift systems. He employs field studies and physical analogue modelling to investigate lithospheric rheology, strain localization, and tectonic evolution. Research Interests: Willingshofer's work spans tectonics, lithosphere deformation, and structural geology. Key themes include the influence of rheological stratification on strain partitioning, analogue modelling of orogenic systems, and dynamics of basins and orogens. His research has applications in understanding Alpine, Mediterranean, and global tectonic processes. Articles Trend: Recent publications (2021–2024) emphasize analogue modelling innovations, strain partitioning mechanisms, and tectonic evolution of collision zones. Subduction initiation, passive margin dynamics, and intracontinental deformation are recurring themes, with strong focus on Mediterranean and Alpine geology. Teaching & Advising: Coordinates BSc courses ( Deformation and Metamorphism of the Crust , Pyrenean Fieldwork ) and MSc courses ( Modelling Crust and Lithosphere Deformation , Dynamics of Basins and Orogens ). Supervises MSc, BSc, and guided research projects. Laboratory: Leads the Earth Simulation Lab, specializing in analogue modelling of tectonic processes.
Dr Jordan Pitt is an academic affiliated with the University of Sydney's Faculty of Science. He holds the role of Associate Dean (Indigenous Strategy and Services) while also actively contributing as an applied mathematician. His work emphasizes interdisciplinary research and Indigenous inclusion in academia. Dr Pitt completed his PhD at the Australian National University in 2019, focusing on tsunami and storm surge modeling. He pursued post-doctoral research at the University of Adelaide, where his studies expanded into ocean wave-sea ice interactions. Current research investigates how wave dynamics influence sea ice growth/melt cycles, a critical factor in Earth's climate systems. Research Interests: Mathematical modeling of environmental systems Ocean wave mechanics Climate change impacts on sea ice Computational fluid dynamics While no specific scientific awards are explicitly listed, Jordan has been involved in initiatives like co-convening the Academy of Science’s 'Looking Back, Moving Forward' Public Lecture Series (2023) and organizing the ANZIAM 2024 Early Career Workshop. His efforts bridge Indigenous communities with STEM fields through programs like Science Pathways. As an educator and researcher, Jordan has not listed formal advisees or grants in the provided texts. His professional networks include roles in Indigenous strategy and academic service. Jordan’s work is associated with laboratories and teams focused on environmental fluid dynamics and climate modeling, though specific lab names are not mentioned.
Ted Brekken is Professor of Energy Systems at Oregon State University, where he co-directs the Wallace Energy Systems and Renewables Facility (WESRF). His research advances renewable energy technologies with focus on wave energy conversion and grid integration. Current projects include control optimization for wave energy converters using machine learning, reinforcement learning for marine turbine durability, and hybrid simulations for floating offshore wind turbines. His work addresses critical challenges in power quality, fault resilience, and energy storage for marine renewable systems. Recent publications demonstrate innovation in real-time wave prediction, power electronics durability, and earthquake resilience for power grids. Brekken has received the NSF CAREER award and IEEE PES Outstanding Young Engineer honor for sustainable energy contributions. He teaches power electronics and energy conversion while leading DOE-funded marine energy initiatives.
Bingzhang Chen is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Mathematics and Statistics at the University of Strathclyde, Faculty of Science. He previously held positions as a Chancellor’s Fellow at the same institution, a researcher at the Japan Agency of Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC), and was affiliated with Xiamen University and Mount Allison University. His academic journey began with a PhD from the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. Education: PhD in Trophic interactions within the microbial food web, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (Awarded 2009) His primary research interests lie at the intersection of biological oceanography and theoretical ecology, with a strong focus on ecosystem modeling. He investigates how biodiversity, particularly of phytoplankton, influences marine ecosystem functioning such as primary production and the biological carbon pump. A central theme in his work is understanding the differential temperature sensitivity between autotrophs and heterotrophs, a question that bridges statistical analysis, metabolic theory, and Earth system science. His recent publications highlight a consistent trend in developing and applying individual-based models (e.g., PIBM 1.0), analyzing large datasets on plankton thermal responses, and studying the impacts of climate change and anthropogenic activities (like nutrient input) on marine microbial communities across diverse regions from the South China Sea to the North Pacific and Scottish coastal waters. His work often combines modeling with observational data to address fundamental ecological questions. Scientific Awards: David Cushing Prize (2015) from the Journal of Plankton Research New Century Excellent Talent (2012) from the Ministry of Education of China Dr. Chen is actively involved in research supervision, currently guiding five PhD students. He has been the Principal Investigator on multiple research projects funded by organizations such as the Leverhulme Trust, FILAMO, and the National Science Foundation. His expertise in programming (R, Fortran, MATLAB) underpins his methodological approach. He also contributes to the scientific community as an Associate Editor for the prestigious journal Limnology and Oceanography . His work is associated with efforts to understand and model invasive species dynamics, such as the spread of Sargassum muticum in Scottish waters, and he is involved with external advisory groups like the MASTS Marine Artificial Intelligence Forum.
Themistoklis Sapsis is a Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), where he also holds an affiliation with the MIT Institute for Data, Systems, and Society. He earned his Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from MIT in 2011 and previously served as an Assistant Research Scientist at NYU’s Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences. His research focuses on developing analytical, computational, and data-driven methods to predict and quantify extreme events in high-dimensional nonlinear systems, such as turbulent fluid flows and mechanical systems. Key areas include probabilistic modeling of climate extremes, machine learning for climate simulation corrections, and uncertainty quantification in complex dynamical systems. Recent work emphasizes applications in ocean engineering (e.g., vortex-induced vibrations, wave energy systems) and environmental science (e.g., spatially resolved climate extremes, bias correction in Earth system models). His methodologies combine stochastic emulators, Bayesian experimental design, and neural networks to address challenges in data sparsity and model fidelity. Notable contributions include frameworks for correcting coarse-scale climate simulations using machine learning, real-time ocean temperature reconstruction from satellite data, and data-driven modeling of hydrodynamic interactions in marine risers. His research bridges theoretical developments with practical applications in energy systems, structural monitoring, and autonomous systems. Prof. Sapsis collaborates with interdisciplinary teams and has contributed to initiatives such as FIRSTLING-DIGIMAR (a marine riser digital twin) and multi-fidelity frameworks for autonomous seakeeping. His work is supported by grants focused on advancing machine learning in scientific modeling and extreme event prediction.
John Folkesson is an Associate Professor at the Department of Robotics, Perception and Learning at KTH Royal Institute of Technology. His research focuses on mobile robotics, underwater autonomous vehicles (AUVs), and Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM), particularly addressing challenges in dynamic underwater environments. He leads the AUV group within the Swedish Maritime Robotics Centre (SMaRC2.0) and supervises multiple PhD projects, including those funded by Ocean Infinity and Vinnova. Folkesson has pioneered work on sonar-based SLAM, bathymetric mapping, and autonomous underwater navigation without human intervention. He teaches courses such as Probabilistic Graphical Models (DD2420) and Applied Estimation (EL2320). Recent projects include developing neural rendering techniques for sidescan SLAM and automatic launch systems for AUVs in collaboration with Purdue University and SAAB. His research emphasizes long-term autonomy, environmental ambiguity, and sensor data interpretation in unstructured underwater scenarios. Education: PhD in Robotics (2005, KTH Royal Institute of Technology) Recent Funding: 2024 projects include ALARS (Vinnova), WASP WARA-PS, and industrial collaborations. Research Interests Folkesson's work spans underwater robotics, SLAM algorithms, and sensor fusion. Key areas include: Underwater SLAM and sonar modeling Bathymetric reconstruction using neural networks Autonomous decision-making in AUV missions Real-time terrain modeling and localization Articles Trends Recent publications emphasize neural networks for SLAM optimization, sonar data processing, and autonomous underwater systems. Themes include real-time bathymetric mapping, sensor fusion in dynamic environments, and neural rendering techniques for improving navigation accuracy. Folkesson's work bridges theory and practice, with applications in marine robotics and industrial surveys. Advising & Grants PhD supervision: AUV perception (2024), SLAM with Ocean Infinity, event-response AUV systems. Collaborations: Purdue University, SAAB, Ocean Infinity. Course responsibilities: Over 10 advanced robotics and engineering courses at KTH. Labs & Teams Lead of SMaRC2.0, KTH's official research center for maritime robotics. Active in developing AUV systems for long-duration missions, including ice-covered and deep-sea exploration.
Oliver Shorttle is a Professor of Natural Philosophy at the University of Cambridge, holding a joint position between the Department of Earth Sciences and the Institute of Astronomy. His research focuses on planetary evolution, extrasolar planets, and geochemical cycling, integrating geological and astronomical perspectives. He explores topics such as exoplanet habitability, volcanic processes on distant worlds, and the role of volatiles in planetary systems. Education and Career: Shorttle earned his undergraduate degree in Natural Sciences from Cambridge, followed by a PhD in Earth Sciences. He held postdoctoral positions at Caltech and as a JSPS fellow in Japan before returning to Cambridge as faculty. Research Themes: His work spans planetary chemistry, magma dynamics, and the interplay between planetary interiors and atmospheres. Key projects include analyzing protoplanetary disks, simulating volcanic activity on exoplanets, and investigating phosphorus’s role in prebiotic chemistry. Collaborations: Leads the Planetary Chemistry group, collaborating across disciplines at Cambridge and internationally. Current projects involve modeling exoplanet atmospheres, studying mantle melting processes, and developing geochemical methods to probe planetary formation. Labs/Teams: Directs the Planetary Chemistry research group, fostering interdisciplinary research between geology and astronomy. Active in fieldwork, lab analysis, and computational modeling.
Alex Liu is a Researcher at the Department of Earth Sciences within the University of Cambridge. He specializes in palaeobiology , focusing on the origin and early evolution of animals, particularly the Ediacaran biota (~579–539 million years ago), and their co-evolution with Earth's environment. Research Focus: Refines understanding of animal body plan evolution, taphonomy, sedimentology, and macroevolutionary trends. Methodologies: Combines fieldwork, experimental studies, petrology, phylogenetics, and big-data analyses. Collaborations: Works with international museums and research teams on fossil sites in Namibia, Canada, and Brazil. Additional Interests: Explores meiofaunal evolution, paleogeography, paleoclimate, and conservation paleobiology. He supervises Cambridge NERC Doctoral Landscape Awards (DLA) projects and welcomes student contributions to taxonomic, paleoecological, and analytical studies.
Professor Göran Broström works at the Department of Marine Sciences at the University of Gothenburg . His research focuses on physical oceanography, marine turbulence, tidal energy systems, and biophysical processes in marine ecosystems. Current research themes include methane emissions from ocean infrastructure, turbulence in tidal flows, and wave-current interactions He utilizes advanced numerical modeling (e.g., Large Eddy Simulation, Bayesian inversion) and field observations Recent publications emphasize climate impacts (methane plumes), tidal energy innovations, and marine ecological connectivity His work appears in high-impact journals like Nature , Molecular Ecology , and Frontiers in Marine Science . Collaborative projects span oceanographic modeling, environmental monitoring, and marine renewable energy. No specific student advising information appears in the provided text.
Sverre Steen is a Professor and Head of the Department of Marine Technology at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU). He leads the Kongsberg Maritime University Technology Centre focused on 'Ship Performance and Cyber-physical Systems' and is a member of the standing committee for the Symposium of Marine Propulsors. His research emphasizes ship propulsion, hydrodynamics, and big data analysis of in-service vessel performance. Key interests include seakeeping, high-speed marine vehicles, and model testing techniques. Steen teaches TMR 4217 Hydrodynamics of High-Speed Marine Vehicles , covering cavitation, experimental hydrodynamics, and propulsion systems. He collaborates internationally on projects like the Norwegian Ocean Technology Centre. His recent work explores wave-energy extraction via hydrofoil vessels, resistance modeling for fast ferries, and propulsion efficiency in real sea states. He has contributed to global shipping emission models (MariTEAM) and reliability analysis of structural components under vibration. Steen's publications span propulsion in waves, engine-propeller dynamics, and data-driven methods for ship performance monitoring. His applied research bridges experimental testing and computational modeling to address challenges in sustainable maritime transport and operational safety.
Victoria J. Orphan is the James Irvine Professor of Environmental Science and Geobiology at Caltech, where she directs the Center for Environmental Microbial Interactions. Her research investigates microbial processes in anaerobic ecosystems including deep-sea methane seeps, hydrothermal vents, and coastal sediments using interdisciplinary approaches combining molecular biology, stable isotope techniques, and geochemistry. Her laboratory focuses on: Microbial partnerships in methane cycling Ecophysiology of uncultured archaea and bacteria Viral ecology in marine environments Biogeochemical impacts of microbial communities Blue carbon sequestration in seagrass ecosystems Professor Orphan has developed innovative methods including BONCAT-FISH and nanoSIMS for studying microbial activity in environmental samples. Her research group maintains active field programs in Monterey Canyon and hydrothermal vent systems, and develops high-pressure incubation systems for studying deep-sea microbes. She teaches courses on microbial ecology and evolution, and mentors graduate students through the Geobiology and Environmental Science programs.
Scott England is a Professor in the Department of Aerospace and Ocean Engineering at the College of Engineering, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. He serves as the Project Scientist for NASA’s Ionospheric Connection Explorer (ICON), Co-Investigator for Global-scale Observations of the Limb and Disk (GOLD), and Participating Scientist for Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution (MAVEN). Education PhD, University of Leicester (UK), 2005 MPhys First Class Honors, University of Leicester (UK), 2001 England’s research focuses on planetary atmosphere-space environment interactions, particularly gravity waves, atmospheric tides, and ionosphere-thermosphere coupling on Earth and Mars. His work integrates NASA mission data (ICON, GOLD, MAVEN) with numerical modeling to study thermal dynamics, wind systems, and solar flare impacts. Recent publications highlight his expertise in thermospheric gravity wave science, planetary wave-induced ionospheric variability, and Mars atmosphere studies using EMUS and IUVS instruments. Articles span topics like Seasonal variability of DE3/DE2 tides , Transient Martian hot oxygen corona , and Shock-induced plasma dynamics . Scientific Honors 2020 Dean's Award for Teaching Excellence 2016 RHG Exceptional Achievement for Mars Science As a professional leader, England served as Thermospheric Lead for the 2019 Planetary Mission Concept Studies Program and on the National Academy of Sciences Decadal Survey panel. He manages Virginia Tech’s participation in the Virginia Space Grant Consortium and has contributed to high-performance computing committees.
