CIMAS Research Staff

Name: Debra Abercrombie 

Position title: Senior Research Associate I

Contact e-mail:  Debra.Abercrombie@noaa.gov

Lab affiliation: SEFSC

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Name:  Sandra Aguilar

Position title:  Senior Research Associate III

Contact e-mail:  Sandra.Aguilar@noaa.gov

Lab affiliation:  SEFSC

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Name:  Kyle Ahern

Position title: Senior Research Associate II

Contact e-mail: Kyle.Ahern@noaa.gov

Lab affiliation: AOML/HRD

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Name: Laura Aichinger Dias

Position title:  Senior Research Associate I 

Contact e-mail: Laura.Dias@noaa.gov

Lab affiliation: SEFSC 

Office: 

Phone:  (305) 361-4269

Research Interests: Cetacean aerial and ship-based line-transect surveys, photo-identification

Projects:  

Bio:   Laura has been studying marine mammals since 2005, starting in Brazil. She moved to the U.S. and completed her Masters of Science degree in 2007. It was 2008 that she joined us here at the Southeast Fisheries Science Center. She began as a volunteer, then in 2010 became a Research Associate for the Cooperative Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Studies (CIMAS) at the University of Miami. Since then, Laura has worked on different research projects on marine mammals in the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic Ocean. In the field she serves as a marine mammal observer and data manager during line-transect large vessel and aerial surveys. Back at the lab she manages the data collected and assists with analysis and publishing.  

Name: Altug Aksoy, Ph.D.

Position title: Scientist

Contact email:  Altug.Aksoy@noaa.gov

Lab affiliation: AOML/HRD

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Research Interests: Data assimilation

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Bio: https://www.aoml.noaa.gov/hrd/people/altugaksoy/

Name:  Sydney Alhale

Position title: Senior Research Associate II 

Contact e-mail:  Sydney.Alhale@noaa.gov

Lab affiliation: SEFSC

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Name: Danielle Alvarez

Position title:  Research Associate I

Contact e-mail: Danielle.Alvarez@noaa.gov 

Lab affiliation: SEFSC

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Bio:  

Name: George (Trey) Alvey, Ph.D.

Position title:  Post Doctoral Associate

Contact e-mail:  George.Alvey@noaa.gov

Lab affiliation: AOML/HRD

Office: 

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Research Interests: Tropical cyclone intensity change and predictability

Projects:  

Bio:  

Name: Bachir Annane

Position title:  Assitant Scientist

Contact e-mail: Bachir.Annane@noaa.gov

Lab affiliation: AOML/HRD

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Bio:  

Name: Karina Apodaca, Ph.D.

Position title: Associate Scientist 

Contact e-mail: Karina.Apodaca@noaa.gov 

Lab affiliation: AOML/HRD

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Bio:  

Name: Sarina Atkinson

Position title: Senior Research Associate II 

Contact e-mail: Sarina.Atkinson@noaa.gov 

Lab affiliation: SEFSC

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Bio:  

Name: Charita Atluri

Position title: Senior Research Associate I 

Contact e-mail: c.atluri@miami.edu 

Lab affiliation: AOML/PHOD

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Projects:  ARGO

Bio:  

Name: Leticia Barbero Munoz, Ph.D.

Position title:  Assistant Scientist

Contact e-mail: Leticia.Barbero@noaa.gov 

Lab affiliation: AOML/OCED

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Name: Zachary Barton

Position title: Research Associate II 

Contact e-mail: Zach.Barton@noaa.gov  

Lab affiliation: AOML/PHOD

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Name: George Berberian

Position title: Research Associate II (PT) 

Contact e-mail: George.Berberian@noaa.gov 

Lab affiliation: AOML/OCED

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Name: Igal Berenshtein, Ph.D.

Position title: Post Doctoral Associate 

Contact e-mail: Igal.Berenshtein@noaa.gov 

Lab affiliation: SEFSC 

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Name: Nicole Besemer

Position title: Senior Research Associate I 

Contact e-mail: Nicole.Besemer@noaa.gov 

Lab affiliation: AOML/OCED

Office: AOML - 236/2

Phone: (484) 505-6949

Research Interests: Climate impacts on Coral Reefs

Projects:  The National Coral Reef Monitoring Program

Bio:  Nicole Besemer is a marine biologist whose work has focused primarily on south Florida and Caribbean ecosystem management and conservation. She received her M.P.S. degree from the University of Miami’s Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science in 2017 and her previous research efforts include invasive species management, endangered sea turtle conservation and monitoring impacts of Everglades restoration efforts on Biscayne Bay. Besemer has joined OCED Coral Program as the National Coral Reef Monitoring Program's Caribbean Climate Operations Coordinator. Her work focuses on implementation of the Climate Monitoring Component of NCRMP including but not limited to planning and operation of associated fieldwork as well as data analysis and submission related to how ocean acidification and global warming are affecting coral reef communities in the Atlantic.

Name: Suzana Dumitrita Blake

Position title: Senior Research Associate II 

Contact e-mail: suzana.blake@gmail.com

Lab affiliation: SEFSC

Office: 

Phone: (954) 608-3370

Research Interests: Fishers' knowledge, climate change, ecosystem science, fisheries science and management

Projects: Voices from the Fisheries: Red Tide collection, Miami River collection 

Bio: Suzana Dumitrita Blake is an anthropologist that specializes in ecosystem science with a focus on understanding how communities experience and respond to environmental change. Dr. Blake began working as a University of Miami contractor with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the Integrated Ecosystem Assessment (IEA) program in 2017. One of her main tasks was to develop the human dimensions component of the Barataria Basin Ecosystem Status Report. Since 2017, Dr. Blake has been involved in several other applied research endeavors that aim at understanding the fishing communities in the Gulf of Mexico and bringing fishers’ concerns to the attention of fisheries scientists and managers.

Name: Albert Boyd

Position title: Research Associate II 

Contact e-mail: Albert.Boyd@noaa.gov 

Lab affiliation: AOML/OCED

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Name: Jodi Brewster

Position title: Senior Research Associate III 

Contact e-mail: Jodi.Brewster@noaa.gov 

Lab affiliation: AOML/PHOD

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Bio:  

Name: Allan Bright

Position title: Senior Research Associate I 

Contact e-mail: Allan.Bright@noaa.gov 

Lab affiliation: SEFSC, Coral Lаb

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Name: Sandra Bringas Gutierrez

Position title: Research Associate III 

Contact e-mail: sandra.bringas@noaa.gov 

Lab affiliation: AOML/PHOD

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Name: Amy Brossard

Position title: Research Associate II 

Contact e-mail: Amy.Brossard@noaa.gov 

Lab affiliation: SEFSC 

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Research Interests: Marine mammal health and population assessments, Endangered species, Environmental Policy & Management

Projects:  Biscayne Bay bottlenose dolphin photo-ID research, Marine Mammal Health & Stranding Response Program, GulfMAPP, AMAPPS.

Bio: Amy has a Bachelor of Science in Biology from Coastal Carolina University and a Master of Science in Environmental Policy and Management from American Public University. She has spent time working with and researching horseshoe crabs in Delaware, manatees and sea turtles in Florida and cetaceans in South Carolina, Hawaii, and Florida. Amy became a Research Associate for the University of Miami's Cooperative Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Studies (CIMAS) in 2017 and has been working with NOAA at the Southeast Fisheries Science Center. Currently her work focuses on photo-identification data collection and management, and research of the bottlenose dolphin population in Biscayne Bay, Florida. In addition, she has served as a marine mammal observer during large vessel line-transect surveys in the Gulf of Mexico and regularly assists with responding to stranded cetaceans and managing stranding data as part of NOAA’s Marine Mammal Health and Stranding Response Program. She has conducted data analysis for stock assessment reports and unusual mortality events and is currently collaborating on Photo-ID projects with research partners. Amy also actively conducts outreach activities for schools and events to help educate people about marine mammal research and conservation. 

Name: Sean P.F. Casey, Ph.D.

Position title: Associate Scientist 

Contact e-mail: Sean.Casey@noaa.gov 

Lab affiliation: AOML/HRD

Office: 

Phone: (206) 851-4791

Research Interests: OSSEs, Global Numerical Weather Prediction, Satellite Data Assimilation

Projects:  QOSAP

Bio:  

Name: Soumi Chakravorty, Ph.D.

Position title: Post Doctoral Associate 

Contact e-mail: Soumi.Chakravorty@noaa.gov 

Lab affiliation: AOML/PHOD

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Name: Benjamin Chomitz

Position title: Research Associate I 

Contact e-mail: benjamin.chomitz@noaa.gov 

Lab affiliation: AOML/OCED

Office: 

Phone: (617) 913-9706

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Bio:  

Name: Sherry Chou, Ph.D.

Position title: Post Doctoral Associate 

Contact e-mail:  

Lab affiliation: AOML/PHOD

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Name: Brittany Dahl

Position title: Research Associate II (effort PT 80% )

Contact e-mail: Brittany.Dahl@noaa.gov 

Lab affiliation: AOML/HRD

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Bio:  

Name: Bertrand Dano

Position title:  Research Associate II

Contact e-mail: Dano.Bertrand@noaa.gov 

Lab affiliation: AOML/PHOD

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Name: Stephen Davies

Position title: Research Associate II 

Contact e-mail:  Stephen.Davies@noaa.gov

Lab affiliation: NMFS/SEFSC

Office: 

Phone: (305) 361-4261, (305) 799-1612, 

Research Interests: Highly Migratory Species, Pelagic Longline

Projects:  

Bio:  I have worked over fifteen years with the commercial fishing industry in the U.S. South Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico collecting and processing fishery statistical data. 

Name: Amanda Debich

Position title:  Senior Research Associate I

Contact e-mail: Amanda.Debich@noaa.gov 

Lab affiliation: SEFSC Marine Mammal and Turtle Division

Office: 

Phone: 

Research Interests: Marine mammal acoustics

Projects:  

Bio:  Amanda Debich is a Senior Research Associate for the Cooperative Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Studies working with the NOAA Fisheries' Southeast Fisheries Science Center in Miami, Florida. Amanda joined the marine mammal program at Southeast Fisheries Science Center in 2017 where she uses acoustics to study cetaceans. She completed her Master of Advanced Studies degree in Marine Biodiversity and Conservation at Scripps Institution of Oceanography in 2009. She has worked on several different research projects across the Atlantic, Pacific, and Gulf of Mexico. In the field, she uses various tools including towed arrays, sonobuoys, and bottom-mounted hydrophones to record and track whales and dolphins. In the lab, she uses different software to listen to and analyze acoustic recordings to study temporal and spatial distributions of marine mammals and how anthropogenic sounds might affect them.

Name: Jose Diaz

Position title: Senior Research Associate I 

Contact e-mail: Jose.Diaz@noaa.gov 

Lab affiliation: SEFSC

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Bio:  

Name: Sarah Ditchek, Ph.D.

Position title: Assistant Scientist 

Contact e-mail: Sarah.d.Ditchek@noaa.gov

Lab affiliation: AOML/HRD

Office: Remote Employee (based in Schenectady, NY)

Phone: 

Research Interests: tropical cyclones in general; more specifically - TC structure, TC intensity change, TC diurnal processes, and TC data impact studies (i.e., OSEs and OSSEs) 

Projects:  

Bio: I am an Assistant Scientist with the Cooperative Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Studies (CIMAS) at the University of Miami (UM), affiliated with the Hurricane Research Division (HRD) at NOAA's Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory (AOML). As part of the Observing Systems Assessment (OSA) Group, my research focuses on quantifying the impact of both current and potential observing systems on tropical cyclone track, intensity, and structure forecasts. I received my B.S. in Geology and Geophysics with a concentration in Atmosphere, Ocean, and Climate from Yale University in 2014 and my Ph.D. in Atmospheric Science from the University at Albany in 2019. My previous research focused on the following topics: monsoon disturbances, the tropical cyclone outflow layer, tropical cyclone intensity change, and tropical cyclone diurnal pulses (my dissertation topic). For more details on my research, including papers, my CV, and a diurnal pulse archive, please visit my website: http://www.atmos.albany.edu/student/sditchek/ 

Name: Shaun Dolk

Position title: Senior Research Associate II 

Contact e-mail: Shaun.Dolk@noaa.gov 

Lab affiliation: AOML/PHOD

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Bio:  

Name: Jason Dunion, Ph.D.

Position title: Scientist 

Contact e-mail: Jason.Dunion@noaa.gov 

Lab affiliation: AOML/HRD

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Bio:  

Name: Estelhomme, Cedrick

Position title: Research Associate I 

Contact e-mail: Cedrick.Estelhomme@noaa.gov 

Lab affiliation: AOML/PHOD

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Bio:  

Name: John Paul Everhart

Position title:  Research Associate II

Contact e-mail: j.everhart@miami.edu 

Lab affiliation: SEFSC, Galveston Lab

Office: 

Phone: (409) 766-3550

Research Interests:

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Bio:  

Name:  John Festa

Position title: Senior Research Associate III (PT) 

Contact e-mail: John.Festa@noaa.gov 

Lab affiliation: AOML/HRD

Office: 

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Bio:  

Name: Michael Fischer, Ph.D.

Position title: Assistant Scientist 

Contact e-mail:  michael.fischer@noaa.gov

Lab affiliation: AOML/HRD

Office: 

Phone: 

Research Interests: Environmental and convective influences on tropical cyclone structure and intensity change

Projects:  

Bio:  http://www.aoml.noaa.gov/hrd/people/michaelsfischer 

I received my Ph.D. in Atmospheric Science from the University at Albany in 2018 and my B.S. from Florida International University in 2013. For more information on my research, you can check out my ResearchGate page: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Michael-Fischer-25

Name: Katherine Maze Foley

Position title: Senior Research Associate II (PT) 

Contact e-mail: Kathy.Foley@noaa.gov 

Lab affiliation: SEFSC, Miami Lab

Office: 

Phone: (513) 283-0228

Research Interests:

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Bio:  https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/contact/katherine-kathy-maze-foley-ms

ResearchGate page is at: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Katherine-Maze-Foley

Name: Nathan Formel

Position title: Senior Research Associate I 

Contact e-mail: Nathan.Formel@noaa.gov 

Lab affiliation: AOML/OCED

Office: 

Phone: (305) 361-4514

Research Interests:

Projects:  

Bio:  

Name: Rigoberto Garcia

Position title: Senior Research Associate III 

Contact e-mail: rgarcia@rsmas.miami.edu 

Lab affiliation: AOML/PHOD

Office: 

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Bio:  

Name: Steven Garner

Position title:  Senior Research Associate III

Contact e-mail:  

Lab affiliation: SEFSC

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Bio:  

Name: Maribeth Gidley, Ph.D.

Position title:  Assistant Scientist (PT 51%)

Contact e-mail: Maribeth.Gidley@noaa.gov 

Lab affiliation: AOML/OCED

Office: 

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Bio:  

Name: Marlos Goes, Ph.D.

Position title: Associate Scientist 

Contact e-mail: Marlos.Goes@noaa.gov 

Lab affiliation: AOML/PHOD

Office: 225/2

Phone: (305) 361-4533

Research Interests: Meridional overturning circulation, Data analysis and uncertainty estimation, Large-scale Ocean circulation, Tropical Atlantic Variability, Climate change and climate modeling.

Projects: XBT Network

The interplay between sea level and Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation: Cause and effect relationships, predictability, and coastal implications

Impact of the western boundary currents on extreme precipitation: A case study in the Atlantic Ocean from along-transect measurements and high-resolution model simulations

Bio:  

(a) Professional Preparations:  

University of Campinas, Brazil - Physics, B.Sc. / Licentiate, 1999

University of Sao Paulo, Brazil - Oceanography, M.Sc., 2001

University of Reading, UK - Oceanography, Doctoral Fellow, 2005

University of Sao Paulo, Brazil - Oceanography, Ph.D., 2006

Penn State University,     USA - Geophysics, Post-doc, 2009

(b) Appointments

 2020 - present Associate Scientist, University of Miami/CIMAS and NOAA/AOML.

 2010 - 2020    Assistant Scientist, University of Miami/CIMAS and NOAA/AOML.

 2009-2010      Oceanographic Consultant, Applied Science Associate, Sao Paulo, Brazil.

 2007-2009      Post-doctoral fellow, The Pennsylvania State University.

 2007   Visitor Scientist, POGO-SCOR scholarship, University of Maryland.

 2004-2005      Visitor research Assistant, CAPES scholarship, University of Reading, UK.

 2000-2006      Graduate Research Assistant, University of Sao Paulo, Brazil.

Name: Joshua Goldston

Position title:  Research Associate III

Contact e-mail: Joshua.Goldston@noaa.gov 

Lab affiliation: SEFSC

Office: SEFSC Room 326

Phone: (586) 744-3830

Research Interests: Marine Ecology, Animal Behavior

Projects:  Integrated Biscayne Bay Ecological Assessment and Monitoring (IBBEAM)

Bio:  I'm originally from Detroit, Michigan and earned my Bachelor's degree in Zoology from Michigan State University in 2013. I worked in a desert ecology lab at MSU for 3 years, studying the analgesic effects of bark scorpion venom in grasshopper mice. I received my MPS degree from RSMAS in 2016 and have been working at NOAA NMFS SEFSC since graduation, conducting research to advise the implementation of Biscayne/Florida Bay's elements of the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP).

Name: Caridad Ibis Gonzalez

Position title: Research Associate III 

Contact e-mail: Caridad.i.Gonzalez@noaa.gov 

Lab affiliation: AOML/PHOD

Office: 

Phone: (305) 361-4322

Research Interests: 

Projects:  Project: AMVERSEAS applications system used for oceanographic and meteorological data acquisition, data processing, data recording, and data transmission in real-time. This system operates on vessels worldwide.

Project: Visual underwater glider profile scientific quality control application. It allows profiling the measured sea glider data to discover data inconsistency and other anomalies, and manual post-processing data mechanism which generates new flag sets.

Project: Automatic hardware test tool to assist the Engineering Department in the development, testing, and validation of the own created instruments such the XBT probe auto launcher and the XBT data recorder.

Project: Redesign and maintenance of XBT Network (https://www.aoml.noaa.gov/phod/goos/xbt_network/) and ARGO Center (https://www.aoml.noaa.gov/phod/argo/) webpages in order to provide the website visitors updated information and to make it responsive and provides a seamless experience across all devices.

Project: Development of tool and operational software used for the US Argo Data Acquisition Center (DAC).

Project: Visual Quality Control (QC) in Delay Mode (DM) of the generated data by around 1,500 satellite-tracked surface drifting buoys of the Global Drifter Program (GDP). The QC result is an edited data set (position and temperature) which are interpolated to 6-hour intervals using an optimum interpolation procedure called kriging. Through the QC update new deployed buoys, buoys that may have data gaps, dead or grounded buoys, and active buoys have to be processed.

Project: Interactive Drifter Global Array Map. The objective of this project is to provide an interactive map online with access to deployed active buoys information. By click it can retrieves the buoy identification card (https://www.aoml.noaa.gov/phod/gdp/interactive/drifter_array.html).

Bio:  

Bachelor of Science in Computer Science/Mathematics, University of Havana, Cuba.

Computer Skills:

Languages               ▪ C/C++, Java, JavaScript, Python, SQL, HTML, PHP

Environments    ▪ MS Visual Studio C++, NetBeans, Qt Creator

Framework               ▪ .Net, Qt, QML, OpenLayers

Operating Systems       ▪ Windows, Linux  

Concepts                ▪ OOA/OOD (UML), Relational Database, Client/Server, Model-View architecture

Tools   ▪ TortoiseSVN, Hyper Terminal

Panel Membership: SOT Task Team on Instrument Standards, member since March, 2013.

Languages: Spanish, English, German and French

Name: Antoinette (Annie) Gorgone

Position title: Senior Research Associate I 

Contact e-mail: annie.gorgone@noaa.gov

Lab affiliation: SEFSC, Beaufort NC 

Office: 

Phone: (252) 728-8609 (office), (252) 723-1971

Research Interests:

Projects:  

Bio:  

Name: Lewis Gramer, Ph.D.

Position title:  Assistant Scientist

Contact e-mail: Lew.Gramer@noaa.gov 

Lab affiliation: AOML/HRD

Office: 

Phone: 

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Bio:  

Name: Andrew Hazelton, Ph.D.

Position title: Assistant Scientist 

Contact e-mail: Andrew.Hazelton@noaa.gov 

Lab affiliation: AOML/HRD

Office: 

Phone: (305) 361-4317

Research Interests: Tropical cyclones, model development, model evaluation

Projects:  Development and Evaluation of the Hurricane Analysis and Forecast System

Bio:  https://t.co/NTKSKj6uF7?amp=1

Name: Heidi Hirsh, Ph.D.

Position title: Post Doctoral Associate 

Contact e-mail: heidi.k.hirsh@noaa.gov 

Lab affiliation: AOML Coral Program

Office: (remote)

Phone: (253) 514-2804

Research Interests: marine biogeochemistry; carbonate chemistry; coral reef resilience; ocean acidification; OA amelioration by seagrass beds and kelp forests

Projects: Synthesis of National Coral Reef Monitoring Program (NCRMP) ocean acidification data, and description of reef-scale biogeochemical processes driving carbonate chemistry variability; Building a statistical model linking offshore data to nearshore (coral reef) carbonate chemistry to facilitate forecasting future ocean acidification conditions on coral reefs. 

Bio:  Heidi graduated from the University of San Diego in 2012, with a degree in Marine Science and a minor in Environmental Studies. She spent 14 months living on St. John, USVI, researching sedimentation on coral reefs in developed and undeveloped watersheds, before pursuing her doctorate degree. Her doctoral research investigated spatiotemporal biogeochemical variability in kelp forest and seagrass systems in order to assess the potential for these environments to locally ameliorate ocean acidification by removing carbon dioxide during photosynthesis. In December 2020, Heidi defended her PhD in Earth System Science from Stanford University. She is now utilizing NCRMP records of offshore and reef biogeochemistry, along with local hydrodynamic model outputs and descriptions of benthic cover, to build statistical models linking offshore data to nearshore reef carbonate chemistry.

Name: James (Jay) Hooper

Position title: Senior Research Associate I 

Contact e-mail: James.Hooper@noaa.gov 

Lab affiliation: AOML/PHOD

Office: 

Phone: 

Research Interests: CTD data calibration and LADCP/SADCP quality control

Projects:  CTD data calibration and LADCP/SADCP quality control

Bio:  Bachelors of Science in Physics, Masters of Science in Physical Oceanography. Collecting and calibrating CTD data for WBTS and GOMECC cruises since 2011.

Name: Michael Jankulak

Position title: Senior Systems Administrator 

Contact e-mail: Mike.Jankulak@noaa.gov 

Lab affiliation: AOML/OCED

Office: AOML, 3rd floor, 343/1

Phone: (305) 361-4543

Research Interests: Coral Data Management, Instrument Programming, Small Boat Operations, Scientific Diving

Projects: https://www.coral.noaa.gov/

Bio:  https://www.coral.noaa.gov/people/mike-jankulak.html

Name: Herve Jovert

Position title: Senior Research Associate II 

Contact e-mail: herve.jobert@noaa.gov 

Lab affiliation: SEFSC

Office: 

Phone: (786) 335-3641

Research Interests:

Projects:  

Bio:

I grew up in the South of France and moved to Florida in 2002 to finish my undergraduate studies. I graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Biological Oceanography in 2004 and a Master of Science in Environmental Resources Management in 2006 from Florida Institute of Technology. I moved to South Florida after completing my M.S. to do an internship at Biscayne National Park working on coral restoration and fishing monitoring. I started working for the University of Miami shortly after completing my internship. There, my research has focused on water quality and salinity monitoring as part of the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan. I am currently working on the four different components of the CERP IBBEAM program as a CIMAS Senior Research Associate 3.

Name: Heesook Kang

Position title: Senior Research Associate I

Contact e-mail: heesook.kang@noaa.gov 

Lab affiliation: AOML/PHOD

Office: 

Phone: 

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Bio:  

Name: Marion Kersalé, Ph.D.

Position title:  Post Doctoral Associate

Contact e-mail: marion.kersale@rsmas.miami.edu 

Lab affiliation: CIMAS/University of Miami; NOAA AOML / PhOD

Office: 

Phone: (305) 361-4439

Research Interests: Meridional Overturning Circulation, Heat transport, Mesoscale dynamics, Coastal processes, Inter-ocean exchanges, In-situ experiments and modelling

Projects:  

Bio:  https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Marion-Kersale

Name: Dongmin Kim, Ph.D.

Position title: Assistant Scientist

Contact e-mail: Dongmin.Kim@noaa.gov 

Lab affiliation: UM-CIMAS/NOAA-AOML

Office: AOML Room 208

Phone: (305) 361-4538

Research Interests: Atmosphere-Ocean interaction. Seasonal-to-Subseasonal forecast of extreme weather events

Projects:  

1. An optimized hybrid seasonal forecast system for U.S. regional precipitation in late-summer to mid-fall based on inter-basin SST and convection parameters

2. S2S Severe Weather Prediction 

Bio: https://www.aoml.noaa.gov/phod/people/kim/index.php 

Name: Mu-Chieh (Laura) Ko

Position title: Senior Research Associate I 

Contact e-mail: Mu-Chieh.Ko@noaa.gov 

Lab affiliation: AOML/HRD

Office: 

Phone: 

Research Interests: Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Hurricane Predictions 

Projects:  

Bio: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Mu-Chieh-Ko 

Name: Graham Kolodziej

Position title: Senior Research Associate I 

Contact e-mail: graham.kolodziej@noaa.gov 

Lab affiliation: AOML

Office: AOML 236/3 

Phone: (305) 361-4331

Research Interests:

Projects:  National Coral Reef Monitoring Program

Bio:  

Name: Lauren LaMonica

Position title: Research Associate II

Contact e-mail: lauren.lamonica@noaa.gov 

Lab affiliation: Galveston Laboratory 

Office: 

Phone: 

Research Interests: Fishery Ecology / Ecosystem Based Fishery Management

Projects:  

Bio:  

Name: Jan Lara Hernandez

Position title:  Research Associate I

Contact e-mail: jan.lara@noaa.gov 

Lab affiliation: 

Office: 

Phone: (786) 335-3665

Research Interests:

Projects:  

Bio: I graduated with a B.S. degree in Marine Biology from Florida International University. I was born and raised in Cuba, where I would spend most summers in coastal habitats interacting with marine life. After moving to Miami, I became very familiar with South Florida's marine ecosystems, which has awakened a strong interest and sense of commitment to protect them. I am a CIMAS Research Associate working on the water quality and salinity monitoring components of the IBBEAM program.  

Name: Nathan LaSpina

Position title: Research Associate I  

Contact e-mail:  

Lab affiliation: SEFSC

Office: 

Phone: 

Research Interests:

Projects:  

Bio:  

Name: Matthieu Le Hénaff, Ph.D.

Position title: Assistant Scientist 

Contact e-mail: matthieu.lehenaff@noaa.gov 

Lab affiliation: UM/CIMAS - NOAA/AOML

Office: AOML 334/5

Phone: (305) 361-4435

Research Interests: Physical Oceanography, Data Assimilation, Altimetry, Hurricanes, Physics-biology interactions

Projects:  

Bio:  https://www.aoml.noaa.gov/phod/people/lehenaff/index.php

Name: Hua Leighton (Chen), Ph.D.

Position title: Assistant Scientist 

Contact e-mail:  chenhua@rsmas.miami.edu

Lab affiliation: AOML/HRD

Office: 

Phone: 

Research Interests:

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Bio:  

Name: Jean Lim, Ph.D. 

Position title: Postdoctoral Associate

Contact e-mail: jxl2581@miami.edu 

Lab affiliation: AOML/OCED

Office: 

Phone: 

Research Interests: Microbial ecology, host-microbe interactions, symbiosis

Projects:  

Bio:  

Name: Estrella Malca

Position title: Senior Research Associate II 

Contact e-mail:  estrella.malca@noaa.gov

Lab affiliation: SEFSC

Office: 

Phone: (305) 361-4295 (office)

Research Interests: Larval ecology, highly migratory species, oceanography, reef fish dynamics

Projects:  

Bio:  https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Estrella-Malca

Name: Felix Martin

Position title:  Sr. Research Associate I

Contact e-mail: felix.martin@noaa.gov 

Lab affiliation: UM CIMAS, NOAA SEFSC

Office: SEFSC/Social Science Research Group

Phone: (305) 361-4263 (office), (786) 370-2398

Research Interests: Fishery Economics and efficiency of fishing methods.

Projects:  Economic Data Collection of Commercial Fisheries in US Southeast Region.

Bio:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/felix-martin-6a449a77

Name: Emma (Amelia) Martinez

Position title:  Research Associate III

Contact e-mail: a.jugovich@miami.edu 

Lab affiliation: NOAA SEFSC

Office: 

Phone: 

Research Interests:

Projects:  

Bio:  

Name: Anderson Mayfield 

Position title:  Assistant Scientist

Contact e-mail: abm64@miami.edu 

Lab affiliation: AOML/OCED

Office: 

Phone: (337) 501-1976

Research Interests: coral reefs, invertebrate physiology, molecular biology, 

Projects:  OMICs

Bio:   https://coralreefdiagnostics.com

Name: Norris Patrick Mears

Position title:  Research Associate I

Contact e-mail:  patrick.mears@noaa.gov 

Lab affiliation: AOML/OCED

Office: 

Phone: 

Research Interests:

Projects:  

Bio:  

Name: Kelly Montenero

Position title: Senior Research Associate I 

Contact e-mail: kelly.montenero@noaa.gov 

Lab affiliation: AOML/OCED

Office: AOML 236/2

Phone: 

Research Interests: I am interested in the relationship of coastal ecology, ecosystem services and providing the best science to inform resource management.

Projects: Integrated Ecosystem Assessments, South Florida Ecosystem Restoration research cruises, Juvenile sportfish habitat research, Biscayne Bay and Florida Reef Tract watershed water quality research 

Bio:  M.S from University of Miami-RSMAS, B.S from University of Wisconsin 

Name: Jayalekshmi (Jaya) Nair

Position title:  Research Associate III

Contact e-mail:  jaya.nair@noaa.gov 

Lab affiliation: AOML/PHOD

Office: 

Phone: 

Research Interests:

Projects:  

Bio:  

Name: Brandon Navarro

Position title:  Research Associate I

Contact e-mail:  

Lab affiliation: AOML/PHOD

Office: 

Phone: 

Research Interests:

Projects:  

Bio:  

Name: Hannah Nylander-Asplin

Position title: Senior Research Associate I 

Contact e-mail:  hannah.nylander-asplin@noaa.gov

Lab affiliation: SEFSC

Office: 

Phone: 

Research Interests:

Projects:  

Bio:  

Name: Joel Ortega-Ortiz, Ph.D.

Position title:  Assistant Scientist

Contact e-mail:  joel.ortega-ortiz@noaa.gov 

Lab affiliation: SEFSC

Office: 

Phone: 

Research Interests:

Projects:  

Bio:  

Name: Corinne Paterson

Position title: Senior Research Associate I 

Contact e-mail:  corinne.paterson@noaa.gov

Lab affiliation: SEFSC

Office: 

Phone: 

Research Interests:

Projects:  

Bio:  

Name: Nastassia Patin, Ph.D.

Position title:  Postdoctoral Associate

Contact e-mail: nastassia.patin@noaa.gov 

Lab affiliation: AOML/OCED

Office: 

Phone: 

Research Interests:

Projects:  

Bio:  

Name: Paulo Paz

Position title: Software Engineer 

Contact e-mail: paulo.paz@noaa.gov 

Lab affiliation: AOML/HRD

Office: 

Phone: (305) 361-4416 (office)

Research Interests: High Performance Cloud Computing, Big Data, Data Visualization and Processing

Projects:  

Bio:  

Name: Brett Pierce

Position title:  Senior Research Associate II

Contact e-mail: brett.pierce@noaa.gov 

Lab affiliation: SEFSC

Office: 

Phone: 

Research Interests:

Projects:  

Bio:  

Name: Kandaga Pujiana, Ph.D.

Position title: Assistant Scientist 

Contact e-mail:  

Lab affiliation: AOML/PHOD

Office: 

Phone: 

Research Interests:

Projects:  

Bio:  

Name: William Ramstrom

Position title: Senior Software Engineer 

Contact e-mail: william.ramstrom@noaa.gov 

Lab affiliation: AOML/HRD

Office: AOML Room 308

Phone: (305) 361-4433

Research Interests: numerical weather prediction of hurricanes, supercomputing, radar analysis, air-sea fluxes

Projects: Moving nest for FV3, HAFS

Bio:  B.S. Computer Science, MIT, M.S. Atmospheric Science, MIT

Name: Gina Rappucci

Position title:  Research Associate II

Contact e-mail: gina.rappucci@noaa.gov 

Lab affiliation: SEFSC

Office: 226

Phone: 

Research Interests:

Projects:  Gulf of Mexico Marine Assessment Program for Protected Species (GoMMAPPS)

Bio:  

Name: Grant Rawson

Position title:  Senior Research Associate 1

Contact e-mail: grawson@rsmas.miami.edu 

Lab affiliation: UM/CIMAS, AOML/PHOD

Office: 105F

Phone: (305) 361-4363

Research Interests: Oceanography, Gliders

Projects:  

Bio:  

Name: Stephanie Rosales, Ph.D.

Position title: Assistant Scientist 

Contact e-mail: stephanie.rosales@noaa.gov 

Lab affiliation: AOML/OCED

Office: 

Phone: (305) 361-4511

Research Interests: marine disease ecology, bioinformatics, and microbiology 

Projects:  

Bio:  

Name: Ewelina Rubin, Ph.D. 

Position title:  Senior Research Associate II

Contact e-mail: ewelina.rubin@noaa.gov

Lab affiliation: AOML/OCED, Coral omics 

Office: 

Phone: (917) 742-4999

Research Interests: coral health and disease, coral transcriptomics, genomics and genetics 

Projects: Molecular mechanisms of coral resilience to environmental stressors  

Bio:  Ewelina holds a PhD in Marine Sciences from Stony Brook University and MS in Marine Biology from Nova Southeastern University. She also gained 5 years of post-doctoral experience in molecular biology and bioinformatics from University of Connecticut and Rhode Island University before joining the coral omics team at CIMAS/NOAA ACCRETE lab. Her current research focus on examining molecular mechanisms of coral health and resilience to environmental stressors and identifying causes of coral diseases. https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Ewelina-Rubin-3

Name: Kelly Ryan

Position title: Senior Research Associate II 

Contact e-mail: kelly.ryan@noaa.gov 

Lab affiliation: AOML/HRD

Office: 

Phone: 

Research Interests:

Projects:  

Bio:  

Name: Christian Jonathan Saiz

Position title:  Electrical Engineer

Contact e-mail: christian.saiz@noaa.gov 

Lab affiliation: AOML/PHOD

Office: AOML-104

Phone: (305) 361-4421

Research Interests: Hardware/Software development, instrumentation maintenance and operations

Projects:  Hurricane Glider, XBT Network, Western Boundary Time Series, Time Series of Surface Solar and Infrared Radiation

Bio:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/christian-jonathan-saiz-86845749/

Name: Kathryn Sellwood

Position title: Senior Research Associate I 

Contact e-mail:  kathryn.sellwood@noaa.gov

Lab affiliation: AOML/HRD

Office: 

Phone: (305) 361-4320

Research Interests: Hurricane observations, data assimilation, uncrewed aircraft, dropsondes, numerical modeling

Projects: Hurricane observations, data assimilation, uncrewed aircraft, dropsondes, numerical modeling 

Bio:  

Name: Ian Smith

Position title: Research Associate II 

Contact e-mail: ian.smith@noaa.gov 

Lab affiliation: AOML/OCED

Office: 

Phone: 

Research Interests:

Projects:  

Bio:  

Name: Steven Smith, Ph.D. 

Position title:  Associate Scientist

Contact e-mail:  steven.smith@noaa.gov 

Lab affiliation: SEFSC

Office: 

Phone: 

Research Interests: population dynamics of marine fishes and invertebrates, statistical survey design, fisheries data science

Projects:  

Bio:  

Name: Madison Soden

Position title:  Research Associate I

Contact e-mail: madison.soden@noaa.gov

Lab affiliation: OCED

Office: AOML 401

Phone: 

Research Interests:

Projects:  

Bio:  

Name: Nash Soderberg

Position title:  Research Associate II

Contact e-mail: nash.soderberg@noaa.gov

Lab affiliation: AOML

Office: 

Phone: 

Research Interests:

Projects:  

Bio:  

Name: Russell St-Fleur

Position title: Programmer 2 

Contact e-mail:  russell.st.fleur@noaa.gov

Lab affiliation: AOML/HRD

Office: 

Phone: 

Research Interests:

Projects:  

Bio:  

Name: Michael Studivan, Michael, Ph.D.

Position title: Assistant Scientist 

Contact e-mail:  michael.studivan@noaa.gov 

Lab affiliation: AOML/OCED

Office: AOML 236/6

Phone: (305) 361-4361

Research Interests: coral 'omics; coral diseases; population genetics; mesophotic coral ecosystems; remotely-operated vehicles

Projects: Stony coral tissue loss disease (SCTLD) transmission, mitigation, and intervention; Port of Miami 'urban corals'; Disease resistance in restoration corals

Bio:   http://michaelstudivan.weebly.com

Name: Kevin Sullivan

Position title:  Senior Research Associate III

Contact e-mail: kevin.sullivan@noaa.gov 

Lab affiliation: AOML/OCED

Office: 

Phone: 

Research Interests:

Projects:  

Bio:  

Name: Dione Swanson

Position title:  Senior Research Associate II

Contact e-mail: d.swanson1@umiami.edu 

Lab affiliation: SEFSC

Office: 

Phone: 

Research Interests:

Projects:  

Bio:  

Name: Filippos Tagklis, Ph.D. 

Position title: Post Doctoral Associate 

Contact e-mail: AOML/PHOD 

Lab affiliation: 

Office: 

Phone: 

Research Interests:

Projects:  

Bio:  

Name: Brittany Troast

Position title:  Senior Research Associate I

Contact e-mail: brittany.troast@noaa.gov 

Lab affiliation: AOML/OCED

Office: Remote - St. Petersburg, FL

Phone: (813) 263-2253

Research Interests: Marine ecology, restoration, and species distribution

Projects:  VAST spatiotemporal species modeling in sediment diversions

Bio:  B.S. in Marine Science at the University of Florida M.S. in Biology at the University of Central Florida

Name: Brendan Turley, Ph.D.

Position title:  Post Doctoral Associate

Contact e-mail:  brendan.turley@noaa.gov

Lab affiliation: SEFSC

Office: 

Phone: 

Research Interests:

Projects:  

Bio:  

Name: Diego Ugaz

Position title: Electrical Engineer

Contact e-mail: diego.ugaz@noaa.gov  

Lab affiliation: AOML/PHOD

Office: 

Phone: 

Research Interests:

Projects:  

Bio:  

Name: Ruben van Hooidonk

Position title: Assistant Scientist

Contact e-mail: rvanhooidonk@miami.edu 

Lab affiliation: UM/CIMAS, AOML/OCED

Office: 

Phone: (305) 361-4524

Research Interests: Climate change impacts on coral reefs, Climate models/science, Satellite data

Projects:  

Bio:  https://www.coral.noaa.gov/people/ruben-van-hooidonk.html

Name: Ana Vaz, Ph.D.

Position title: Assistant Scientist 

Contact e-mail:  avaz@rsmas.miami.edu or ana.vaz@noaa.gov

Lab affiliation: SEFSC

Office: 

Phone: 

Research Interests: Biophysical interactions in the oceans, Connectivity of marine populations, Fisheries management, Transport and mixing in the ocean

Projects:  

Bio:  Broadly, my research addresses the persistent need to understand connectivity patterns of ecosystems, habitats and fisheries populations, how environmental changes in short to large time-scales can affect these patterns, and the feedbacks between the physical-ecological-human systems in these scenarios. I have long been fascinated with understanding how physical oceanography processes effect marine life, and by extension, our own lives, especially the recreational, cultural and economical activities in which we engage. My research thus aims to demonstrate links between the physical environment and ecosystems, by simulating the transport and fate of pollutants and early life stage organisms, estimating their consequences for ecosystem health, bio-demographics, and productivity across different marine habitats. I have worked on a broad array of research subjects and study areas: unveiling the relationship between river discharge and pink shrimp production at coastal lagoons in southern Brazil, the effects of eddies on fish larvae dispersal in the Hawaiian Islands, and studies in the Gulf of Mexico and southeastern US Atlantic. Work in the Gulf and SE Atlantic included quantifying fish larvae export from a deep water coral reef, transport of Marine-Oil Snow Aggregations, and improving forecasts of stock recruitment and deep-water oil spills dispersal and fate. Out of work, my hobbies also reflect my engagement with creating a sustainable future. I enjoy outdoors activities such as hiking and camping. I am also an avid gardener, organically growing more than 70 varieties of fruits and vegetables in our small backyard, which we share with our neighbors and friends. https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Ana-Vaz-2

Name: Andres Vidal

Position title: Sr. Software Engineer

Contact e-mail: Andres.Vidal@noaa.gov 

Lab affiliation: NOAA/AOML/Hurricane Research Division

Office: AOML 338

Phone: (407) 620-8005

Research Interests: High Performance Computing, code optimization, multicore/multithreaded programming

Projects: NESDIS 

Bio:  

Name: Denis L. Volkov, Ph.D.

Position title:  Scientist

Contact e-mail: dvolkov@miami.edu

Lab affiliation: AOML/PHOD

Office: AOML 225/10

Phone: (305) 361-4344

Research Interests: Space-borne observations of sea level and ocean circulation; Meridional Overturning Circulation and its role in the regional and global climate variability; Florida Current transport and variability, including its impact on coastal sea level; Regional sea level changes; Meso- and large-scale processes in polar oceans and seas.

Projects:  Space-borne observations of sea level and ocean circulation; Meridional Overturning Circulation and its role in the regional and global climate variability; Florida Current transport and variability, including its impact on coastal sea level; Regional sea level changes; Meso- and large-scale processes in polar oceans and seas.

Bio:  Denis Volkov received his Ph.D. from Utrecht University (Netherlands). Before joining CIMAS in 2013, he was a postdoctoral researcher at C.L.S. Space Oceanography Division (France) and then at Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology (California). https://www.aoml.noaa.gov/phod/people/volkov/index.php; https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Denis-Volkov-3

Name: Nicole (Nikki) Vollmer, Ph.D.

Position title:  Assistant Scientist

Contact e-mail: nicole.vollmer@noaa.gov 

Lab affiliation: SEFSC/ Marine Mammal and Turtle Division

Office: (Remote) Lafayette, Louisiana

Phone: (337) 291-3148

Research Interests: Marine mammals, population genetics, conservation

Projects: 

Bio:  https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/contact/nicole-nikki-vollmer-phd

Name: Joshua Wadler, Ph.D. 

Position title: Postdoctoral Associate

Contact e-mail: joshua.wadler@noaa.gov 

Lab affiliation: AOML/Hurricane Research Division

Office: 

Phone: (718) 313-2980 (personal cell)

Research Interests: hurricanes, air-sea interactions, boundary layer, thermodynamics, storm structure

Projects: studying the use of small uncrewed aircraft systems for observing tropical cyclone boundary layers, using the tropical cyclone buoy database (and other observational databases at HRD) to diagnose boundary layer thermodynamic distributions in hurricanes 

Bio:   https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Joshua_Wadler

Name: Alice Webb, Ph.D.

Position title: Postdoctoral Associate 

Contact e-mail:  

Lab affiliation: AOML/OCED

Office: 

Phone: 

Research Interests:

Projects:  

Bio:  

Name: Jesse Wicker

Position title: Research Associate III

Contact e-mail: jesse.wicker@noaa.gov 

Lab affiliation: SEFSC

Office: 

Phone: 

Research Interests:

Projects:  

Bio:  

Name: Dana Williams, Ph.D. 

Position title: Associate Scientist 

Contact e-mail: dana.williams@noaa.gov

Lab affiliation: SEFSC

Office: 

Phone: 

Research Interests:

Projects:  

Bio:  

Name: Lakemariam Worku, Ph.D. 

Position title: Postdoctoral Associate

Contact e-mail: lakemariam.y.worku@noaa.gov

Lab affiliation: AOML/HRD

Office: 

Phone: 

Research Interests:

Projects:  

Bio:  

Name: Dan Wu

Position title: Senior Research Associate II

Contact e-mail:  

Lab affiliation: AOML/HRD

Office: 

Phone: 

Research Interests:

Projects:  

Bio:  

Name: Yuanyuan Xu, Ph.D.

Position title:  Postdoctoral Associate

Contact e-mail:  yuanyuan.xu@noaa.gov

Lab affiliation: AOML/OCED

Office: 

Phone: 

Research Interests:

Projects:  

Bio:  

Name: Bo Yang

Position title:  Senior Research Associate I

Contact e-mail:  

Lab affiliation: AOML/PHOD

Office: 

Phone: 

Research Interests:

Projects:  

Bio:  

Name:  Jonathan Zawislak, Ph.D.

Position title: Associate Scientist

Contact e-mail: jonathan.zawislak@noaa.gov

Lab affiliation: AOML/HRD 

Office: 

Phone: 

Research Interests: Tropical cyclones/hurricanes, aircraft observations and instrumentation, tropical convection, precipitation processes

Projects:  

Bio:  My research primarily involves the use of aircraft and satellite observations of tropical cyclones to better understand how precipitation processes are involved in the formation and intensification of tropical cyclones, and how the moisture and humidity environments co-evolve with precipitation during those events. Each hurricane season we develop experiments to be flown using the NOAA Hurricane Hunter aircraft to sample these events, as part of NOAA/AOML's Hurricane Field Program - Advancing the Prediction of Hurricanes Experiment (APHEX), and continually work in support of other agencies like NASA and the Office of Naval Research to maximize our data collection efforts. My publications can be found on my Google Scholar page: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=87Z2l4wAAAAJ&hl=en&oi=ao

Name: Jun Zhang, Ph.D.

Position title: Scientist

Contact email:  Jun.Zhang@noaa.gov

Lab affiliation: AOML/HRD

Office: 

Phone: 

Research Interests:  

Projects:  

Bio: