The ocean plays an important role in defining the Earth's current climate while providing clues about changes that have taken place in the past. It is a region of vast economic resources yet is crucial to the functioning of the global biosphere.
In recognition of the important role the ocean plays in many aspects of our lives, the School of Earth Sciences at Stanford University has expanded undergraduate opportunities in the study of ocean sciences. To complement this expansion, three new faculty specializing in oceanographic research have been appointed to the university.
"The Oceans"
The highly successful Earth Systems Program within the School of Earth Sciences soon will be offering a new curricular track called "The Oceans". Like the other tracks within the Earth Systems Program, "The Oceans" will be highly interdisciplinary, drawing upon the expertise of faculty here at Stanford as well as from other local oceanographic institutions.
Oceanographic Research
Faculty within the School of Earth Sciences are currently involved in a wide range of interdisciplinary oceanographic research projects. Dr. Kevin Arrigo is a biological oceanographer investigating the cycling of carbon and other materials within marine ecosystems. His research combines laboratory studies and field research with data collected using satellite remote sensing technologies. These research results are synthesized within numerical models which permit the assessment of our understanding of the underlying processes as well as the development of predictive capabilities. Dr. Robert Dunbar's research interests involve oceanography, climate dynamics, and geochemistry. His research group is currently investigating a variety of topics related to global environmental change, with a focus on the coastal ocean, air-sea interactions, and polar processes. They have also started to engage in interdisciplinary studies of global change in collaboration with environmental scientists, economists, and policy specialists at Stanford's Center for Environmental Science and Policy at the Institute of International Studies.
Affiliates
Faculty Involved in Oceanographic Research
