Global Ocean Circulation in the 21st Century
US Oceanographer Prof. Dr. Susan Lozier holds 19th Marie-Tharp Lecture for Ocean Research at GEOMAR
06.07.2017 / Kiel. Global ocean circulation is an important driving force behind our climate. Sea currents at the surface, but also at depth, in the ocean, redistribute heat energy on our planet and cause climate fluctuations on year to century scales. With the help of observational data and model simulations, oceanographers try to understand the mechanisms behind oceanic circulation. An expert in this area is the US Oceanographer Prof. Dr. Susan Lozier from Duke University, who has presented her latest results at GEOMAR within the Marie-Tharp Lecture Series for Ocean Research (MTLS).
Prof. Lozier first studied at Purdue University, West Lafayette, USA (B.A., 1979) and then at the University of Washington, Seattle, USA (PhD 1989). Afterwards, she went to the renowned Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution on the American East Coast as a postdoctoral student before she was appointed to Duke University, Durham, USA, in 1992, where she transitioned from assistant to full professor. Since 2012, she has held a renowned Garcia-Johnson professorship at Duke. Susan Lozier has received several awards for her work. She is a Fellow of the American Meteorological Society (AMS), the American Geophysical Union (AGU) and the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). In 2016, she was awarded the highest award of the AGU, the "Ambassador Award". In 2016, she was appointed “Exellenzprofessorin” at GEOMAR by Prof. Dr. Werner Petersen Foundation for their scientific work. During her scientific career, she has published more than 80 articles in peer reviewed journals. She is currently President of the Oceanography Society and oversees the International Ocean Observation Program OSNAP (Overturning in the Subpolar North Atlantic Program).
Professor Lozier presented what is known today about global ocean circulation in her fascinating lecture. In particular, she discussed circulation in the Atlantic Ocean. She also examined the historical development and the many surprises and questions that still exist today. "For a better understanding of the processes, we are especially missing more observations from the deep ocean," explains Prof. Lozier. "This is why we have designed the internationally coordinated observation program OSNAP, which should close important information gaps in the coming years," Lozier continued. The first results are already very promising and will be submitted for publication in the autumn of this year. "We know much less about the ocean than about the atmosphere," explains Professor Katja Matthes from GEOMAR. "The ocean is an important factor, especially for anthropogenic climate change, as it has a much longer memory than the atmosphere," Professor Matthes added. A collaboration between physical oceanographers, such as Susan Lozier, with ocean and climate modelers here at GEOMAR is therefore essential in order to better understand the role of the ocean in climate change.
The "Marie Tharp Lecture Series" is hosted by GEOMAR's Women's Executive Board (WEB). To this end, the WEB invites internationally renowned scientists to present their scientific work in Kiel, but also serve as a model for young female scientists. As in the past lectures, a get-together takes place for women only after the public lecturer. There, young researchers can exchange with the more experienced colleagues and discuss possible career paths.
Links:
www.geomar.de/go/web The GEOMAR Women's Executive Board (WEB)
