Postdoctoral Research Fellow
All that perceived can be mathematically modeled; animal movement as well as ocean currents. When these are combined, the ocean becomes virtually alive, revealing the fate of millions of virtual marine animals. Days turn into minutes, and hundreds of kilometers become centimeters. The consequences of each little decision can be viewed at a “life-time” population perspective and vice-versa. The endless challenge of solving the mystery: "What the heck is going on out there in the open ocean?”
We do understand only a tiny bit of it…
I am mainly interested in the broad aspects of ecological and environmental questions, e.g. population connectivity, combining various analytical approaches, e.g. biophysical modeling, behavioral experiments, empirical studies, and advanced data analyses. In addition, I am highly interested in the effect of marine pollution and oil spills specifically on the ecosystem and on coastal populations. In most projects I try to generalize findings in a comprehensive approach which could be applicable for management purposes.
My current research in the Paris lab focuses on both oil spill science and larval ecology. Specifically, I work on a National Academy of Sciences funded project studying the effectiveness of fisheries closures during the Deepwater Horizon (DWH), and predict the effect of future oil spills on fisheries communities in the Gulf of Mexico. In addition, I study the effectiveness of Sub-Sea Dispersant Injection (SSDI) on the oil-plume during the DWH, fish population connectivity and species diversity in the GoM, and schooling and orientation behavior of fish larvae.
