About me

I’m a Physical and Computational Oceanographer, currently working as a Postdoctoral Investigator at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution focused on the use of high-performance computational tools to investigate different aspects in Physical Oceanography.

Originally from Fortaleza (Brazil), I have a degree in Oceanography from the Federal University of Ceará (2014), a Master’s in Physical Oceanography from the University of São Paulo (2017) and a PhD in Computational Science and Engineering from the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth (2023).

In the free time, I love playing accordion, dancing Forró, studying history and hiking. I am also hemophilic and I’m passionate about promoting understanding and raising awareness around rare genetic disorders.

Overview

As a physical oceanographer, I dedicate my career to studying the interactions between subgrid-scale ocean processes and their impact on large-scale climate predictions. My main focus is on investigating the complex interactions in the upper ocean, where phenomena such as vortices, fronts, and internal waves play a vital role in local variability. Moreover, my work also encompasses a range of interdisciplinary aspects, for example, smaller-scale processes fundamental for understanding the transport and mixing of biogeochemical properties, especially at submesoscales. Another example are the multiscale air-sea interactions, which are emerging as keys to improving our understanding of the physics of the formation and evolution of atmospheric storms.

In the confluence of Data Science and Interdisciplinary Oceanography, I use cutting-edge computational tools to analyze and visualize observational and model data, as well as to develop new methods and tools for data analysis and visualization.

I am also passionate about educational and diversity projects. As a scientist, I believe in making my research accessible to a broader audience and promoting diversity in STEM.

I am committed to collaborating with fellow researchers and sharing my knowledge and expertise with students and the wider community.

Below, I list some of the research topics I have worked on.

Combination of multiscale oceanographic datasets for investigating ocean dynamics

From regular satellite altimetry, to the revolutionary aircraft DopplerScatt data and SWOT mission. From regular oceanographic ocean stations and moorings to combination of seagliders, drifters and wavegliders. I use cutting-edge data analysis and visualization tools to understand the lifecycle of ocean vortices and how they move particles around and affect the Earth’s weather and climate.

Modeling and understanding vortex dynamics as well as their influence on the phytoplankton dynamics

Theoretical and interdisciplinary projects on vortex dynamics and biophysical interactions from sub to mesoscale. Using high-performance computers and GPU-based code for studying the relationship between the ocean physics and biology, and their impact on climate predictions. The code for the simulations and analyzes of one of the published papers is available on GitHub.

Air-sea interaction in the Indian Ocean and its impacts on rain patterns

Projects on understanding air-sea interactions in the Indian Ocean and their relationship with Monsoon Rain, both from Atmospheric Sciences and Oceanography perspectives.

Understanding the role of ocean and atmospheric variables on the West Indian manatee conservation

This research topic started with the study on Tico’s journey: the longest distance traveled by a released West Indian manatee. The project entailed a collaborative effort with AQUASIS. Tico’s story has been explored on my Feature Stories interview and BBC News, providing a broader perspective on the studied subject. For those interested in the technical details, the code has been made available on GitHub.

Teaching and understanding ocean physics through rotating-tank lab experiments

As an enthusiast of hands-on teaching experiences, I enjoy finding creative ways for teaching oceanography, such as exploring ocean circulation theory using rotating tanks.