About the speaker:

Dr. Leif N. Thomas is an Associate Professor in the Department of Earth System Science at Stanford University. Thomas received a PhD in Physical Oceanography from the University of Washington, and was an Assistant Scientist at WHOI before joining the faculty at Stanford.  His research aims to understand the dynamics of submesoscale currents, highly energetic, time-variable flows that are associated with ocean fronts and eddies. These flows are ubiquitous in the upper ocean and strongly shape how water is exchanged between the sea surface and the deep, with implications for marine life, the dispersal of tracers, and the carbon and energy budgets of the ocean. Thomas’ research group at Stanford uses theory, computer modeling, and field observations to characterize the complex physics of submesoscale currents and assess their global-scale impacts on the ocean and climate.