Meet the CoOL Group Members

MIKE WOOD / LAB LEAD

Dr. Mike Wood is the principal investigator of the Computational Oceanography lab. He holds a dual appointment at the Moss Landing Marine Labs and the Department of Computer Science. Mike is interested in using numerical ocean models, remotely-sensed observations, and in situ measurements to understand changes in the global ocean. His main research focus is on glacier-ocean interactions and sea level rise but he is interested in a wide variety of oceanographic topics. When he’s not on the computer, Mike likes to get outside to surf, climb, or go for a run.

MEGAN SHARKEY / GRADUATE STUDENT

Megan Sharkey is a current graduate student in the Computational Oceanography lab. She earned her B.A. in Environmental Studies from Boston College, where she specialized in GIS, environmental justice, and geology. Her passion lies in exploring how marine ecosystems, climate change, and coastal communities are interconnected. At MLML, Megan plans to study the evolving dynamics of the Greenland Ice Sheet using spatial data analysis, remote sensing, and numerical ocean modeling. When she’s not in the lab, she enjoys practicing yoga, hiking, and hanging out at the beach.

SWEET ZHANG / SOFTWARE DEVELOPER

Sweet Zhang is a recent graduate from SJSU’s Computer Science department and a software developer in the CoOL group. She works closely with oceanographers at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, writing code to process data from Argo floats and support new ocean model developments. Outside of work, she likes to spend her time in the mountains climbing or snowboarding.

 

PAST CONTRIBUTORS

Tara Parker – Undergraduate Student Research Assistant – Jan 2023 – Aug 2025

Eddie Nguyen – Undergraduate Student Research Assistant – Summer 2025

Sherine Aldrin – Undergraduate Student Research Assistant – Summer 2025

Basil Darby – Graduate Student Research Assistant – Jun 2023 – Dec 2024

Tyler Morgan – NSF Geobridges – Jun-Dec 2023

Eva Dellea – NSA REU Program – Summer 2023