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.
BASIL DARBY / GRADUATE RESEARCH ASSISTANTÂ 
Basil Darby is a graduate student in the Physical Oceanography lab. He is interested in range of oceanographic topics and is pursuing a Master Thesis on the Submesoscale Dynamics of Cape Mendocino. In the CoOL group, he is working on the development of a high-resolution model of the California Current System. Outside the lab, Basil enjoys playing music, performing, and producing shows, along with organizing to make cities more climate resilient.
TARA PARKER / UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCHER
Tara Parker is a an undergraduate students in the Mathematics department at SJSU. Tara has worked on several projects to collect and analyze satellites data to assess changes in the ocean. Currently, she is investigating the impact of ice melt on phytoplankton growth around the Greenland ice sheet. When she’s not crunching numbers, Tara enjoys hiking, scuba diving, and exploring California.
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
Tyler Morgan – NSF Geobridges June-Dec 2023
Eva Dellea – NSA REU Program Summer 2023