Our Team

Scott Glenn

Research Interests

My research interests include the development of new autonomous ocean observing technologies, their application to scientific research in remote and extreme environments, and the demonstration of new educational paradigms. My technology development work focuses on autonomous systems that can be operated remotely as distributed networks to improve the spatial sampling of complex environments. A major scientific focus is extreme events, including storms, hurricanes and typhoons, investigating with observations and numerical models the linkages between the ocean, the atmosphere above, and the seabed below. My educational activities are designed to better prepare students to meet the challenges of a changing environment using modern observatories to explore the global ocean.

Short History

After graduating from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Joint Program in 1983 with a Sc.D. in Ocean Engineering, I began an over 30-year research career of implementing sustained real-time ocean observation and forecast systems first for offshore oil exploration at Shell Development Company (1983-1986), then for the Naval Oceanography Command supporting fleet operations while at Harvard University (1986-1990), and, since 1990, for a wide range of scientific and societal applications at Rutgers University. In the only U.S. national program to recognize excellence in undergraduate teaching, I was named one of the U.S. Professors of the Year representing the State of New Jersey by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and the Council for Advancement and Support of Education.

Teaching Efforts

Dynamics of Waves, Currents and Sediment Transport (Oceanography – Grad)
Ocean Observatories Research Course (Marine and Coastal Sciences – Undergrad)
Oceanography House (Marine and Coastal Sciences – Undergrad)
Ocean Methods and Data Analysis (Marine and Coastal Sciences – Undergrad)

Robert Chant

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Research Interests

My main research focus is on the physics of estuarine and coastal systems. Specifically, my research utilizes observations, theory and modeling to advance our understanding of processes that control stratification, vertical mixing and dispersion because they are central in defining the physical and biogeochemical function of these environments. My interests and activities include both basic studies of the physics of these systems as well as addressing applied problems such as sediment and contaminant transport, effects of basin engineering on circulation and mixing and more recently how climate change and water shed activities may influence these systems in the future.

Short History

Grew up on Long Island’s south shore where I informally explored marine science as a amature sailor and professional clam digger. Earned an undergraduate degree in Electrical Engineering from SUNY Buffalo in 1985 and a PhD in Oceanography from SUNY Stony Brook in 1995. Began at Rutgers University as a Post-doctoral fellow in 1995 and where I am now a Professor in the Marine and Coastal Science Department.

Teaching Efforts

Undergraduate
Humans Interacting with the Coastal Ocean
Introduction to Physical Oceanography
Exploring New Jersey’s Water Ways (Byrne Seminar)
Geophysical Data Analysis

Graduate
Introduction to Physical Oceanography
Geophysical Data Analysis
Coastal and Estuarine Ocean Dynamics

Select Publications

Aristizábal, María, Robert Chant, 2013: A Numerical Study of Salt Fluxes in Delaware Bay Estuary. J. Phys. Oceanogr., 43, 1572–1588

Jurisa, JT, RJ Chant, 2013, Impact of offshore winds on a buoyant river plume system. Submitted to the Journal of Physical Oceanography, 43:2571:2587, DOI: 10.1175/JPO-D-12-0118.1

Chant. R.J D. Fugate and E Garvey, 2011, “The role of evolving dynamics and geomorphology in shaping an estuarine superfund site” Estuaries and Coasts 34: 90-105, DOI: 10.1007/s12237-010-9324-z

Chant R J, 2010, Estuarine Secondary Circulation. In Contemporary topics in estuarine physics and water quality. Cambridge University Press.

Chant, R. J., S. M. Glenn, E. Hunter, J. Kohut, R. F. Chen, R. W. Houghton, J. Bosch, and O. Schofield (2008), Bulge Formation of a Buoyant River Outflow, J. Geophys. Res., doi:10.1029/2007JC004100

Chant, R.J., W.R. Geyer, R.H Houghton, E. Hunter and J. Lerzcak (2007) “Estuarine boundary layer mixing processes: insights from dye experiments” Journal of Physical Oceanography Vol. 37 No 7 1859-1877

Chant, R. J. 2002. Secondary flows in a region of flow curvature: relationship with tidal forcing and river discharge. Journal of Geophysical Research. 10.1029/2001JC001082, 21 September.

Thoma Grothues

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Research Interests

I am interested in the abundance and distribution of fishes as responses to physical factors. These responses include those that could be considered involuntary, such as distribution of larvae by ocean currents and mortality or loss of reproductive capacity in unsuitable environments. Responses also include those that are voluntary (behavioral), such as migration, ranging, and sheltering (including burial). The physical factors that I investigate as impacts include natural and anthropogenic perturbations such as restoration efforts, urbanization of water fronts, seasonal and inter-annual water quality fluctuations and ocean structure. In the last 10 years I have worked extensively with adult and juvenile stages on movement, migration, and habitat choice. In doing so, I developed an interest in furthering technologies and strategies to meet the challenges of studying highly mobile fish in the ocean, including sablefish and salmon  in deep Alaskan waters, sturgeon, flounder, and other sport fishes along the East and Gulf coasts of the US, and pelagic thresher sharks in the Visayan Sea, Philipinnes. The development of tools such as payload-controlled autonomous underwater vehicles for fish tracking and imaging, and related processing algorithms for sonar image classification and decision making, can be revealing but require understanding of natural history and behavior in order to be effective in implementation. These investigations are therefore truly cross-disciplinary and involve collaborations with other biologists, physical and geological oceanographers, commercial fishers, and mechanical, electrical, computer, and acoustical engineers, as well as interaction with Federal, State, municipal, and private-sector resource managers.

Josh Kohut

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Research Interests

Physical processes in the coastal ocean are highly variable in space and time and play a critical role in coupled biological and chemical processes. From events lasting several hours to days on through inter-annual and decadal scales, the variability in the fluid itself structures marine ecological systems. My approach is to apply ocean observing technologies that now sample across these important time and space scales to better understand the physical ocean that structures marine ecosystems. I am involved in many research and education programs that range in scope from storm intensity, offshore wind, and local water quality monitoring off the NJ coast; regional fisheries along the US east coast; and environmental studies of polar ecosystems in the coastal waters surrounding Antarctica. Consequently, this new knowledge has relevancy to broader stakeholder communities with interests in the coastal ocean. Working through partnerships across these stakeholder groups, my research is collaborative and supports both science and application. Through these partnerships I am able to frame relevant scientific hypotheses and efficiently translate the output to better management and monitoring.

Short History

Growing up in New Jersey, my interest in the physics of the ocean began along the shores of Barnegat Bay. After receiving my Bachelor’s degree in Physics at the College of Charleston in Charleston, SC, I returned to New Jersey and began my research career at Rutgers. Now I look forward to addressing new science and, working through partnerships, translating that science into applications that benefit the many stakeholders with interests in the coastal ocean.

Teaching Efforts

Oceanography House
Topics in Marine Science: Ocean Observing

Alex Lopez

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Research/Teaching Interests

My research interests include applications of regional ocean models to transport pathways and timescales, as well as simulating regional microplastic particle fate. My teaching interests include developing students into skilled researchers that exemplify lifelong learners, through critical thinking engagement, practical learning experiences, and presentation opportunities.

Short History

I received my B.S. in Physics from The College of New Jersey in 2010, then a Master of Arts in Teaching in 2011, also from The College of New Jersey. I received my Ph.D. from Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey in 2020, studying circulation timescales and transport pathways of the Mid-Atlantic Bight and Gulf of Maine using ROMS. I was a postdoctoral scholar at Pennsylvania State University, studying microplastic particle fate within Chesapeake Bay using modeling.

Teaching Efforts

16:712:505 Integrated Ocean Observing 1
16:712:506 Integrated Ocean Observing 2

16:712:507 Field Laboratory Methods 1
16:712:508 Field Laboratory Methods 2

16:712:509 Integrated Ocean Observing – Software Bootcamp

16:712:510 Operational Ocean Modeling & Data Visualization

Janice McDonnell

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Research Interests

Janice is currently serving as the Science Engineering & Technology Agent for the department of 4-H Youth Development at Rutgers University where she supports county 4-H Agents in promoting STEM in their communities. She hosts a variety of on-campus programs designed to engage young people in Rutgers University science and engineering programs. In addition, Janice helps university faculty to develop innovative and effective broader impact statements in accordance with NSF’s Criterion II. Scientists and Engineers are engaged in a wide variety of education and outreach initiatives designed to educate the public about STEM disciplines. Janice works with scientists to translate their research into educational products that can be used by K-16 students, teachers and the general public. Finally, Janice is interested in program evaluation and works with a range of external collaborators to conduct a range of program assessments.

Short History

Janice served as the Director for the National Science Foundation’s Centers for Ocean Science Education Excellence Networked Ocean World (COSEE- NOW) 2002-2012, where the goal is to help scientists and educators work together to better understand and educate others about the ocean. Together with her colleagues and collaborators, she has developed a range of tools and professional development programs for both educators and scientists that help promote Ocean Literacy. More recently, Janice has been working on undergraduate education and promoting diversity in the ocean sciences.

Travis Miles

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Research Interests

I am a physical oceanographer interested in understanding how the atmosphere, cryosphere, earth, and ecosystems connect through the ocean across a broad range of temporal and spatial scales. To understand these connections I use and develop ocean observation networks that sample across spatial and temporal scales in combination with process oriented numerical modeling. I am involved with an array of multi-disciplinary projects that involve: 1) Rapid response Teledyne-Webb Slocum glider deployments ahead of coastal storms; 2) investigation of the ice-ocean interactions in the Amundsen Sea and 3) development of novel satellite products in support of wind resource estimates for coastal New Jersey.

Short History

I received my B.S. in Marine science and Meteorology from North Carolina State University (NCSU) in 2007. In 2009 I completed a Master’s in Physical Oceanography also at NCSU under the direction of Professor Ruoying He. I received my PhD from Rutgers University in 2014 studying sediment resuspension and transport during Nor’easters and Hurricanes, specifically Sandy in 2012. I am currently an Assistant Research Professor in the Rutgers University Center for Ocean Observing Leadership (RUCOOL).

Teaching Efforts

I currently co-teach Ocean Methods and Data Analysis, a hands on class that introduces undergraduates to oceanographic equipment and data processing techniques.

Daphne Munroe

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Research Interests

Increasing pressures on marine ecosystems, including climate change, resource exploitation, ocean acidification, and pollution threaten to create imbalances that will drive ecological change in the ocean. Sustainability of coastal and marine ecosystems, including both natural and social resilience, relies on understanding, predicting and adapting to these changes. To achieve sustainability we must first understand how ecosystems change: this is the motivation of my research. Larval dispersal dynamics and population connectivity are the primary vehicles for change in marine populations. The ways in which populations are connected determines how populations shift in response to climate or anthropological pressure, how evolution occurs, how effective restoration efforts can be, and how society can sustainably harvest marine resources. In my laboratory, I study these complex interactions using economically and ecologically important coastal invertebrate species.

Short History

I came to Rutgers from colder, more northern climes. The Canadian west coast, where I grew up, is also where I did my undergraduate and graduate training. I was fortunate to be awarded a JSPS postdoctoral fellowship that allowed me to conduct research in Northern Japan.

Teaching Efforts

Undergrad
11:628:125:90 Exploring the World’s Oceans
Byrne Seminar: Oysters Then and Now: Revolutionary Seafood Research at Rutgers

Graduate
co-teaching Ecosystem-Based Fishery Management Seminar

Select Publications

Munroe, D.M., Powell, E.N., Ford, S.E., Hofmann, E.E., Klinck, J.M. 2015. Consequences of asymmetric selection pressure and larval dispersal on the evolution of disease resistance: a metapopulation modeling study with oysters. Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser. doi:10.3354/meps11349

Narváez, D., D. Munroe, E. Hofmann, J. Klinck, E. Powell, R. Mann, and E. Curchitser. 2015. Long-term dynamics in Atlantic surfclam (Spisula solidissima) populations: The role of bottom water temperature. J. Mar. Sys. 141: 136-148. http://dx.doi:10.1016/j.jmarsys.2014.08.007

Powell, E. N., J. M. Klinck, D. M. Munroe, E. E. Hofmann, P. Moreno, and R. Mann. 2015. The Value of Captains’ Behavioral Choices in the Success of the Surfclam (Spisula solidissima) Fishery on the U.S. Mid-Atlantic Coast: a Model Evaluation. J. Northw. Atl. Fish. Sci., 47: 1–27. http://journal.nafo.int/47/47.html

Zhang, P., Haidvogel, D., Powell, E., Klinck, J., Mann, R., Castruccio, F., Munroe, D. 2015. A coupled physical and biological model of larval connectivity in Atlantic surfclams along the Middle Atlantic Bight. Part I: Model development and description. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Sci. 153: 38-53. doi:10.1016/j.ecss.2014.11.033

Munroe, D, J M. Klinck, E E. Hofmann & E N. Powell 2014. A modelling study of the role of marine protected areas in metapopulation genetic connectivity in Delaware Bay oysters. Aquatic Conserv: Mar. Freshw. Ecosyst. 24: 645–666. DOI/10.1002/aqc.2400

Munroe, D., J. Klinck, E. Hofmann, and E.N. Powell. 2013. How do shellfisheries influence genetic connectivity in metapopulations? A modeling study examining the role of lower size limits in oyster fisheries. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, 70(12): 1813-1828,

Munroe, D.M., E.N. Powell, R. Mann, J.M. Klinck, and E.E. Hofmann. 2013. Underestimation of primary productivity on continental shelves: evidence from maximum size of extant surfclam (Spisula solidissima) populations. Fisheries Oceanography, 22: 220–233. doi: 10.1111/fog.12016.

Munroe, D., A. Tabatabai, I. Burt, D. Bushek, E. N.Powell & J. Wilkin. 2013. Oyster mortality in Delaware Bay: Impacts and recovery from Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science. 135:209-219. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ecss.2013.10.011.

Luis Fernando Pareja Roman

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Research Interests

I am a physical oceanographer with a background in engineering and meteorology. I am interested in coastal ocean dynamics and air-sea interaction (marine meteorology), mainly based on coupled numerical models of weather, ocean circulation, and waves. I enjoy applying fundamental principles of fluid mechanics to address problems that have a strong anthropogenic component such as infrastructure and clean energy development. At RUCOOL, I study the impact of offshore wind farms in the structure of oceanic and atmospheric boundary layers.

SHORT HISTORY

I grew up in the Caribbean, in Cartagena, Colombia, which set me up for a life around the ocean. I received my B.S. in Environmental Engineering at Universidad de los Andes, a M.S. in Marine Meteorology at Universidad Nacional de Colombia, and a Ph.D. in Physical Oceanography at Rutgers University. In between programs, I was a visiting scientist in Geophysical Fluid Dynamics at CICESE, Mexico, and at the Russian State Hydromet University in St. Petersburg, Russia. I worked as a postdoc in Ocean Engineering at Stevens Institute of Technology, and in Ocean Dynamics at Rutgers. I joined RUCOOL in fall 2021.

SELECT PUBLICATIONS

Pareja-Roman, L. F., Chant, R. J., & Ralston, D. K. (2019). Effects of Locally Generated Wind Waves on the Momentum Budget and Subtidal Exchange in a Coastal Plain Estuary. Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans, 124(2), 1005-1028. https://doi.org/10.1029/2018JC014585

Pareja-Roman, L. F., Chant, R. J., & Sommerfield, C. K. (2020). Impact of Historical Channel Deepening on Tidal Hydraulics in the Delaware Estuary Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans, 125(12), e2020JC016256. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1029/2020JC016256

Li, L., Zhu, J., Chant, R. J., Wang, C., & Pareja-Roman, L. F. (2020). Effect of Dikes on Saltwater Intrusion Under Various Wind Conditions in the Changjiang Estuary. Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans, 125(7), e2019JC015685. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1029/2019JC015685

Li, L., Zhu, J., & Pareja-Roman, L. F. (2021). Calculating salinity variance fluxes using isohaline coordinates. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science, 254, 107311. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecss.2021.107311

Grace Saba

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Research Interests

I initiate diverse, multidisciplinary projects in order to address both small-scale (individual organism) and large-scale (whole ecosystem) questions with ecological, physiological, and biogeochemical implications. My broad research interests are in the fields of coastal marine organismal ecology and physiology, with emphasis on how organisms interact with their environment (physical-biological coupling) and other organisms (food web dynamics and predator-prey interactions), how physiological processes impact biogeochemistry (nutrient cycling and carbon sequestration), and how climate change (i.e., ocean acidification, warming) impacts these processes. I apply multiple techniques and collaborate with physical/biological/chemical oceanographers and physiologists, molecular ecologists, fisheries scientists, ocean observers, and climate modelers. I employ an integrative, mechanistic approach and have strong laboratory and field components in my research.

Short History

I received my Bachelor of Science degree in Aquatic Biology in 2002 from the University of California Santa Barbara, then received my Ph.D. in Marine Science in 2010 from the College of William & Mary at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science. I was a post doctoral research associate at Rutgers University from 2010-2012, was promoted to Assistant Research Professor in 2012, and to tenure-track Assistant Professor in 2015.

Teaching Efforts

Oscar Schofield

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Research Interests

I am a biological oceanographer interested how the physics and chemistry regulates ocean ecosystems, with a primary research focus on the physiology and ecology of phytoplankton. My research is conducted in a range of oceans from the rapidly warming/melting along the West Antarctic Peninsula to sustained studies along the northeast United States. Additionally I am part of the Center of Ocean Observing Leadership (COOL), which is focused on developing new technologies and ocean sensor networks to better document and model the marine system. The COOL group has, and continues, to innovate a range of technologies spanning from remote sensing, radars, and autonomous underwater robotics. Our research efforts are coupled to an extensive public outreach effort focused on communicating the excitement and adventure of conducting science in the field. These outreach efforts have been anchored by extensive web services, teacher training and full length feature movies.

Short History

I grew up swimming, fishing, diving and surfing in Southern California. I decided to pursue a degree in biology and marine science and attended the University of California at Santa Barbara for my undergraduate and PhD where I conducted research on photosynthesis and environmental impacts of the Antarctic ozone hole. I then joined the Agricultural Research Service in New Orleans conducting research in aquaculture and microbial production of off-flavor metabolites before I joined Rutgers in 1995.

Teaching Efforts

Ocean Observatories (a research course focused on student conducting research with live data from the sea, taught both Fall and Spring terms)
Oceanographic Methods and Data Analysis (course focused on the collection and analysis of physical, optical, and biological data in aquatic systems, taught spring term)
Oceanography House (course open to first term freshmen to introduce them to thriving in a research University by exposing them to ocean adventure)
Biological Oceanography: Planktontic Ecosystems (course focused physiology, ecology, and biogeochemistry of planktonic ecosystems and their role in shaping the ecology of the ocean and Earth, this course will be offered in Fall terms)