Department of Physics
SEA ICE RESEARCH

People

Current and past research projects are listed on the Research page.

 

sea_ice_group_photo_2023.jpg

The sea ice group at the University of Otago, 2023. 
From left: Greg, Nico, Jed, Andrew, Andrea, Maren, Inga, Nina, Pat, Ben.

 


Current Members
Research Speciality
Prof Pat Langhorne Professor Emerita Sea ice physics

Associate Professor
Inga Smith


Associate Professor

Antarctic sea ice formation processes
Dr Greg Leonard Senior Lecturer Sea ice satellite remote sensing and measurements
Dr Andrew Pauling Research Fellow Sea ice and climate modelling
Dr Max Thomas Research Fellow Sea ice and climate modelling
Andrea Foley Assistant Research Fellow Physics Antarctic Ice Lab management and support
Nina Caldarella PhD student Frazil ice modelling and acoustic observations
 
Recent Members
Projects
Dr Maren Richter PhD 2023 Frazil ice, fast-ice thickness, and interannual variability
Dr Julia Wilson Research Fellow Vision Mātauranga and sea ice
Tarentaise McLeod MSc 2022 Estimating the snow depth in sea ice using acoustic and laser sensors
Dr Pete Russell Research Fellow 2019-2022 Supercooling measurements under ice shelves (PI: Inga Smith)  
Kate Turner Assistant Research Fellow 2019-2021

 

 
Dr Shona Mackie Research Fellow 2018-2020

Impacts of freshwater from icebergs and ice shelf melt in the New Zealand Earth System Model (PI: Inga Smith); Targeted observation and process-informed modelling of Antarctic sea ice (TOPIMASI) (PI: Pat Langhorne)

 
Dr Alena Malyarenko

PhD 2020

 

Ice shelf – ocean boundary interaction

Eamon Frazer

MSc 2019

Characterising Frazil Ice Populations using Acoustic Techniques

 
Dr Pat Wongpan

PhD 2018

MSc 2013

Columnar ice versus platelet ice: differences, consequences, and significance

Voronoi dynamics simulation of platelet sea ice growth with diffusive heat and mass transfer

 
Prof Cecilia Bitz Visiting scientist 
2013-2014 (Fulbright US Scholar Award Recipient)
Research collaboration topic: Why is Antarctic sea ice expanding?
Andrew Pauling MSc 2017 Simulation of the effect of ice shelf melt around Antarctica in an Earth System Model
Dr Stefan Jendersie PhD 2016 Drivers and dynamics of the Ross Sea
Ken Hughes MSc 2013 Propagation of an ice shelf water plume beneath sea ice in McMurdo Sound, Antarctica
Dr Alex Gough PhD 2012 Sea ice near an ice shelf
Dr Craig Purdie PhD 2012 Winter sea ice growth in McMurdo Sound, Antarctica
Dr Natalie Robinson PhD 2012 Circulation, mixing and interactions in the ocean near the Ross Ice Shelf
Assoc Prof Takenobu Toyota Visiting scientist 
2011 (NZ/JSPS Senior Scientist Exchange Recipient)
Study on wave-sea ice interaction in the marginal sea ice zone and its relation with the floe size distribution
Dr Andy Mahoney Postdoc 
2008–2010
Winter sea ice growth processes
Dr Ed Kempema Visiting scientist 
2005–2006
Dr Chris Petrich PostDoc 2005-2006
PhD 2005
Fluid dynamics simulations of sea ice formation. Experiments on refreezing cracks in sea ice.
Dr Greg Leonard PostDoc 2002-2005 Sea ice and platelet ice formation in McMurdo Sound and their correlation with oceanographic conditions.
Dr Inga Smith PhD 2002 Platelet ice in McMurdo Sound, Antarctica.
Dr Martin Gribble PhD 2002 Cyclic and creep properties of sea ice.
Dr Paul Bond PhD 2001 Optical characteristics of saline ice.
David Dempsey MSc 2008 Observations and modelling of platelet ice in McMurdo Sound, Antarctica
Daisuke Yamagishi MSc 2008 Experimental study of phase change in rapidly growing sea ice.
Nicole Albrecht MSc 2006 Internal gravity waves in McMurdo Sound, Antarctica.
Marc Müller-Stoffels MSc 2006 Preferred crystal orientations in freshwater ice sheets.
Ben Tuckey MSc 2002 Brine convection in sea ice.
Heike Merkel Visitor 
2008–2009
 
Lisa Hahn-Woernle MSc/International Internship 
2011
Thermodynamic modelling of platelet ice crystal development.