Research Group
My research group investigates fundamental questions in physical oceanography and geophysical fluid dynamics through a combination of theory, observations, and a hierarchy of numerical models. Current research topics include submesoscale physics; internal waves; compact mesoscale eddies; volume, heat, and freshwater transports associated with the AMOC; and the intermediate circulation of the Southwestern Atlantic.
Present Members
Postdocs
Mauricio Rebouças Rocha
Postdoc at USP
2024–present
An oceanographer by training, Mauricio holds an M.Sc. in Meteorology from the Universidade do Estado da Paraíba and a Ph.D. in Physical Oceanography from USP. He joined our group as a postdoctoral researcher in 2024, supported by Instituto Serrapilheira, and is currently funded by a FAPESP postdoctoral fellowship. Using climate simulations spanning a range of spatial scales and climate states, Mauricio's project investigates the structure, variability, and long-term trends of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC), with a particular focus on its abyssal cell. He is also interested in the impacts of AMOC variability on regional and global climate.
Graduate Students
Aghata Achilles de Oliveira
Master’s student at USP
2026–present
Antonio Favaloro
Visiting Master’s student at USP
2026–present
Manuel Gonzaga A. Zala
Master’s student at USP
2025–present
Emmanuel Magnangou
Master’s student at USP, co-advised with E. Campos
2025–present
Rafael Couto Martins
Master’s student at USP
2024–present
Rafael is a Master’s student in Physical Oceanography at USP, where he also completed his undergraduate degree. Supported by a FAPESP scholarship, his research uses process-oriented simulations to investigate the role of horizontal shear and frontal curvature in the dynamics of submesoscale instabilities in the surface boundary layer. Also with support from FAPESP, he conducted part of his Master’s research at the Laboratoire d’Océanographie Physique et Spatiale (LOPS), where he completed a six-month internship with Profs. Jonathan Gula and Xavier Carton.
Marina Tambelli Romann
PhD student at USP
2026–present
A trained civil engineer, Paban joined our group in 2021 (then based at UConn) after completing a Master's in Climate Science at IIT Budhewassar and working as a Junior Research Fellow at IIT Dheli, both in India. His research investigates the relationship between submesoscale frontogenesis and cross-scale energy fluxes using observations collected during the Submesoscale Ocean Dynamics and Vertical Transport Experiment (S-MODE). Paban is supported by the US National Science Foundation (NSF).
Pedro Walfir Neto
PhD student at USP, co-advised with I. Silveira
2023–present
João Pedro Amorin
PhD student at USP, co-advised with I. Silveira
2023–present
Undergraduate Students
Lara Medeiros Schlumbom
Undergraduate researcher at USP
Lara is an undergraduate student in Oceanography at USP with interests in submesoscale dynamics and tracer stirring and mixing. Supported by a FAPESP scholarship, her research uses wavenumber spectra from saildrone observations, regional models, and satellite altimetry to investigate submesoscale processes in the California Current. Part of this work was carried out at Scripps Institution of Oceanography, where—also with support from FAPESP—Lara recently completed a research internship with Prof. Sarah Gille.
Mariana de Souza Barros
Undergraduate researcher at USP
Pedro Michelin Siqueira
Undergraduate researcher at USP
Murilo Vaz Caetité
Undergraduate researcher at USP
Vitor Cortes Gracindo
Undergraduate researcher at USP
Alumni
Graduate Students
-
Mackenzie Blanusa — MSc student at UConn (2021–2024)
Now: PhD student at Columbia University (LDEO)
Undergraduate Students
-
Weiguang (Roger) Wu — Summer undergraduate fellow at WHOI (co-advised with Tom Farrar) (2019)
Now: PhD candidate at MIT-WHOI Joint Program