People

Faculty 

Aditi Sheshadri
Assistant Professor of Earth System Science
Aditi_Sheshadri@stanford.edu

I joined Stanford's department of Earth system science as an assistant professor in January 2018. Prior to this, I was a Junior Fellow of the Simons Foundation in New York, and a postdoctoral research scientist at Columbia University’s Department of Applied Physics and Applied Math the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, hosted by Lorenzo M. Polvani. I got my Ph.D. in Atmospheric Science at MIT's Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences, in the Program for Atmospheres, Oceans, and Climate, where I worked with R. Alan Plumb. I’m broadly interested in atmosphere and ocean dynamics, climate variability, and general circulation.

I'm particularly interested in fundamental questions in atmospheric dynamics, which I address using a combination of theory, observations, and both idealized and comprehensive numerical experiments. Current areas of focus include the dynamics, variability, and change of the mid-latitude jets and storm tracks and the stratospheric polar vortex.

Related Links:  Climate System Dynamics

Postdoctoral Scholars

Brian Green
Postdoctoral Scholar
briangre@stanford.edu

To date, I've focused on the dynamics of tropical rainfall -- the historical influence of extratropical sea surface temperatures on it, how its distribution is coupled to the tropical ocean circulation and, more recently, how the storms that produce it contribute to the tropical atmospheric circulation. This research has involved simple models of the climate, reconstructions of the tropical climate from observations, and satellite observations of tropical storms. At Stanford, I'm excited to study gravity waves in the stratosphere using novel balloon observations. We hope to use the data to better understand the sources of these waves and their effect on the atmospheric circulation.

Laura Mansfield
Postdoctoral Scholar
lauraman@stanford.edu

I am interested in how machine learning and Bayesian statistics can assist our understanding of the climate and weather. While at Stanford, I will explore how these tools can improve gravity wave parameterisations in atmospheric models. I recently completed my PhD at the University of Reading, which focused on emulating climate models to estimate the surface temperature response to changes in anthropogenic forcings, including both long-lived greenhouse gases and short-lived aerosol pollutants. This research took a Bayesian perspective to learn relationships between climate change patterns and forcings. Prior to this, I studied dynamical systems and fluid dynamics in my MRes, after coming from an undergraduate degree in Physics at Imperial College London. Outside of work, my interests include dancing, running and cycling.

Catherine Wilka
Postdoctoral Scholar
cwilka@stanford.edu

Catherine is interested in the chemical and dynamical processes that impact the stratosphere and in how natural variability can modify anthropogenic trends. She has looked at the influence of aerosols and temperature extremes on ozone recovery and at the effects of small-scale waves on stratospheric composition. At Stanford, she is excited to study both the underlying physics of gravity waves in the stratosphere and how they can be better represented in climate models.

Aman Gupta
Postdoctoral Scholar
ag4680@stanford.edu

I am interested in studying gravity waves and their interaction with the large-scale atmospheric circulation. At Stanford, I am excited to explore the impact of atmospheric gravity waves to the momentum balance of the planet and develop data-driven parameterizations to accurately represent them in climate models. In the past, I explored the contributions of gravity waves generated over Andes towards the Antarctic ozone hole recovery, using a combination of observations and high-resolution models. I also study atmospheric transport of trace gases using a combination of theory and climate modeling. When I am not working, I enjoy biking, hiking and playing board games.

Graduate Students

Adam Burnett
Graduate Student
acb18@stanford.edu

I grew up in Westmoreland, New Hampshire, and graduated from Dartmouth College in 2018 with an undergraduate degree in physics. Since coming to Stanford in 2019 to pursue a Ph.D. in the Department of Earth System Science, my research has focused on the relationship between tropical cyclones and large-scale atmospheric dynamics. My hobbies include hiking, biking, and birdwatching.

Rob King
Graduate Student

Rob was born in Sacramento but grew up about 30 miles outside of London. He completed his MSci in Physics at Imperial College London, graduating in 2020 during which he conducted his Masters project in cloud microphysical effects that occur within the eyewall of tropical cyclones. He is excited to explore large scale atmospheric dynamics during his PhD at Stanford. Before starting his PhD, Rob has worked as an Earth Observation Engineer at GMV NSL and as a Software Engineer for Octopus Electric Juice. Outside of work, Rob is a keen runner and cyclist as well as (very) amateur film photographer.

Isabella Dula
Graduate Student
 

I grew up in Richmond, Virginia, and then traveled across the country to study Mechanical Engineering at Caltech. During my time there, I explored many different fields, but my favorite experience was helping implement and characterize a cloud microphysics parametrization for the Climate Modelling Alliance (CliMA) at Caltech. Through my studies I found I was most interested in fluid mechanics and atmospheric dynamics. I am thrilled to begin my PhD and being answering questions about large-scale atmospheric dynamics. When I am not studying or doing research, I like to play water polo, paint with water colors, and explore nature.

Niku Darafshi
Research and Project Assistant

I graduated from Williams College in 2021 with a degree in geosciences. For my senior thesis, I studied how storm waves create and rearrange coastal boulder deposits in Ireland using photogrammetry. At Stanford, as a research and project assistant, I help with the management and analysis of climate model data and coordinate an international research consortium. Broadly, I'm interested in the use of climate model data to better understand extreme weather events and their associated risks. In my free time I enjoy biking and nordic skiing.

Alumni

Erik Lindgren
Postdoc (9/2018-4/2020) Worked on stratospheric dynamics, stratosphere-troposphere coupling, jet stream variability, and gravity waves

Now a natural catastrophe specialist at Swiss Re, Armonk NY 

Marshall Borrus
Research and Project Assistant, Feb 2021-July 2022. Worked on model setup, predictability, helped run DataWave. Now at Benchmarks Labs.

Zac Espinosa
Master's student, 2019-2021, worked on an ML gravity wave parameterization.
Now a Ph.D. student at UWW.

Michael Goss
Postdoc (6/2020-11/2021) worked on Atlantic jet regimes.

Now a statistical atmospheric scientist at ERT.

Doug Klink III
Undergraduate researcher, Summer 2019/Summer 2020, worked on eddy length scales and balloon observations.