Tracking how ocean currents transport plastic, plankton and other materials


The Lagrangian Ocean Analysis team at Utrecht University

The Lagrangian Ocean Analysis team within the Institute for Marine and Atmospheric research at Utrecht University's Department of Physics, uses the Parcels framework to create and analyse simulations of the transport of material (plastics, plankton, fish) by ocean currents and its impact on climate and marine ecosystems. Within the group, we adhere to Open Science principles and aim to create a collaborative and inclusive atmosphere.


The team (alphabetical)

Margo van Assenbergh

BSc student

Margo compares hydrodynamic models of the Wadden Sea with drifter data.

Vesna Bertoncelj

PhD researcher

Vesna investigates how polluntants spread around coral reefs on Curacao.

Meike Bos

Postdoc researcher

Meike develops parameterisations for the dynamics of macroplastic items in oceanic flows.

Floran Brinkman

MSc student

Floran investigates the ocean circulation around Curacao.

Emma Daniëls

Postdoctoral researcher

Emma develops a virtual ship learning experience.

Michael Denes

Postdoctoral researcher

Michael investigates how marine pollution can be computed in the Copernicus Marine Service.

Laura Gomez Navarro

Margarita Salas Fellow

Laura investigates how oceanic fine-scales affect the transport of marine plastic.

Anna van Herwijnen

BSc student

Anna investigates where best to deploy drifters to optimise the coverage of drifter data in the Wadden Sea.

Darshika Manral

PhD researcher

Darshika investigates how plankton interact with nutrients and plastic in the Atlantic Ocean.

Claudio Pierard

PhD researcher

Claudio investigates the origin and fate of nanoplastics in our ocean.

Daan Reijnders

PhD researcher

Daan investigates how to incorporate diffusion into particle simulations in biogeochemical oceanography.

Siren Rühs

Postdoctoral researcher

Siren investigates how the latest generation of ocean models can be used to simulate the dispersion of plastic.

Marc Schneiter

PhD researcher

Marc develops new drifter tracking technology to investigate beaching of large plastic items.

Ezekiel Stevens

MSc student

Ezekiel investigates the South Atlantic heat and salt transport in climate models.

Erik van Sebille

Professor

Erik investigates how ocean currents move 'stuff' around, and leads the OceanParcels project.


Previous team members


Current Projects


Past Projects


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