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 OceanParcels 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)
Mariana de Botton Falcon
MSc student
Mariana investigates how floating plastic accumulates in ocean eddies.
Laura Gomez Navarro
Postdoctoral researcher
Laura investigates how to track floating material in currents from remote sensing.
Federica Guerrini
Visiting PhD researcher
Federica simulates how plastics sorb and desorb toxins.
Cleo Jongedijk
PhD researcher
Cleo investigates how plastic litter ends up on beaches.
Mikael Kaandorp
PhD researcher
Mikael investigates how to use machine learning to incorporate plastic distribution data into models.
Christian Kehl
Postdoctoral researcher
Christian investigates how Parcels can best be optimised for High Performance Computing.
Delphine Lobelle
Postdoctoral researcher
Delphine investigates how 3D ocean circulation impacts plastic transport.
Darshika Manral
PhD researcher
Darshika investigates how plankton interact with nutrients and plastic in the Atlantic Ocean.
Ina Nagler
MSc student
Ina investigates the sources of plastic ending on the Galapagos Islands.
Peter Nooteboom
Postdoc researcher
Peter investigates how to simulate the dynamics of tuna interaction.
Victor Onink
PhD researcher
Victor investigates the global dispersion patterns of marine plastic pollution.
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.
Erik van Sebille
Associate Professor
Erik investigates how ocean currents move 'stuff' around, and leads the OceanParcels project.
Steffie Ypma
Postdoctoral researcher
Steffie creates a tool that supports plastic cleanup in the Galapagos.
Current Projects
Tracking Of Plastics In Our Seas (TOPIOS)
Funded by an ERC Starting Grant from the European Commission's Horizon2020 ProgrammeNanoplastics: Origin, Structure and Fate
Funded by an NWO ENW-Groot projectTowards a plastic-free Galapagos: A new model to optimise beach cleanup strategies in complex island regions
Funded by the Galapagos Conservation Trust, an UU Pathways to Sustainability Acceleration Grant, and the K.F. Hein FondsBackward Lagrangian Tracking of the Patchiness of Oceanic Nutrients in a Turbulent Ocean
Funded by an NWO ENW-Klein projectDynamics and climatic imprint of the early Antarctic Circumpolar Current
Funded by an NWO Open Competition projectApplication of OceanParcels to simulate the spatial and temporal movements of tuna to optimise designs of tuna tagging experiments
Funded by The Pacific Community
Funded by the European Commission's Horizon2020 Programme
Funded by the European Space Agency
Funded by the European Commission's Horizon2020 Programme