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)

Bas Altena

Postdoctoral researcher

Bas works on the valorization of marine litter backtracking.

Vesna Bertoncelj

PhD researcher

Vesna investigates how polluntants spread around coral reefs on Curacao.

Emma Daniëls

Postdoctoral researcher

Emma develops a virtual ship learning experience.

Mark Elbertsen

MSc student

Mark simulates how and where large icebergs melted in the Eocene Southern Ocean.

Jente Heisterborg

BSc student

Jente simulates how plastics in the Wadden Sea are affected by tides.

Laura Gomez Navarro

Margarita Salas Fellow

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

Cleo Jongedijk

PhD researcher

Cleo investigates how plastic litter ends up on beaches.

Marc op den Kamp

MSc student

Marc uses machine learning to predict macroplastic beaching events.

Clara Koster

BSc student

Clara computes the probability to find nanoplastics in samples from the South Atlantic.

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.

Mattia Romero

MSc student

Mattia investigates how fine-scale ocean processes lead to heterogeneity of floating plastic.

Siren Rühs

Postdoctoral researcher

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

Erik van Sebille

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.


Previous team members


Current Projects


Past Projects


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