“It wasn’t a big leap from there to the ocean.” An interview with Dr. Dan Whitt.

Share your Science: A Collection of Stories from Scientists

Dr. Dan Whitt studies currents and the circulation of nutrients in ocean ecosystems. Dan describes his Ph.D. research on internal waves ‒ oscillations found where the ocean is stratified by density ‒ and compares this effect to an expertly-poured Arnold Palmer. The drink should form two layers, as the iced tea is less dense than sugary lemonade: “wobble the glass and you will see the interface slosh and overturn and mix the tea and the lemonade together ‒ this is what’s going on in the ocean interiors.” In this interview, we discuss how Dan got into oceanography, how modelling can help us predict the effects of climate change, and starting work at NASA Ames Research Center during a pandemic.