Dr. Helen Czerski

Biography

Helen Czerski is a professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at University College London, with a research focus on the physics of breaking waves and bubbles at the ocean surface. She investigates how bubbles affect underwater sound and light, influence gas transfer between the ocean and atmosphere, and eject ocean material into the air. Her work involves detailed measurements of bubbles and their interactions with small-scale flow structures and dissolved gases under high wind conditions. Helen has extensive field experience on research ships in the Antarctic, Pacific, North Atlantic, and Arctic regions. She has also worked on numerous science documentaries for the BBC, covering a range of topics in physics and atmospheric ocean science. Currently, she co-hosts the BBC Radio 4 show 'Rare Earth', which explores climate and environmental issues. A passionate advocate for ocean conservation, she is a trustee at the Royal Museums Greenwich and received the 2018 Lord Kelvin Medal from the Institute of Physics for her efforts in science communication. Her latest book, 'Blue Machine', examines the physical nature of the ocean and its cultural impact, earning recognition as one of the Financial Times' top science books of 2023. Helen graduated from the University of Cambridge with a BA and MSci in Natural Sciences (Physics) in 2001 and completed her PhD in experimental explosives physics in 2006. After working at institutions like the University of Toronto and Los Alamos National Laboratory, she returned to the UK in 2010 as a research fellow at UCL.

Research Interests

Experience