Dr. Susan Allen

Biography

Susan Allen is a Professor and Associate Dean at the University of British Columbia, specializing in physical oceanography. Her research interests encompass fluid mechanics, scaling, analytics, and both laboratory and numerical modeling. She focuses on applications that include coastal oceanography, mesoscale meteorology, and biogeochemical-physical interactions in the ocean. Dr. Allen's significant contributions include understanding flow topography, especially in canyons, and the resulting impacts on cross-shelf exchange. She has also made notable advancements in understanding biological-physical interactions, particularly the timing of the phytoplankton spring bloom. Throughout her academic career, she has collaborated with D. Steyn on studies related to atmosphere buoyancy-driven flows in mountainous regions. Her involvement in the interdisciplinary oceanography group at the Department of Earth and Ocean Sciences reflects her commitment to utilizing modeling and analytical skills to explore various phenomena. Currently, her research includes developing a short-term forecast model for the Salish Sea, part of the Marine Environment Observation, Prediction, and Response Network of Centres of Excellence. The goals of her ongoing projects involve understanding rotationally dominated flow topography and modeling lower trophic-level ecology relating to carbon, oxygen, and nitrogen cycles in local coastal regions.

Research Interests

Experience