PhD 2010
Associate Professor atÌýDepartment of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences and INSTAAR
University of Colorado Boulder - USA
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Alexandra Jahn
1- What was your area of study (atmospheric or oceanic sciences)? Could you describe in a line or two your research/ area of interest while you were studying at ÎÛÎÛ²ÝÝ®ÊÓƵ?
My focus during my PhD research was on oceanic sciences. In particular, I researched the ocean circulation in the Arctic Ocean and how it affects the transport of low salinity water to the North Atlantic.
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2- Looking back, what do you value most about your studies at AOS at ÎÛÎÛ²ÝÝ®ÊÓƵ?
I really appreciate the mentoring I received, both from my advisors, but also from my cohort of peers in AOS. I also really value the many opportunities to present my work at conferences that I was afforded while at ÎÛÎÛ²ÝÝ®ÊÓƵ, which allowed me to grow as a scientist as well as to make many connections, some of which have led to later collaborations.
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3- How are you applying your degree in atmospheric & Oceanic Sciences from ÎÛÎÛ²ÝÝ®ÊÓƵ?
I am now an Associate Professor in Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences at the University of Colorado Boulder, USA. That means that I teach classes in oceanography and climate and mentor graduate students as well as do research.
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4- What advice would you give to someone considering graduate studies in atmospheric or oceanic sciences at ÎÛÎÛ²ÝÝ®ÊÓƵ?
It’s been a while since I graduated from AOS and AOS has hired many new faculty since then, so I don’t really know what it is like currently. But I always tell prospective graduate students that it is really important to know what they want to get out of the graduate program, to assess whether it is the right fit for them. Graduate school is hard everywhere, because learning to solve previously unsolved problems is just challenging. But a good fit can make it a lot easier, while a bad fit can make it a lot harder. And to find a good fit, they need to know what they need and want from a program. That includes finding the right fit with an advisor, as that relationship is very important for a successful graduate student experience. But the general graduate program also needs to be a good fit, in terms of the classes offered, the range of different research areas covered, and the general environment (size of department, location and climate of university, etc).
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