News!

Dr. Ben Barr is an expert in sea spray modeling and air–sea interaction under high-wind conditions. He has published influential studies on sea spray parameterizations (Barr et al., 2023) and their effects on tropical cyclones (Barr et al., 2025). Before joining UH, Ben was a postdoctoral researcher at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) from 2023 to 2025. He earned his Ph.D. in Atmospheric Sciences from the University of Washington in 2023 under the guidance of Prof. Shuyi Chen. At UH, Ben will continue advancing sea-state-based sea spray modeling, contributing to the development of a next-generation, sea-spray–enabled COARE bulk flux algorithm.

Welcome Ben!

Dr. Karhalkar received his Ph.D. in August 2025 from the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth under the supervision of Prof. Amit Tandon. He is a sea-going physical oceanographer with research interests in upper-ocean processes, air–sea interactions, the diurnal cycle, ocean stratification, and tropical cyclones in the northern Indian Ocean. At UH, Sid will be contributing to the ONR-funded EKAMSAT project, where he will focus on air–sea fluxes, surface waves, and the Arabian Sea mini–warm pool.

Wyn Pauly earned dual degrees in Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences and Urban Planning from the University of Colorado Boulder, where she worked with Prof. Kris Karnauskas on U.S. East Coast sea level variability. At UH, she plan to study air–sea interaction processes under high-wind conditions, with a focus on surface waves, enthalpy fluxes, and the saturation of surface drag during tropical cyclones in the western Pacific Ocean. Her research will directly address several United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (UNSDGs).Her research aligns most closely with the UNSDG 13: Climate Action, by advancing understanding of how storms intensify and exchange energy with the ocean. Wyn’s work also connects to UNSDG 14: Life Below Water, as tropical cyclone-driven wave dynamics influence marine ecosystems, coral reefs, and fisheries. Furthermore, by contributing to improved storm forecasting and risk reduction, her research supports UNSDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities, helping protect lives, infrastructure, and economies in coastal and island communities exposed to severe tropical cyclones.

Welcome Wyn!

We are excited to be part of the new Office of Naval Research (ONR) Departmental Research Initiative (DRI) titled “Study of Air-Sea Fluxes and Atmospheric River Intensity (SAFARI)”. The SAFARI DRI seeks to advance both the physical understanding and predictive capabilities related to how air-sea fluxes and their interactions with turbulent boundary layer processes influence atmospheric river (AR) intensity and downstream impacts. Our project focuses on evaluating and improving parameterizations of air-sea fluxes mediated by surface waves and anomalous ocean conditions throughout the lifecycle of ARs. We aim to enhance the representation of air-sea interaction within coupled models to improve the simulation and prediction of AR behavior. Learn more about our project here.

Excited to work with Clint Reyes, a graduate student in the Department of Ocean and Resources Engineering at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa (SOEST/UHM). In the summer of 2025, he will be working with Hyodae Seo and Cesar Sauvage to investigate nearshore wave dynamics around the Okinawa Islands during Super Typhoon Khanun (2023) using numerical model simulations. His research interests at ORE/SOEST include coastal engineering, coral reef hydrodynamics, and marine renewable energy. Find out more about him here.