Fall/Winter 2023
Jesse Cusack, assistant professor of oceanography
How did you get into science and realize you wanted to be an oceanographer?
I have always loved science for as long as I can remember. I think my parents are likely to blame with their “chemistry sets for kids.” Or perhaps the secondary school science teacher who gave out huge chocolate bars for getting questions right? I was tempted toward oceanography, and away from physics (my undergrad degree), because I found it more interesting to think about tangible things like water flow, than tiny particles or distant galaxies. Of course, there were also opportunities for travel to incredible places like Antarctica.
As a physical oceanographer, you study small-scale processes. What does that mean, and why do these small processes matter within the global ocean and our climate?
By small-scale processes, I mean processes that range in size from a few millimeters to several tens of kilometers. Most people will be familiar with some of the smallest-scale processes, such as turbulence (think of the turbulent patterns you see when you stir milk into coffee). There are other, less familiar small-scale processes occurring, too, like internal waves that exist underneath the ocean surface. If we want to understand what the climate will be like 100 years from now, we need to know how these processes move heat around the ocean. In addition to influencing ocean temperature, these processes also play a critical role in transporting nutrients that feed entire marine ecosystems.
Tell us about your work in polar regions. Why is this an exciting
place to do science?
The polar regions are particularly exciting because they are such a challenging place to work. The traditional oceanographic tools that we have developed over the last few decades can’t get us into the dangerous, ice-filled regions that are changing most rapidly. Making measurements in polar regions means using and developing new technologies, such as autonomous and remotely controlled robots, which is great fun.
Speaking of autonomous and remotely controlled robots, how do you use these tools in your work?
I recently got back from fieldwork where we deployed an entire fleet of underwater gliders that followed an ocean eddy for several months, as well as numerous other drifters and floats. Going to sea on a ship is incredibly expensive, and typically you only get to use it for a few weeks, which might not be enough time to understand the processes that are occurring. The gliders and drifters will provide a much longer view of how the eddy is evolving.
What project are you working on now that gets you excited?
I’m very excited to start a new project that has just been accepted for funding. We’re trying to understand how ocean currents influence ice melt at glaciers. It will involve building a swarm of small subsurface drifting robots that we’ll deploy in front of a glacier in Alaska. They will flow toward the glacier, riding on deep currents, taking measurements along the way. We’ll be tracking their progress using acoustics.
You practice open science by making your analysis and software available online. Why is this important?
I want my research outputs to be available to everyone out of principle. There are efficiency gains to being open; scientific advances happen more rapidly when work is freely available to a larger group of people on shorter time scales. There are also inclusivity gains. The scientific process becomes more inclusive to those around the world who may not be able to afford expensive software or journal subscriptions. Since so much of our research is ultimately funded by the public, we have an obligation to make it accessible to the public.
What are some of your hobbies outside of science?
Outside of science I enjoy rock climbing and generally being in the wilderness. I am also an obsessive bread baker. I started making sourdough at the height of the pandemic and never stopped.
