John Marshall

I am an oceanographer interested in climate and the general circulation of the atmosphere and oceans, which I study through the development of mathematical and numerical models of key physical and biogeochemical processes.

I became interested in the field of meteorology and oceanography as an undergraduate student in Physics at Imperial College, London. Since moving to MIT over 20 years ago, I have studied physical oceanography and, increasingly, the role of the ocean in climate. I was attracted to the field of oceanography because of its wonderful mix of empiricism, observation, theory and modeling. Furthermore, its ‘bottom-up’ nature allows scientists themselves to identify the problems to be solved, then organize and implement programs to do so. It still remains a field in which scientists working in small groups can make a huge impact. Of course, I am also motivated by the fact that understanding the climate, and the role of the ocean therein, represents one of the greatest and important intellectual challenges facing mankind today.

I am the coordinator of Oceans@MIT, a new umbrella organization dedicated to all things related to the ocean across the Institute, and Director of MIT’s Climate Modeling Initiative (CMI).