Susan Elizabeth Anne Wijffels (born 3 August 1965) is an Australian

oceanographer Oceanography (), also known as oceanology and ocean science, is the scientific study of the oceans. It is an Earth science, which covers a wide range of topics, including ecosystem dynamics; ocean currents, waves, and geophysical fluid dynamics ...

employed by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI); she formerly worked from the

Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) is an Australian Government agency responsible for scientific research. CSIRO works with leading organisations around the world. From its headquarters in Canberra, CSIRO ...

(CSIRO) in Australia. Wijffels specialises in quantifying global ocean change over the past 50 years, including its anatomy and drivers. She is recognised for her international and national leadership of the

Global Ocean Observing System The Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS) is a global system for sustained observations of the ocean comprising the oceanographic component of the Global Earth Observing System of Systems (GEOSS). GOOS is administrated by the Intergovernmental Ocea ...

. She is regarded as an expert in the

Indonesian Throughflow The Indonesian Throughflow (ITF; ) is an ocean current with importance for global climate as is the low-latitude movement of warm, relative freshwater from the north Indopacific, Pacific to the Indian Ocean. It thus serves as a main upper branch ...

and its role in global climate.

Education

* BSc (First Class Hons), Flinders University, South Australia (1986) * PhD Massachusetts Institute of Technology-Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Joint Program in Oceanography and Oceanographic Engineering, (1993)

Career and notable achievements

Wijffels is a senior scientist at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in the Physical Oceanography department. Prior to joining WHOI, she worked at CSIRO. Wijffels, in collaboration with colleagues at

NASA The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA ) is an independent agency of the US federal government responsible for the civil space program, aeronautics research, and space research. NASA was established in 1958, succeeding t ...

, identified and corrected systematic biases, discovered in 70% of measurements in the

. This led to the observation that the world's oceans have both warmed and risen at an increased rate in the past four decades. Wijffels has received the Australian Meteorological and Oceanographic Society's Priestly Medal and the Australian Academy of Science's

Dorothy Hill award The Dorothy Hill Medal is awarded annually and honours the contributions of the late Professor Dorothy Hill to Australian Earth science and her work in opening up tertiary science education to women. The award supports research in the Earth scien ...

in recognition of her efforts to understand the role of the oceans in climate change. In 2011 Wijffels was inducted to the

Tasmanian Honour Roll of Women The State Government of Tasmania in Australia established the Tasmanian Honour Roll of Women in 2005 to recognise Tasmanian women who have been distinguished in their contributions to the State. In 2021 Martine Delaney Martine Delaney (born 15 Oct ...

for service to science.

References

External links

ABC Catalyst interview
{{DEFAULTSORT:Wijffels, Susan 1965 births Living people Women oceanographers Australian scientists Flinders University alumni CSIRO people MIT School of Engineering alumni Australian oceanographers Australian women scientists