Miles Sundermeyer

faculty

Miles Sundermeyer, PhD

Professor

SMAST / Estuarine & Ocean Sciences

Research Website

Contact

508-999-8892

508-910-6371

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School for Marine Science & Technology West, New Bedford 110A

Education

1998Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyPhD
1995Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyScM
1991University of California BA

Teaching

Programs

Teaching

Courses

Written presentation of an original research topic in Data Science which demonstrates the knowledge & capability to conduct independent research. The thesis shall be completed under the supervision of a faculty advisor. An oral examination in defense is required.

Essential principles of ocean sciences. This course explores topics such as how the ocean and life in the ocean shape the features of the Earth; the ocean as a major influence on weather and climate; how the ocean supports a great diversity of life and ecosystems; and how the sustainability of ocean resources depends on our understanding of those resources and their potential and limitations. Various examples of ocean instruments used for sampling and measurements are introduced.

Investigations of a fundamental and/or applied nature representing an original contribution to the scholarly research literature of the field. PhD dissertations are often published in refereed journals or presented at major conferences. A written dissertation must be completed in accordance with the rules of the Graduate School and the School for Marine Science and Technology. Admission to the course is based on successful completion of the PhD comprehensive examination and submission of a formal proposal endorsed by the student's graduate committee and submitted to the SMAST Graduate Program Director.

Investigations of a fundamental and/or applied nature representing an original contribution to the scholarly research literature of the field. PhD dissertations are often published in refereed journals or presented at major conferences. A written dissertation must be completed in accordance with the rules of the Graduate School and the School for Marine Science and Technology. Admission to the course is based on successful completion of the PhD comprehensive examination and submission of a formal proposal endorsed by the student's graduate committee and submitted to the SMAST Graduate Program Director.

Research

Research activities

  • Collaborative Research: LIDAR Studies of Lateral Dispersion in the Seasonal Pycnocline
  • LIDAR and Numerical Modeling Studies of Small-Scale Lateral Dispersion in the Ocean
  • High-resolution mapping of dye release experiments using airborne LIDAR
  • Laboratory studies of stirring by small-scale geostrophic motions
  • Numerical simulations of stirring by the relaxation of diapycnal mixing events

Research

Research awards

  • $ 22,680 awarded by Town of Chatham for Chatham PBA Frost Fish Creek Technical Support WQ Baseline (YR1)
  • $ 5,700 awarded by CDM Smith for CDM Sassaquin Pond Diver Survey
  • $ 3,348 awarded by Veolia North America for Nutrient Analysis on Sample from Brockton WWTP
  • $ 50,000 awarded by NP Photonics, Inc. for Atmospheric Aerosol Model and Data Collection Over the Marine Boundary Layer for Imaging/Radiofrequency (RF) and Laser Beam Propagation
  • $ 5,120 awarded by Westport Watershed Alliance for WRWA Pond Water Quality Sample Analysis

Research

Research interests

  • Small-scale vertical and horizontal mixing processes
  • Dye release and Lagrangian drifter studies
  • Numerical modeling of two- and three-dimensional turbulent flows
  • Numerical modeling of physical and biological interactions

Select publications

  • Brunner-Suzuki, A.-M.E.G, M.A. Sundermeyer, M.P. Lelong (2014).
    The vortical mode, internal waves, and inverse energy cascade
    Journal of Physical Oceanography
  • Radlinski, M. K., M. A. Sundermeyer, J. J. Bisagni, and S. X. Cadrin (2013).
    Spatial and temporal distribution of Atlantic mackerel, Scomber scombrus, along the northeast coast of the United States
    ICES Journal of Marine Science, 70(6), 1151-1161.
  • Brunner-Suzuki, A-M. E. G., M. A. Sundermeyer, and M.P. Lelong (2012).
    Vortex stability in a large-scale internal wave shear
    Journal of Physical Oceanography, 42, 1668-1683.

Dr. Sundermeyer earned his BA in 1991 from the University of California Santa Cruz with a double major in Mathematics and Physics. He earned his PhD in 1998 from the MIT/WHOI Joint Program in Physical Oceanography, where he studied processes controlling lateral dispersion in the ocean. Following his PhD, he worked for two years as a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Center for Marine Science and Technology at UMass Dartmouth performing numerical modeling related to fish stock assessment, before signing on as Faculty in 2001. With now more than 25 years’ experience studying problems relating to ocean mixing, Dr. Sundermeyer’s primary ongoing research interests include vertical and horizontal mixing processes, dye release and Lagrangian drifter studies, remote and autonomous sensing, numerical modeling of two- and three-dimensional turbulent flows, and numerical modeling of physical and biological interactions. His research combines observations with idealized analytical and numerical models to test hypotheses about specific physical oceanographic processes. To date he has spent more than 180 days at sea, with field observations serving as the foundation of his work. He then uses theoretical, numerical, and laboratory studies to understand the underlying physical processes that control ocean mixing. Dr. Sundermeyer has published more than 25 peer reviewed publications, and has authored/co-authored more than 75 conference presentations. As a Professor, he has advised or co-advised 10 MS students, and 6 PhD students, and served as an academic/thesis committee member for an additional 8 MS and 6 PhD students. He currently also serves as Graduate Program Director at the School for Marine Science and Technology / UMass Intercampus Marine Science program, and is also a long-time Guest/Visiting investigator at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution.