Katherine Xiao ’20


Computer Science
Variability in Oxygen Minimum Zones
My internship focused on the variability of oxygen in the ocean. Over the past few decades, the changing volume of Oxygen Minimum Zones (OMZs) in the ocean has been highly debated, and our goal was to determine whether these changes in OMZs were due to climate change or natural variability in the ocean. I used MATLAB to conduct time-series data analyses on CM2.6 — a high-resolution coupled climate model — that allowed me to better understand OMZ trends, specifically those in the Indian Ocean. Through this experience, I strengthened my ability to analyze large data files, collaborated with my coworkers and adviser, and presented my findings in a research paper and presentation. This internship demonstrated to me that the applications of computer science are endless and can be applied to almost any field. I’m so excited to continue working in team settings to tackle problems we face in the world.
2017
Climate and Oceans
Department of Geosciences, Princeton University
Laure Resplandy, Assistant Professor of Geosciences and the Princeton Environmental Institute