2026 Internship Opportunities

Particles of organic matter formed by life in the surface ocean do not stay at the ocean surface forever. Their gravitational settling to the deep ocean acts to regulate Earth’s climate, but the nature of that process involves complex interactions between particles of different types and sizes and these particle interactions remain poorly understood. Small particles sink slowly, but when they collide and stick together, they form larger pieces that sink much faster. These larger pieces can also break apart into smaller fragments through turbulence or grazing by marine organisms, slowing their sinking speed. How quickly particles grow or break apart strongly influences how much carbon reaches the deep ocean, but many existing models either simplify these processes or leave them out entirely

This project will extend a mechanistic model of sinking particles by adding mathematical representations of collisions and breakage. The student will build and test rate equations, explore how particle sizes change over time, and study how these processes alter carbon transport with depth. No background in oceanography is required; the focus is on solving a physical modeling problem using equations and numerical simulation. The project is well suited for students interested in differential equations, particle dynamics, or computational modeling in physics or applied mathematics.

The student will extend an existing particle flux model by adding simple mathematical terms that represent particle collisions and breakage. A key responsibility will be developing and testing rate equations that describe how particles combine into larger pieces or fragment into smaller ones. The student will run numerical simulations, compare how different assumptions affect particle sizes and sinking rates, and visualize results through depth profiles, time series, and particle size distributions. Findings will be summarized in clear figures and short written explanations, with the potential for a student-authored presentation or publication.

The intern will learn how to build and modify mathematical models that describe physical processes in the ocean. They will gain experience writing and testing rate equations, implementing them in code, and running numerical experiments. The student will practice visualizing simulation output and quantify how changes in particle collisions and breakage affect carbon transport to the deep ocean. Throughout the project, the intern will further develop communication skills by explaining their results through figures, short written summaries, and discussions with mentors.

Background in physics and/or differential equations required. Some exposure to ocean or Earth science beneficial.

Proficiency in a programming language (e.g. R, Python, Matlab) is essential.

Student must bring a laptop

• Student will be assigned a few papers to read prior to the start of the internship.
• Students are responsible for securing accommodations for the duration of their internship. On-campus summer housing is typically available the first week of June until the first week of August (details to become available in Spring 2026). If the internship falls outside of on-campus housing availability, students will need to secure alternate housing.