-i) Jim at age 7

i) Professional Preparation
1976: BSE Princeton University, Dept.   Electrical Engineering    
1979: MS University of Washington, Dept. Oceanography        
1980: MA Princeton University, Dept. Atmos. & Ocean Sci.        
1983: PhD Princeton University, Dept. Atmos. & Ocean Sci.       
1982-5:  Harvard University Postdoctoral Fellowship Applied Mathematics  

ii) Appointments
2007-pres: Chair, University of Maryland, Dept. Atmospheric and Oceanic Science
2007-pres: Visiting Scientist, GFDL
1997: Professor, University of Maryland, Dept. Atmospheric and Oceanic Science
1990-1997: Associate Professor, University of Maryland, Dept. Meteorology, COLA
1985-1990: Assistant Professor, University of Maryland, Dept. Meteorology, COLA

Research interests
The ocean influences climate change on seasonal, decadal, and longer timescales in a variety of important ways. Over half of the radiation reaching the earth's surface is first absorbed by the ocean. The ocean stores or transports this heat before it is eventually released to the atmosphere through evaporation and longwave radiation, providing the major source of energy for atmospheric motions, and thus for the earth's climate. My current research interests focus on interannual to decadal climate variability. In particular I've done a number of studies focused on the tropical Atlantic sector. I am also actively pursuing data assimilation methodologies to combine historical observations of ocean circulation with knowledge of the equations of motion to better represent past changes in the heat, mass, and freshwater of the oceans.

Recent Publications