Scripps Oceanography Welcomes Nine New Faculty and Researchers

This academic year, Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego welcomes nine new faculty members and researchers to its academic ranks. These scientists and educators bring extensive knowledge and experience in a variety of fields including climate science, geophysics, physical oceanography, marine biology, geology, biotechnology, and more.

Over the past year, this newly appointed group of academics has been educating and inspiring the next generation of scientists at Scripps. The group of new hires includes one faculty member who will join later this fall.

“This group of new faculty members and researchers is transforming education in a way that is helping make a significant contribution to the future of our planet,” said Scripps Director Margaret Leinen. “At Scripps, one of our most important roles is to teach the new generation of scientists, and our academics will use their expertise to pave the way for our next leaders in oceanography, climate, marine biology, and earth science."

Learn more about the newly appointed faculty members and researchers at Scripps in the profiles below.

Tomas Capaldi

Assistant Professor, Geosciences Research Division (GRD) and SIO Department

Tomas Capaldi is a geologist using the sedimentary record to track the life and death of mountain belts in ancient and modern settings worldwide. He joined Scripps in early 2024. His research group is interested in using sedimentary rocks to understand the timing and mechanisms driving ancient mountain belt growth and the climatic feedbacks such topography can create. Capaldi’s group develops new sediment tracking tools by studying sedimentary systems across the world — from Argentina to Iceland and California to Romania. This research aims to provide a better understanding on how Earth-surface processes observed today can be preserved in sedimentary rocks deposited millions of years ago. Prior to joining Scripps, Capaldi served as an assistant professor at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and completed a postdoctoral fellowship at Utah State University.

Ivana Cerovečki 

Researcher, Climate, Atmospheric Science and Physical Oceanography (CASPO)

Physical oceanographer Ivana Cerovečki’s research focuses on global ocean overturning circulation, particularly on water-mass analysis and oceanic mode waters. Her work combines ocean modeling, data analysis, and theoretical interpretation to improve our understanding of the processes controlloing mode water formation, distribution and destruction. A large fraction of her work has focused on the Southern Ocean, intending to elucidate the complex interactions between ocean, atmosphere and sea ice processes. Cerovečki’s current work focuses on physical and biological controls of ocean carbon and oxygen uptake in the Southern Ocean and western North Pacific. Cerovečki earned her PhD from Oregon State University and joined Scripps as a postdoctoral scholar in 2007, advancing to her current role in the summer of 2024 through the project scientist series.

Valentina Di Santo

Assistant Professor, Marine Biology Research Division (MBRD) and SIO Department

Valentina Di Santo, a fish ecophysiologist and biomechanist, joined Scripps in the summer of 2024. Her lab focuses on understanding fish locomotor performance across evolutionary diversity and life history stages, particularly in the context of climate change. She conducts extensive studies on fish locomotion — including swimming, maneuvering and walking behaviors — using a combination of tracking methods to study fish movement in 3D. She has examined over 90 species of fish, contributing to a deeper understanding of how fishes optimize speed, efficiency and stability. Di Santo’s work aims to inspire innovative solutions in both engineering and biology. After completing her PhD from Boston University, she worked at Harvard University as a postdoctoral fellow. She then went on to serve as an assistant professor at Stockholm University in Sweden and served as a visiting scientist at the Marine Biological Laboratory in Woods Hole, Mass.

Eduardo Esquenazi 

Professor of Practice, Center for Marine Biotechnology and Biomedicine (CMBB) and SIO Department

Eduardo Esquenazi is a chemical biologist and entrepreneur who joined Scripps in the summer of 2024. He earned his doctorate from UC San Diego’s Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Scripps Oceanography, and holds a bachelor’s degree from Vanderbilt University. In 2012, he founded Sirenas, a premier marine based chemical discovery company. He is the lead inventor of Atlantis, a platform that captures and integrates diverse data sets and uses machine language to yield novel discoveries. Esquenazi also founded the company Terns in 2024 in order to continue to leverage deep marine chemical biology insights into consumer health products. His entrepreneurial work is complemented by his academic position as a professor of practice with CMBB at Scripps, where he will be teaching courses, advising and collaborating in areas directly related to his expertise. Esquenazi will merge practice with theory, educating and inspiring the next wave of scientists and entrepreneurs. 

ELizabeth hetherington 

Assistant Teaching Professor, Integrative Oceanography Division (IOD) and SIO Department

Elizabeth Hetherington is a marine and food-web ecologist with expertise in biological oceanography, marine biology and environmental systems. She received her master’s in marine and environmental science from University of San Diego and her PhD in biology from UC San Diego. She first joined Scripps as a postdoctoral researcher in the lab of Anela Choy in 2019 and began serving as a lecturer in 2022. In early fall of 2024, Hetherington advanced to a faculty role in the Integrative Oceanography Division within the biology section, with teaching affiliations with the Ocean Biosciences Program (OBP) and Environmental Systems Program (ESYS). Hetherington is actively involved in work at the science-policy interface, particularly as it relates to the deep ocean. She has been an active contributor to the ESYS Program for the last two and a half years and brings extensive teaching experience and knowledge of marine and environmental science to undergraduate majors. 

Debi Kilb

Researcher, Institute of Geophysics and Planetary Physics (IGPP)

Seismologist Debi Kilb is currently working on projects concerning earthquake early warning, detection of turbidity currents and their causes, remote triggering of earthquakes, and faults and rock-fabric interactions. She holds a bachelor’s degree in mathematics/computer science from UC San Diego, a master's in mathematics from UCLA, and a PhD in geophysics from the University of Memphis. Following a two-year postdoctoral fellowship at Princeton University, Kilb joined Scripps in 2000 and then became a project scientist in May 2003. This role allowed her to spend her time on education and outreach-related efforts, including being the science outreach director for Sally Ride Science and the science director of the Scripps Visualization Center. In the spring of 2024, she transitioned to her current position, where she works on interdisciplinary topics encompassing fields such as sociology, glaciology, oceanography, and geodesy.

Todd P. Michael

Adjunct Professor, Center for Marine Biotechnology and Biomedicine (CMBB) and SIO Department

Todd Michael is a leading researcher specializing in genome sequencing and analysis. Prior to joining Scripps in the summer of 2024, Michael held several prestigious roles, including professor and director of informatics at the J. Craig Venter Institute. He also currently serves as a research professor at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies. Michael earned his bachelor’s degree in biology from the University of Virginia and his PhD in molecular and cellular biology from Dartmouth College. His postdoctoral research at the Salk Institute laid the groundwork for his research career, during which he has authored around 100 publications, amassing over 21,000 citations. Michael’s research has made significant contributions to understanding plant genome architecture. His work at Scripps continues to push the boundaries of our understanding of plant biology, with implications for agriculture, conservation, and climate resilience.

Lauren Shipp

Assistant Teaching Professor, Marine Biology Research Division (MBRD) and SIO Department

Lauren Shipp is a multidisciplinary instructor and researcher with expertise in marine biology, environmental toxicology, cell and developmental biology, physiology, and biotechnology. She will join Scripps in the fall of 2024. Shipp has a bachelor’s degree in integrative biology from UC Berkeley, a master's in oceanography and a PhD in marine biology from Scripps. Shipp also did postdoctoral work in molecular neurobiology at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies. As a faculty member at Scripps, she will lead an undergraduate research program using a combination of lab classes and partnerships with different labs on campus. Shipp’s work will focus on the problems of industrial chemicals in the marine environment and the biological effects of these chemicals. She also aims to improve teaching strategies that maximize student mastery of marine, cellular, and environmental biology, preparing them to address related challenges in their careers.

Daniel Wangpraseurt 

Associate Researcher, Marine Biology Research Division (MBRD) 

Daniel Wangpraseurt is an interdisciplinary marine biologist whose research bridges coral reef science, engineering, and biophysics. He leads the Coral Reef Ecophysiology and Engineering Lab at Scripps and also serves as the co-founder of Hybrid Reef Solutions, a startup that aims to address the need for effective and sustainable solutions to protect coral reefs. Since joining Scripps in the summer of 2024, his lab has focused on understanding coral ecophysiology and developing innovative tools for reef restoration and engineering. Currently, his team is constructing a hybrid reef off the coast of Oahu, Hawai'i, as part of the DARPA-funded Reefense project, aimed at enhancing coastal protection. Wangpraseurt earned his PhD from the University of Technology, Sydney, and completed postdoctoral training at the University of Copenhagen and the University of Cambridge, United Kingdom. He also serves as an associate editor for Frontiers in Marine Science: Coral Reefs and sits on the advisory board of the Coral Restoration Consortium.

- This article has been updated to include Elizabeth Hetherington among the new faculty hires for the 2024-25 academic year.