Scripps Student Spotlight: Kerstin Bergentz

Kerstin Bergentz is a fifth-year PhD candidate studying physical oceanography at Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego. Born and raised in Sweden, Bergentz received a bachelor’s degree in industrial design engineering from Chalmers University of Technology in Gothenburg and a second bachelor’s degree in physical geography and ecosystem science from Lund University. At Scripps, Bergentz is co-advised by Scripps physical oceanographers Jennifer MacKinnon of the Multiscale Ocean Dynamics lab and Luca Centurioni, director of the Lagrangian Drifter Lab. She is researching interactions between the air and sea, dynamical processes in the upper ocean and different types of waves. Bergentz is currently serving as a delegate at the 29th Conference of the Parties (COP29) in Baku, Azerbaijan. 

explorations now (en): Why did you choose to attend Scripps?

Kerstin Bergentz (KB): I first came to Scripps as an exchange student at UC San Diego while earning my second bachelor’s degree in 2018. I knew of Scripps from having read multiple papers by Scripps scientists while doing a class project on marine plastic debris. My home institution does not have a marine science department, hence when given the chance to go on exchange, I figured Scripps would be the ideal place to spend a year taking classes on ocean science. I had a splendid time and I was encouraged to apply to graduate school, so I did.

en: What are you researching at Scripps?

KB: I research air-sea interactions, dynamical processes in the upper ocean and various types of waves. Our climate is set by two vast reservoirs of fluid, the atmosphere and the ocean, and the interactions between them matter for everything from ocean acidification and storms to surface waves and more. My thesis work focuses on the transfer of energy across the air-sea interface, something that is crucial to get right to be able to accurately model and predict a changing climate. In my work, I mostly use observational data collected from research ships and other platforms during scientific cruises.

en: How did you become interested in science and your field of study?

KB: I got to where I am today through many twists and turns, loop-arounds and forward stumbling. I call it a “continuous trust exercise with life.” My path to doing a PhD in physical oceanography has taken me from doing coral reef research diving in Fiji, to studying relativity, to receiving a degree in product development, to then pivoting to earth science with a focus on geographical information systems and making maps. I’ve taken each step out of curiosity and trying to feel my way towards what I might enjoy doing.

Though I did not set out to study the ocean, it runs as a (blue) thread through my life. I’ve never spent more than a few weeks at a time where I haven’t been in/on/around the ocean, swimming, diving, sailing, surfing, etc. I have also always liked physics, especially applied physics because it helps me better understand the physical world around me and can help solve problems. Thus in a way, I’m not too surprised that I find myself thoroughly enjoying doing a PhD in physical oceanography, even though that is not what I originally set out to do.

en: What’s life like as a Scripps student? Describe a typical day.

KB: It varies a lot, which I like. If I’m at sea doing fieldwork, I’m living on a research ship for weeks at a time working long days (and nights) on deck collecting data with various types of instruments. If I’m in a coding/writing phase, I’ll instead spend most of my day in front of my computer typing. 

However, I always try to make sure that an average week also includes other things, such as attending a seminar, leading an outreach event teaching middle school students about the ocean, reading and discussing a paper with my labmates, or just connecting with a colleague over a coffee. Science can be a somewhat lonely pursuit at times, and for me, connecting with others in the field, doing outreach and science communication, mentoring students, and meeting with my (non-advisor) mentors, are the things that help me stay sane and remind me of why I’m doing what I’m doing.

en: What’s the most exciting thing about your work (in the field or in the lab)?

KB: I really like doing fieldwork. It’s always an adventure being out on the ocean, and though it’s often long hours and hard work, there’s rarely a dull moment. I’ve had some great times at sea, including singing karaoke in Italian under the northern lights, riding 20 foot waves in the North Atlantic, soaking in a make-shift wire-basket-and-tarp-pool on the deck of a ship in the Gulf of Mexico and getting drenched in monsoon squalls and thunderstorms in the Bay of Bengal. Being out there, fully immersed in the elements, helps me gain a better understanding of the things I’m studying and makes it easier to understand the data we collect.

en: Are there any role models or mentors who have helped you along the way?

KB: Too many to name them all! I have been very fortunate to be surrounded by many great teachers, fellow students and friends that I look up to. A special shout out to my advisors, Jen and Luca. They took a chance on me when I started graduate school mid-pandemic in the fall of 2020, and I was stuck in Sweden without a U.S. visa for a year and a half doing graduate school remotely with a nine-hour time difference. They both embody the kind of scientist I want to be, one that people respect and appreciate, not just for their expertise, but perhaps even more so for being a genuinely good person. 

en: What are some of the challenges you face as a student?

KB: As a PhD candidate, the lines between you and your work can sometimes get a bit blurred. There’s always more work to do and it can be challenging to deal with imposter syndrome when you are surrounded by experts while you’re still working on becoming one. 

One of the best pieces of advice I got when starting graduate school is to treat it like a job, a somewhat strange job, but a job nonetheless. That means identifying the boundaries between you and your work and not being afraid to close your laptop on evenings and weekends (you don’t get paid to work 24/7). It also means making use of “business skills” like project management, identifying deliverables, and practicing communication and teamwork. Doing science is often romanticized as all “great thinkers” solving problems on their own, boundless curiosity and groundbreaking discoveries every week. In reality, it’s more like…a regular job. Sometimes it’s great fun, and sometimes it’s a bit of a slog, and learning how to handle all of it I think will serve you well.

As for battling imposter syndrome, I have a Post-it note on my desk that says “I just haven’t learned this yet” and I think that’s a useful reframing.

en: What are your plans post-Scripps?

KB: I want to do a postdoc somewhere I get to work with good people and do useful science. Even though a PhD is a long endeavor, I do think there are aspects of what it means to be a researcher that you’re only exposed to once you’ve earned your degree, and I want to stay in academia for that. However, I also love science communication and teaching, and I would not be surprised if in a few years I find myself in a role where I get to bridge the multiple worlds of science in academia, industry and media. 

You can find Bergentz on Instagram @kerstinbergentz, and the Multiscale Ocean Dynamics lab on Instagram @mod_at_scripps.