Showcasing Postdoctoral Scholars at Scripps

Postdoctoral scholars across the United States are gearing up to celebrate the 15th annual National Postdoc Appreciation Week. Observed by the National Postdoctoral Association from Sept. 16-20, 2024, the week shines a light on the significant contributions that postdoctoral scholars, often referred to as “postdocs,” make to research and discovery in the U.S.  

At Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego, postdoctoral scholars play a vital role in advancing research to understand our planet and address environmental challenges. Postdoctoral positions are typically between one and three years, and are designed to provide researchers with the necessary training, mentorship, and experience for academic or research careers. After completing a PhD, graduates often consider taking time as a postdoctoral scholar working under a mentor or within a research group. Postdoctoral roles are intended to prepare scholars for positions as principal investigators or junior faculty members and often involve mentoring, teaching, and grant writing.

Scripps Oceanography currently hosts 124 postdoctoral scholars on campus, supported by institutional funding, grants, awards, and individual fellowships. The Scripps Institutional Postdoctoral Program is the primary institutional fellowship, providing funding for an array of research projects in fields such as oceans and atmosphere, marine biology, and earth science. The position is recruited annually, and applications for the 2025 program are expected to open this fall. 

At the University of California level, the President’s Postdoctoral Fellowship Program supports exceptional women and minority PhD recipients in advancing academic careers at the UC by providing postdoctoral research fellowships, professional development, and faculty mentorship.

In celebration of National Postdoc Appreciation Week 2024, we asked several Scripps postdocs to share their research, how they got where they are today, and their advice for the transition from a PhD to their current role.

Or Ben-Zvi 

Smith Lab - Marine Biology Research Division | Jaffe Lab - Marine Physical Laboratory 

What are you researching at Scripps in your role as a postdoctoral scholar? 

My research has always focused on the physiology and photosynthesis of benthic marine organisms, particularly corals. I initially joined Scripps to work with research oceanographer Jules Jaffe and marine ecologist Jennifer Smith in testing a new underwater microscope capable of imaging fluorescence and measuring coral photosynthesis in situ, the biological process of converting dissolved inorganic carbon into organic carbon. This project broadened my interest to encompass general marine photosynthesis and seaweeds. While continuing my work on coral photophysiology with the Jaffe lab, I am currently part of a team in the Smith lab studying Asparagopsis taxiformis, a unique red seaweed that has potential to mitigate global climate change due to its biochemical compounds that can reduce methane emissions from cows when incorporated into their diet as a supplement.

Why did you choose to come to Scripps for this research?

Scripps Institution of Oceanography is known to be one of the best places for studying marine science. Fortunately, a mix of perfect timing, my experience with corals and photophysiology, and some strong references led to my recruitment for this project.

How did you become interested in this field?

I have been studying corals for over a decade, a passion that began when I started diving. My fascination with corals deepened when I learned about the mystery of their glowing colors, a phenomenon known as coral fluorescence. Curious about the role of fluorescence, I began investigating coral photosymbionts, or microalgae that live inside coral tissue. As one hypothesis suggests, this unique glow enhances their photosynthesis. However, many of my questions remained unanswered due to the limited underwater technology available. When I had the opportunity to work with an advanced underwater tool that could further our understanding of corals, I was thrilled. As I delved deeper into photosynthesis through this project, my interest naturally expanded to seaweed, the photosynthesizers themselves, and I found their potential to mitigate climate change both appealing and crucial.

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

Mentoring is a significant part of my current position, for which I am very grateful. As someone who is constantly learning while expanding my knowledge of seaweed, I find this shared learning journey with my team members highly rewarding. Another exciting and enjoyable aspect of my work is the opportunity to travel to incredible and pristine coral reefs that I once could only imagine, and these trips made me advocate even more strongly for the importance of coral conservation.

Do you have any advice to share on how to navigate the transition from PhD to postdoctoral scholar?

Be prepared for a serious shift in mindset. This is an important transition to becoming an independent researcher, so take a deep breath, come prepared with goals and a plan (amazing how quickly time goes by during a postdoc), and seize the many opportunities offered to learn new things outside your comfort zone.

You can find Or Ben-Zvi on Instagram @orbzvi and on X @orbzvi.

Filipe Pereira

Marine Physics Laboratory | Multiscale Ocean Dynamics 

What are you researching at Scripps in your role as a postdoctoral scholar?

I study the intersection of ocean physics and biogeochemistry, focusing on phytoplankton ecology. At Scripps, I’m investigating the feedback between biogeochemistry and ocean physics in the context of harmful algal blooms (HABs). A key aspect is how sunlight, or shortwave radiation, warms the ocean, affecting its stratification—how density varies with depth. I'm particularly interested in the role of the chlorophyll present in phytoplankton in attenuating light and therefore absorption of the sun’s energy and heating. Since HABs have high chlorophyll concentrations, this effect could be significant. My goal is to determine if these changes in light absorption by the chlorophyll concentration in seawater impact ocean stratification enough to influence the persistence of red tides. Stratified waters are crucial for the development of these massive blooms, so understanding this interaction could shed light on the ecological consequences of HABs and help in predicting and managing these events.

Why did you choose to come to Scripps for this research?

The institution possesses an outstanding combination of experts across numerous disciplines, which is invaluable for interdisciplinary research like mine. Having access to this network of people has been an amazing experience. Additionally, the group I joined, the Multiscale Ocean Dynamics (MOD) group, develops cutting-edge ocean monitoring technology and provides data at the resolution I need to answer my research questions effectively. And of course, the beautiful weather in San Diego and the stunning views from the Scripps campus make it an even more enjoyable place.

How did you become interested in this field?

I grew up watching nature documentaries and have always been intrigued by how our planet works. I wanted to be a biologist as a kid and started college as a biological sciences major. However, when I learned about oceanography and its interdisciplinary nature, I switched majors to oceanography and developed an interest in physical oceanography. This allowed me to pursue the intersection between physical and biological oceanography, which has been a fulfilling way to satisfy my childhood curiosity about planet Earth.

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

I love combining and testing data from observations and models to answer scientific questions. Being at sea on research cruises, traveling to distant places, and interacting with people are aspects of my work that I truly enjoy. In the office, developing models and working through the frustration of broken code, only to eventually make it work, is incredibly exciting. For me, it's the thrill of solving puzzles that defines the most exciting part of my work.

Do you have any advice to share on how to navigate the transition from PhD to postdoctoral scholar?

I’m still figuring it out. The transition has been dramatic, with a steep learning curve as I learn how to become an independent researcher, capable of having my own ideas and finding ways to make them happen. If I could offer one piece of advice, I strongly encourage people to find mentors who are genuinely invested in your success. I’ve had an extraordinary experience so far and feel like my mentors truly want me to gain as much as possible from my time as a postdoctoral scholar.

You can find Filipe Pereira on Instagram @lipocean.

Brendan Talwar

Semmens Lab

What are you researching at Scripps in your role as a postdoctoral scholar? 

I study fish and fisheries in support of sustainable fishing. I primarily focus on reducing the accidental capture of non-targeted species, such as sharks, but have recently pivoted to support collaborative efforts to assess the concentrations and movements of pollutants in Southern California's marine ecosystems. In that role, I am working with a wonderful team of technicians and students in the Semmens Lab to quantify pollutants, such as DDT, in commercially important fish species. I hope that this research ultimately benefits both wildlife and the people who depend on it, from fishers to consumers.  

Why did you choose to come to Scripps for this research?

After visiting San Diego for a wedding at the Martin Johnson House at Scripps many years ago, I knew that Scripps was where I wanted to be. Scripps is one of the world's leading marine research institutions in one of the world's most beautiful cities. 

How did you become interested in this field?

I grew up loving animals and swimming in any and every body of water. I was born and raised in Kentucky and green tree frogs, turtles, fishes, cats, and dogs all made their way into our house at some point or another. This led to a natural love of the outdoors and wildlife, which evolved into a passion for solving problems facing species of conservation concern. With guidance and support from some incredible mentors along the way, I developed an understanding of various paths towards that end, including outreach, education, research, and policy. I've bounced between them ever since and am finding applied research with a dash of teaching to be a fantastic mix for the time being.

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

My favorite moments always involve sharing wildlife encounters with students. Nothing is better than seeing someone's fear dissolve into a wide smile after they jump into shark-filled waters. 

Do you have any advice to share on how to navigate the transition from PhD to postdoctoral scholar?

Take a moment to breathe. The end of a PhD is a challenging time that often follows years of very intense, focused work. Take a few weeks off, find some work-life balance for once, then get back to it when you're ready. 

Check out Brendan Talwar’s website.

Johannes West

Schartup Lab

What are you researching at Scripps in your role as a postdoctoral scholar?

I research the partitioning between different forms of the heavy metal mercury in water. While mercury is toxic in all forms, some are more problematic than others. In particular, one type of mercury called monomethyl-mercury can end up in high concentrations in the fish and seafood we eat. Therefore, the overarching purpose of my work is to learn how much mercury will be around in the different chemical forms. To do this, I perform experiments to measure transformations between the various forms of mercury under different conditions. I also improve the methods we use to measure a certain type of mercury in water. 

Why did you choose to come to Scripps for this research?

It was a perfect match for me because my current principal investigator, geoscientist Amina Schartup, shares my research interests and allowed me to join her team. Her laboratory has the resources I need for my research, including analytical instruments for mercury analysis and mass spectrometers. Scripps also offers many opportunities for collaboration, and if you need expertise on something or require a particular tool or utensil, it is likely that someone can help you. My PhD focused on mechanistic experiments in the laboratory, and as a geoscientist at heart, I was missing the fieldwork component of my work. In this sense, working at Scripps is perfect, as I get many chances to go on research cruises.

How did you become interested in this field?

I was introduced to mercury through my graduate studies, and I am glad I was! Mercury science is a special field since mercury is so weird: This metal can exist as a gas, liquid, and solid, and can transform between different phases and reservoirs. That means mercury can go in and out of the atmosphere and travel far from its emission source. This is a problem because of the risks of mercury toxicity, making it hard to calculate the effects of human mercury emissions. From the research point of view, it is inspiring for me how scientists from different disciplines—chemists, microbiologists, geologists, data scientists, modelers, etc.—come together to work on common research questions. Mercury is also special regarding the tools we have available to study it. For instance, it has seven stable isotopes, which we can use to learn about the movement of mercury between forms and reservoirs. 

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

Doing the ‘firsts’ in science! Method development can be very frustrating and a high-risk endeavor. However, the prospects of getting information from a new source or discovering a new chemical pathway are unbeatable. Sitting by the instrument computer after an exhausting experiment and seeing new and exciting data being generated before your eyes is exhilarating to me. 

Do you have any advice to share on how to navigate the transition from PhD to postdoctoral scholar?

Be prepared that the nature of your work will change. In my case, I went from mainly working on one project to helping out or collaborating on many projects simultaneously. This change can be stressful, but it makes sense as the time as a postdoc represents a step between a graduate student and a faculty position. It is important to delegate to manage time. Asking others to help is not bad, and they will likely learn from working with you.

You can find Johannes West on Instagram @west.johannes and X @west_johannes.

Yao Yu

Sandwell Lab 

What are you researching at Scripps in your role as a postdoctoral scholar?

My research is at the interface of small-scale ocean dynamics and the seafloor. I explore questions such as: “What ocean activities occur at small scales?” and “How does the seafloor influence small-scale ocean dynamics?” I am currently focused on the Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) mission, which measures water height with incredible detail. Recently, I worked with Scripps geophysicist David Sandwell and Gerald Dibarboure from the French Space Agency to produce remarkable results on marine gravity. Merely one year of SWOT data provides a more detailed marine gravity map, revealing intricate tectonic features, compared to using 30 years of data from traditional satellite altimetry, using a satellite to measure the height of the earth's surface. This work was featured on the French website AVISO. As a Schmidt AI in Science Postdoctoral Fellow, I apply AI to research, and I am excited to use a physics-informed neural network model to predict a high-resolution seafloor map. The Sandwell Lab has a long and reputable history of producing seafloor maps and we are excited to explore new methods. Using SWOT data, I just started a project tracking ocean eddies, circular currents that have broken off from the main current.

Why did you choose to come to Scripps for this research?

I completed my PhD at Scripps under David Sandwell and physical oceanographer Sarah Gille. I stayed in the Sandwell Lab to continue my work as a postdoc. At Scripps, we have scientists from all career stages and all areas—oceanography, geophysics, coastal estuaries, marine biology, and ice—working on SWOT-related science. I hosted a one-day workshop in July 2024 funded by the Earth Section at Scripps to bring the Scripps community together and talk about SWOT-related science. It was really fun! I feel very lucky to be able to do science with the brightest minds and work in such a supportive environment.

How did you become interested in this field?

I like physics and it is enjoyable for me to study the physics of the earth in general. We are fortunate to have a wealth of observational data, which provides us with opportunities to explore a wide range of interesting topics.

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

I am very excited about the SWOT mission. The data is so good that we are producing some really remarkable results and making scientific findings.

Do you have any advice to share on how to navigate the transition from PhD to postdoctoral scholar?

Being a postdoctoral scholar is a transitional and temporary stage meant to prepare you for a more stable position in the future. If you are on the academic track, here is my advice:

1. Choose your advisor wisely. A good advisor is not just a good research mentor but can also provide you with the resources and opportunities that you need during the postdoc stage.
2. Try your best to publish papers and apply for grants; maximize your visibility by giving presentations and hosting workshops and conference sessions. Take on big, challenging topics, and be proud of your work!

You can find Yao Yu on Instagram @yaoyu.9404. 

Visit the postdoctoral scholar pages for UC San Diego and Scripps Institution of Oceanography for more information on postdoctoral opportunities and resources.