Dr Chaojiao Sun

Chaojiao is the Research Group Leader of the Ocean Dynamics and Ecosystems Group in the Coastal and Oceanic Systems Research Program at CSIRO Environment. Chaojiao completed a BSc (Hons) in Geophysics at University of Science and Technology of China, a PhD in Physical Oceanography at Oregon State University, and a Postdoctoral Fellowship at the University of California, Los Angeles.

Chaojiao has a wide range of research interests that revolve around understanding how ocean dynamics affects the climate and ecosystems and providing science-based solutions to support the blue economy. Her current research interests include the role of ocean currents and eddies in connectivity and role of climate refugia in the Great Barrier Reef, ecological forecasting, and decision support for operational forecasting of harmful algal blooms.

Chaojiao worked for about 8 years at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, where she developed methods for assimilating satellite snow observations into a NASA catchment model, and assimilating ocean observations into a global ocean model to improve seasonal prediction. Since joining CSIRO in 2008, Chaojiao has worked on ocean climate downscaling using the high-resolution BLUELink OFAM model, ocean data assimilation to improve model prediction of upwelling, numerical modelling of dredge plumes (as the theme leader and project leader of the WAMSI Dredging Science Node), and developing an early warning system for harmful algal blooms.

Chaojiao currently leads a collaborative project "A Forecasting System to Provide Early Warnings for Coastal Ecological Disasters (harmful algal blooms and harmful jellyfish blooms)" funded by the Chinese Academy of Sciences and CSIRO. Chaojiao is a member of the Working Group of the CSIRO Digital Twin, Modelling and Simulation Cross Cutting Capabilities Community of Practice which promotes modelling synergies and develop new capabilities to empower the digital transformation across CSIRO.