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Vanessa Hawkins focuses on ocean observations near glaciers as a PhD student at Oregon State University, College of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Science.

During her undergraduate work, “I learned that I gravitate toward hands-on work where I can use physics as a tool to understand our changing planet, a topic I’m passionate about,” she says. “I decided to study physical oceanography at OSU, where I work with an incredible team to take ocean observations near glaciers.” She is a second year ARCS scholar at Oregon State University, College of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Science.

Vanessa explains her research:
"Glacial melt, especially from the Greenland Ice Sheet, contributes to sea level rise. Since Greenland’s glaciers flow into the ocean, it is thought that currents can affect how the glacier ice melts beneath the ocean surface. It is difficult to test this with ocean observations near glaciers because large (house-sized!) chunks of ice can fall off at any moment. There are often floating icebergs that prevent us from approaching the glacier in a large research vessel.

I study ocean currents at a glacier in southeast Alaska (Xeitl Sit’ / LeConte Glacier), which is thought to behave similarly to Greenland’s glaciers. When you approach this glacier from the research vessel, it stands about 150 to 200 feet above the ocean surface, and the ice extends over 500 feet deep. A substantial amount of rainwater and surface melt water drains into the ocean. Since this fresh water is much lighter than the heavy, salty ocean water, it forms a rising current called a “buoyant plume.” Under the water, this plume looks like a smokestack rising along the ice face.

It is difficult and dangerous to approach the glacier closely, so we use a fleet of robotic drifting instruments to study the buoyant plume. From our research vessel we release three to five drifters from about 1,000 feet away. The drifters measure ocean temperature, salinity and velocity, which I use in my research to understand how the water transforms as the drifters journey through the current. We have not been able to study buoyant plume dynamics with this kind of instrument before. We hope to learn about small-scale mixing and how it varies in the plume over space and time.

Our project at Xeitl Sit’ involves observational oceanographers, engineers and modelers at Oregon State University, University of Washington and North Carolina Chapel Hill. Expeditions happen in the summer. Our team spent two weeks on a research vessel in July 2024 and 2025.

It is challenging to take ocean measurements near glaciers because ice breaking off the glacier unpredictably. Sometimes our plans need to adjust because of bad weather, too much ice cover or malfunctioning instruments. It’s important to be flexible, alert and work as a team."

Vanessa is a second year ARCS scholar and her award donors are Lara Ogg and Alexa Cunningham.

Earth Day will be observed April 22nd.