People

Donglai Gong

Principal Investigator · Associate Professor

Donglai is an observational physical oceanographer studying the dynamical interactions between the coastal and open ocean at mid-latitude and polar regions. He leads C4PO’s field programs, which use autonomous underwater gliders and other uncrewed platforms to observe ocean processes from the Mid-Atlantic Bight to the Arctic and the Nordic Seas.

Laur Ferris

Assistant Research Scientist

Laur is an oceanographer focusing on geophysical fluid dynamics and glider-based ocean observations, including ocean turbulence and submesoscale dynamics in the Southern Ocean and beyond.

Jack Slater

Marine Scientist

Jack is the lab’s operational lead, conducting glider operations and sensor development while pursuing an M.S. in Marine Science.

Ricardo Bourdon

Ph.D. Student

Ricardo is a Master’s Bypass Ph.D. student studying mixing dynamics in the Nordic Seas as part of the NORSE project.

Jonathan Williams

M.S. Student

Jonathan is an M.S. student in Marine Science at VIMS.

Where they went Alumni

Haixing (Daniel) Wang

Ph.D. Student · 2015–2021

Now: Scientist, Berkshire Hathaway

Daniel completed his Ph.D. in 2021 studying submarine canyons in the Mid-Atlantic Bight.

Fiona Gordon

Undergraduate Research Assistant · 2023–2024

Now: Field Test Engineer, Anduril

Fiona earned her physics degree from William & Mary while assisting with lab field operations and data analysis.

Anthea Empson

Undergraduate Research Assistant · 2021–2022

Now: Design Engineer

Anthea assisted with glider operations and data processing while completing her physics degree at William & Mary.

Jeanna Hudson

Lab Operations Manager · 2015–2020

Now: VCU School of Nursing

Jeanna managed lab operations and field logistics, and holds an M.S. from VIMS.

James Guymon

Undergraduate Research Assistant

Now: Graduate student in engineering, UC Berkeley

James assisted with lab research as an undergraduate and recently began graduate school in engineering at the University of California, Berkeley.

Research experiences Undergraduate interns

Kelsey BarberREU Intern · 2020Impacts of wind on ocean circulation in the Mackenzie Canyon region of the Beaufort Sea — an observational study using underwater gliders
Marta FaulknerREU Intern · 2018Characterizing the transport pathways and the storage of freshwater in the western Arctic Ocean through a HYCOM-based drifter studyNow: Ph.D. student, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
Danya AbdelHameidUndergraduate Research Assistant · 2017–2018Investigating autumn circulation and transport in the western Arctic Ocean
Jacob GunnarsonW&M Undergraduate Intern · 2017Glider investigation of the eastern Beaufort Sea
Lev LooneyREU Intern · 2016Dominant driver of interannual and decadal variability in salinity of the Mid-Atlantic Bight
James BrownREU Intern · 2015Investigating cross-shelf exchange at the Mid-Atlantic Bight
Brody MarinoW&M Undergraduate Intern · 2014Studying the coupling between sea surface temperature and tropical storms in the North Atlantic
Hunter WinecoffW&M Undergraduate Intern · 2014Navigation of autonomous underwater vehicles using onboard hydrographic sensors and the World Ocean Atlas
Lizzie WallaceREU Intern · 2014Interannual and decadal variability in temperature and salinity in the Mid-Atlantic Bight and Georges Bank from 1977 to 2013
Paige StuhlmullerW&M Monroe Scholar · 2014Exploring the exchange flow between the Chesapeake Bay and the continental shelves using the Chesapeake Bay Operational Forecast System
Dylan DrakeW&M Undergraduate Intern · 2013Navigation of autonomous underwater vehicles using bathymetry dataNow: TMW Center for Early Learning + Public Health, Chicago
Lauren Kelly NecoREU Intern · 2013Volume transport and properties of Pacific Water along the Chukchi–Beaufort shelfbreak and through Barrow Canyon