Dr. John Joseph Cullen
Oceanography

Breaking new ground in ocean data collection

No matter where you are, the evening news has a pretty standard format. Breaking stories first, human interest next, a bit of sports and then the weather report. In the future, Dr. John Cullen expects an ocean forecast will be added to that mix — one that, through computer animation, provides real-time tracking of storm surges, strong currents and blooms of plants life in the sea.

Like the weather report, an ocean forecast would be based on predictions of computer models. In order to accurately predict, you must first have reliable, comprehensive data from which to anticipate the future. To further complicate the process, the data would have to contain measurements from the ocean's entire ecosystem — biological, physical and chemical. All three are interrelated within the marine environment.

To date, getting these measurements has proven time-consuming, expensive and intermittent. This is because the traditional methods developed over the last 80 years involve people going out and physically taking measurements.

Cullen and his team are developing an innovative system for measuring that will revolutionize the data-collection process. They have established a Marine Environmental Prediction System that uses automated tools to take measurements from moorings and satellites, for direct use in simulations of the ocean. They hope to enhance the system with robotic sensors that stay in the ocean for months and "talk to us" upon request.

"We have systems that can measure all day and night over an extended period of time, allowing us to have reliable and relevant data," says Cullen.

This has hugely positive implications for safer navigation. Warnings of storm surges and harmful algal blooms (red tides) could mitigate the impact on coastal communities and aquaculture farms. Climate change, currents, sea level, water temperature and sea life become much easier to study and interpret.

While it might be hard for an Atlantic Canadian to grasp, Cullen says "although the planet is about 70 per cent ocean, it's been pretty much invisible to us." But that is changing. "Now we can see it continuously, and can understand how the ocean works, like we do the weather on land.

"We have more detailed maps of the moon's surface than we do of the ocean's bottom. As our research progresses, we hope this will change."

(Source: Outfront Magazine, Spring 2006)

Killam Chair in Ocean Studies
Oceanography

Education

• 1974, A.B., Honors in Biology, General College Honors, Valedictorian (Cowell College), University of California, Santa Cruz
• 1980, Doctor of Philosophy, Biological Oceanography, University of  California, San Diego, Scripps Institution of Oceanography

Research interests

• Phytoplankton processes
• Optical measurements
• Ultraviolet radiation

Professional affiliations

• The Oceanography Society
• American Society of Limnology and Oceanography
• American Geophysical Union
• Phycological Society of America

Publications
Dr. Cullen is a highly cited researcher. He has published numerous journal articles and has also worked as a reviewer for dozens of publications. As well, he has served on the editorial boards of the Journal of Marine Studies (1990-96), Journal of Plankton Research (1990-04), and the Journal of Phycology (1999-2001)

Awards and recognition

• Editor’s Citation for Excellence in Refereeing, Journal of Geophysical Research - Oceans, 1993.
• Luigi Provasoli Award for Outstanding Publication in Journal of Phycology, 1996.
• Killam Professor of Oceanography, Dalhousie University, 2000-2005.
• Killam Chair in Ocean Studies, Dalhousie University, 2006-2010.
• ISI Highly Cited Researcher 2004 -.
• Member, Faculty of 1000 Biology: Ecosystem Ecology section of the Ecology Faculty (2005-).
• Fellow of The Oceanography Society, 2005.

Webpage

Faculty page, Department of Oceanography

E-mail: Dr. John Cullen