Alfredo Aretxabaleta , PhD
(He/Him)Alfredo (he/him/él) serves as a Research and Equipment Development Grade Evaluation (RGE-EDGE) Senior Scientist in the Office of Science Quality and Integrity. Previously, he worked as an Oceanographer at the Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center.
Alfredo joined the USGS Office of Science Quality and Integrity (OSQI) in 2023 first as a Staff Scientist and then as an RGE-EDGE Senior Scientist. Previously, Alfredo’s research mainly focused on processes controlling water level in coastal environments, sediment transport, and estuarine dynamics. Alfredo received a Ph.D. in Marine Sciences from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. His research interests include:
- Water Level Dynamics: Investigating the processes controlling water levels in coastal environments, including tidal effects, storm events, and sea level rise.
- Sediment Transport: Focusing on sediment dynamics, especially during storm events, and how this impacts coastal evolution.
- Numerical Modeling: Utilizing models to simulate and predict coastal ocean processes, such as wave dynamics, sediment transport, and the interaction between ocean and atmosphere.
- Total Water Level and Coastal Change Forecasting: Developing and implementing systems for predicting water levels and the probability of waves impacting coastal regions, aiding in the preparation and response to coastal hazards.
- Development of the SMOS Satellite to Measure Ocean Salinity: Involvement in the development of the Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity (SMOS) satellite, which measured salinity in the oceans.
- Particle Dynamics in the Coastal Ocean: Examining particle dynamics, including biophysical interactions, to understand the movement and behavior of particles in coastal environments, with applications such as the dynamics of harmful algal blooms in coastal waters.
- Diversity and Mentoring in Geosciences: Promoting diversity and providing mentorship within the geoscience community, emphasizing the importance of inclusive practices in scientific research.
Professional Experience
2024-present: RGE-EDGE Senior Scientist, Office of Science Quality and Integrity, U.S. Geological Survey
2023-2024: Staff Scientist, Office of Science Quality and Integrity, U.S. Geological Survey
2016-2023: Oceanographer, Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center, U.S. Geological Survey
2010-2016: Scientific Programmer, Contractor, Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center, U.S. Geological Survey
2007-2010: Post-doctoral Researcher, Instituto de Ciencias del Mar – CSIC, Barcelona, Spain
2006-2007: Post-doctoral Investigator, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
2005-2006: Post-doctoral Researcher, Department of Marine Sciences, UNC Chapel Hill
Education and Certifications
Ph.D. Marine Sciences (Physical Oceanography), University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 2005
B.S. Marine Sciences, Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, 1998