Benson Ossai
Graduate Students
Graduate Program in Oceanography
Graduate Student
DMCS room 304
Research interests

I find physical oceanography fascinating because of its diverse and interdisciplinary topics such as the impact of ocean temperature variations on fisheries, sea level rise, sea surface winds and waves, ocean surface currents, sea ice, etc. I seek to understand the interactions between Estuary and Coastal systems. In particular, I am interested in how tidally forced saltwater intrusion in Estuaries during extreme droughts could impact the quality of drinking water. I hope to use a combination of field, lab, and numerical methods in investigating the physical dynamics of Estuary and Coastal systems. I am also interested in how freshwater coming from high-latitude -Arctic and Greenland Ice Sheets could be affecting the North Atlantic circulation and how this would impact our climate.

 

Short history

I grew up in a coastal community in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria where I often go fishing. In my early years, I always wonder how and what makes vessels float on water without sinking. This curiosity led me to study marine engineering at undergraduate level. After my final undergraduate exams, I continued working at the Center for Maritime and Offshore Studies, Federal University of Petroleum Resources Effurun as a research assistant where I got involved in research that deals with studying the ocean to bridge the gap between marine sciences and engineering. When I am out of work, I enjoy playing soccer, traveling, and camping.

 

Education

2019, B.Eng., Marine Engineering, Federal University of Petroleum Resources Effurun, Nigeria.

2023 – Present, PhD Student, Graduate Program in Oceanography, Rutgers University.