About me

Greetings! I am a physical oceanographer and PhD candidate at Columbia University. In my PhD, I have been employing Water Mass Transformation theory (WMT) to study the physical drivers of water mass variability using ocean and climate model data. More specifically, I have applied WMT to study:

1) the interannual variability of Weddell-Sea-derived Antarctic Bottom Water¹ (paper published here)

2) the transformation of North Atlantic Subtropical Mode Water due to eddy-induced lateral mixing in the near surface

3) the physical drivers behind the latest marine heatwave (MHW) that occurred in the Gulf of Mexico this past summer² (preprint here). I am keen to broaden this latest application of WMT to MHWs because the findings from this research can better inform fisheries management and improve their adaptation strategies to a warming ocean.

Personal notes about myself:

I am actually terrified of the ocean, but I love the application of math and physics and respect our big blue world!
I love the oudoors and staying active. Some of my favorite hobbies include camping with my two cats (Chester and Sky) and dog, Mochi. Mochi and I also love hiking!
I am grateful to be in a position where I can do science with friends. I am a member of the Caribbeans for Climate organization. It is a community created to empower and connect people with Caribbean roots who are interested in and affected by climate change.
I also find personal fulfillment in my mentoring experiences. One of my favorite programs I have had the experience to mentor in is the NSBP-HGS mentoring program. The program focuses on mentoring the next generation of scientists and increasing educational resources in physics and mathematics available to middle and high school students in Harlem, Upper Manhattan and the South Bronx.

The Weddell Sea is the primary region of Antarctic Bottom Water formation, which is the densest and coldest water in the global ocean, and comprises about 36% of the global deep ocean volume.

The MHW that occurred in the Gulf of Mexico in Summer 2023 was an unprecendented event due to the intensity of the sea surface temperature anomaly and shortwave radiation!

Ph.D., Ocean and Climate Physics, Expected 2024
M.Phil., 2021
M.A., 2020
Columbia University, New York, New York
Advisor: Ryan Abernathey

B.A., Environmental Science, 2016
Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts

Publications and Presentations

Bailey, S. T. , Jones, C. S., Abernathey, R. P., Gordon, A. L., and Yuan, X.: Water mass transformation variability in the Weddell Sea in ocean reanalyses, Ocean Sci., 19, 381–402, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-19-381-2023, 2023 .

Bailey, S. T. , Jones, C. S., Abernathey, R. P., Gordon, A. L., and Yuan, X. (2020), Water-Mass Transformation in the Weddell Gyre, Abstract HE44C-2128 presented at Ocean Sciences Meeting 2020, San Diego, CA, 16-21 Feb.

Beyond research...

I really enjoy working with students and making science accessible. I created an afterschool program, with colleagues in the department, that teaches high school students python through the subject of oceanography. It is called PyClub , and we piloted our first program virtually in Spring 2021. I also currently serve as a mentor to a high school and middle school student in the Dream + Inspire: Mentoring Future Leaders program through the HGS-NSBP . The mission is directed at increasing educational resources in physics and mathematics available to middle and high school students in Harlem, Upper Manhattan and the South Bronx.

In my free time, I spend quality time with my two cats and dog: Chester, Sky and Mochi. I also like to be outside and explore the trails with Mochi - hoping to eventually include Chester and Sky to our fun travels soon!