Katy Sheen

Dr. Katy Sheen

Associate Professor in Marine Science

Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences

University of Exeter

An experienced sea-going oceanographer, her research explores the

physics of our oceans and atmosphere. She has pioneered acoustic

methods to capture ocean flows deep below the surface layers – flows

that span tens of kms to microscale mixing. Such methods will help to

better understand how the oceans harness energy from the winds and

tides to distribute properties such as the heat, carbon and nutrients

across the globe. Her expertise also spans mapping marine plastic

transport, ocean-atmosphere carbon exchange, and rainfall variability in

sub-Saharan Africa. Through her work, she is passionate about

improving our understanding of climate variability and the health of the

marine biosphere.

Katy completed her undergraduate and PhD at the University of

Cambridge. Before taking up her lectureship at Exeter, she worked as a

researcher at the University of Southampton and the Met Office Hadley

Centre for Climate Science and Services. Katy currently holds a

prestigious UKRI Future Leaders Fellowship and is Principal

Investigator on a NERC Exploring the Frontiers grant. To date, she has

raised over £ 4.3 million of grant income.

Committed to wider ocean stewardship, Katy is the UK delegate for

International Association for the Physical Sciences of the Oceans and

committee member of the International Union of Geodesy and

Geophysics and Exeter University marine research networks. She has

also co-edited and acted as reviewer for oceanographic and climate

journals.

She has a passion for sharing her knowledge and nurturing and

inspiring future ocean scientists. She leads an active team of PhD

students and post-doctoral researchers and has supervised several

MSc and ~30 undergraduate dissertations. Previous roles include

Programme Director for Exeter’s Marine Science BSc, college Widening

Participation Office, and the development of several undergraduate

courses. Katy has given many public engagement talks and had her

research showcased in the international media and press (iNews,

Science Daily & radio interviews). Committed to sharing ideas and

empowering women in science, Katy is honoured to be part of the TEDx

Porthtowen Women organisational team.