Gopika Suresh | Physical Oceanography | Best Researcher Award

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Ms. Gopika Suresh | Physical Oceanography | Best Researcher Award

PhD scholar at CSIR-NIO & Goa University, India 

Gopika Suresh is a dedicated climate and oceanographic researcher with extensive experience in ocean and atmospheric sciences. Her research explores complex aspects of tropical ocean warming, model biases, and air-sea-land interactions under the impact of climate change. With a strong academic background and a focus on climate variability, she has demonstrated a profound ability to secure research funding, publish in leading scientific journals, and present her findings at international conferences. Gopika is known for her independent research capabilities, as well as her contributions to the understanding of ocean dynamics, climate signals, and the role of tropical oceans in global climate patterns. Alongside her research, she also writes columns and news articles on climate change.

Profile

Google Scholar

Education

Gopika completed her integrated B.Sc.-M.Sc. in Climate Change Adaptation from the Academy of Climate Change Education and Research at Kerala Agricultural University, India, in 2016. Her major subjects included climate sciences, oceanography, atmospheric sciences, and environmental science. Her MSc. dissertation was conducted at CSIR-National Institute of Oceanography (CSIR-NIO), Goa, focusing on the impact of convection over the equatorial trough on Indian summer monsoon activity. Gopika is currently pursuing her Ph.D. at the CSIR-NIO and Goa University, where her research, titled “Characteristics and Mechanisms of Tropical Indian Ocean Warming Projected by Climate Models,” investigates climate model biases, air-sea interactions, and the dynamics of tropical ocean warming. Her doctoral work includes the development of a novel “Time of Detection” metric, which measures the ability of climate models to detect warming signals.

Experience

Before her Ph.D., Gopika worked as a Junior Research Fellow (JRF) and Project Assistant at CSIR-NIO, where she contributed significantly to research on ocean dynamics and climate change. As a JRF from 2020 to 2022, she focused on estimating the Time of Emergence of tropical oceans, internal variabilities, and long-term trend detection. She also explored model-observation disparities and observational coverage issues. Earlier, as a Project Assistant from 2018 to 2020, she worked on the internal variability of climate models and the Time of Emergence of Indian Ocean warming. Gopika’s research work at IIT Kharagpur and other institutes has provided foundational insights into CO2 pathways in the Indian Ocean and the monsoon onset variability in the Arabian Sea.

Research Interest

Gopika’s primary research interests include oceanographic modeling, climate change, variability, and the study of tropical oceans in the context of global warming. She is particularly interested in understanding the mechanisms driving Indian Ocean warming and its regional impacts. Her work involves using advanced climate models (such as CMIP and NEMO) to assess the effects of climate change on tropical ocean dynamics and air-sea interactions. Gopika also explores the role of ocean dynamics in shaping regional climate patterns, particularly focusing on the Indian Ocean’s contribution to global ocean warming. Additionally, she investigates the time of detection and time of emergence of anthropogenic signals in the climate system.

Award

Gopika has been recognized for her outstanding research through various awards, including the CSIR Senior Research Fellowship and the CSIR-National Eligibility Test for Lectureship. Her academic excellence has also been highlighted by her ability to secure research funding for her Ph.D. and her consistent success in publishing in top-tier scientific journals. These accomplishments reflect her dedication and significant contributions to the field of climate and oceanographic research.

Publication

  1. Gopika, S., Kwatra, S., Vialard, J., Danielli, V., Neetu, S., and Lengaigne, M. (Accepted), “Mechanisms Driving the Future Indian Ocean Warming Level and Pattern Projected by CMIP Models,” Earth’s Future.

  2. Danielli, V., Lengaigne, M., Kwatra, S., Gopika, S., and Vialard, J. (Under review), “Drivers of CMIP Tropical Pacific Warming Pattern Diversity,” Earth’s Future.

  3. Soumya, S. M., and Gopika, S. (2025), “Contrasting Historical Trends in Equatorial Indian Ocean Zonal Sea Surface Temperature Gradient in CMIP6 Models,” International Journal of Climatology.

  4. Gopika, S., Lengaigne, M., Suresh, I., Izumo, T., Kwatra, S., Neetu, S., and Vialard, J. (2024), “Assessing CMIP Models’ Ability to Detect Observed Surface Warming Signals Related to Climate Change,” Journal of Climate, 37, 6011-6027.

  5. Lengaigne, M., Pang, S., Silvy, Y., Danielli, V., Gopika, S., et al. (2024), “An Ocean-Only Framework for Correcting Future CMIP Oceanic Projections from Their Present-Day Biases,” ESS Open Archive.

  6. Anand P., Jimna Janardhanan CM, Anakha P. Nair, Suresh I., Suneel V., Gopika S., Pankajakshan Thadathil. (2023), “Role of Subsurface Layer Temperature Inversion in Cyclone-Induced Warming in the Northern Bay of Bengal,” Dynamics of Atmospheres and Oceans, 103, 101389.

  7. Gopika, S., Izumo, T., Vialard, J., Lengaigne, M., Suresh, I., and Ramesh Kumar, M. R. (2020), “Aliasing of the Indian Ocean Externally-Forced Warming Spatial Pattern by Internal Climate Variability,” Climate Dynamics, 54, 1093-1111.

Conclusion

Gopika Suresh’s expertise in climate and oceanographic research has positioned her as a rising star in the field. Her work on tropical ocean dynamics, climate variability, and model biases provides valuable insights into understanding the impacts of climate change on oceanic systems. With several publications in prestigious journals, a robust research trajectory, and recognition from academic and research communities, Gopika continues to contribute significantly to advancing the understanding of climate and oceanographic sciences. Her interdisciplinary skills, strong communication abilities, and dedication to addressing climate challenges make her an outstanding researcher in the field of climate and oceanography.