Dr Lavenia Ratnarajah
Marine Biogeochemistry, Iron and Carbon cycle, Biological Carbon Pump, Climate Change, Biogeochemical Modelling
Lecturer in Climate Science
l.ratnarajah@ucl.ac.uk | Kathleen Lonsdale, Room 113 |
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Courses Taught: | |
Research Group(s):Climate | |
Research Summary
Dr Lavenia Ratnarajah became a Lecturer in Climate Science in the department in 2025. She studies the cycling of iron and carbon in the ocean, focusing on the drivers of phytoplankton production and carbon export. Her research combines in situ observations, laboratory and field experiments, and mechanistic modelling to understand how nutrient supply—particularly iron—regulates ocean productivity and influences the strength of the biological carbon pump.
She is currently investigating the seasonal evolution of organic carbon export in the Southern Ocean using autonomous platforms such as biogeochemical Argo floats and gliders, and how ocean warming influences zooplankton-driven iron recycling and carbon fluxes. A key focus of her current research is reducing model–data mismatches by improving the representation of iron and biological processes in ocean biogeochemistry models, contributing to the advancement of Earth System Models and global carbon cycle predictions.
Lavenia is also the founder of the outreach initiative Project Empowerment via Education (E.V.E.) and is committed to inclusive science, interdisciplinary collaboration, and applying ocean research to address climate and sustainability challenges.