Dr. Odilon Joël HOUNDEGNONTO
Physical Oceanographer and Environment
My background is physics, including ocean physics and climate dynamics, underpinned by a strong mathematics skill set with extensive experience using Python and Matlab for analysis. I extensively use Python Jupyter notebooks for my analyses of satellite data (e.g., sea surface salinity, sea surface temperature, sea surface height) and numerical model output (MITgcm, ECCO & NEMO) on both local and cloud compute environments. My research interests expand from understanding the ocean responses to the climate change via air-sea interaction to the global freshwater cycle (Rivers, Sea Ice & Precipitation). I love processing!!! I am very flexible and eager to discover and learn new things to strengthen my career.
Education
- • 2021. Ph.D., Physical Oceanography and Environment, University of Brest (UBO, France)
- • 2017. M.Sc., Physical Oceanography and Applications - Ocean, Atmospheric and Climate Sciences (with Honors), Univ. Toulouse 3 - UPS, France & International Chair in Mathematical Physics and Applications - ICMPA UNESCO- Chair of Université d’Abomey-Calavi - UAC, Benin
- • 2015. Maîtrise ès-sciences Physiques (equivalent of M.Sc. First year), Faculty of Sciences and Technologies (FAST), University of Abomey Calavi (UAC, Benin).
- • 2014. Licence ès-sciences Physiques (equivalent of B.Sc.), Faculty of Sciences and Technologies (FAST), University of Abomey Calavi (UAC, Benin).
- • 2013. DUES (Diplôme Universitaire d’Etude Scientifique): Physics and Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences and Technologies (FAST), University of Abomey-Calavi (UAC, Benin).
Professional Experience (
> CV)
- • JPL Postdoctoral fellow, SASSIE project, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory/Caltech, Pasadena, CA, USA (Jan. 2023-present)
- • Postdoctoral fellow, 4DAtlantic-OHC project, CNRS/UBO-LOPS - Ifremer Brest, France (2022)
- • Associate researcher at the CIPMA-UNESCO Chair, Benin (April 2022 - present)
- • PhD research task at UBO-IRD/LOPS, Brest, France (October 2018 - December 2021)
- • Data scientist - Thermosalinograph data processing at GEOMAR, Kiel, Germany (July, 2018)
- • Hydrographer on ocean research vessel on Atlantic ocean - Position: CTD, UCTD, ADCP measurements, Microstructure, Argo and Glider float deployment - R/V Meteor, cruise M148, (Belem, Brazil – Walvis Bay, Namibia, May-June, 2018)
- • Scientific research cruise on Lake Nokoué - Position: ADCP, CTD, Turbidity, Ph and, Bathymetry with echo-sounder measurements -, IRD & IRHOB, Benin (Sep., Nov. and Oct. 2017)
Research and Publications
[4] Rousseau, V., Fraudeau, R., Hammond, M., Houndegnonto, O. J., Ablain, M., Blazquez, A., Calafat, F. M., Desbruyères, D., Foti, G., Llovel, W., Marti, F., Meyssignac, B., Restano, M. & Benveniste, J., (2023), Monitoring the regional Ocean Heat Content change over the Atlantic Ocean with the space geodetic approach. Earth Syst. Sci. Data Discuss. [preprint], https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-2023-236.
[3] Houndegnonto, O. J. Analyse des variations thermohalines des échelles intra-saisonnière à saisonnière des panaches d’eau douce du Golfe de Guinée. Océanographie. Université de Bretagne Occidentale (UBO), Brest, 2021. Français. ⟨tel-03615021⟩ [Thesis manuscript] - [Presentation].
[2] Houndegnonto, O. J., Kolodziejczyk, N., Maes, C., Bourlès, B., Da-Allada, C. Y., & Reul, N. (2021), Seasonal variability of freshwater plumes in the eastern Gulf of Guinea as inferred from satellite measurements. Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans, 126, e2020JC017041. https://doi.org/10.1029/2020JC017041.
[1] Houndegnonto, O. J. (2017), Characterization of Niger and Congo rivers plumes in the Gulf of Guinea, Supervisors: Nicolas Kolodziejczyk (Université de Bretagne Occidentale – UBO/Brest, France), Casimir Da-Allada (Université Nationale des Sciences Technologies, Ingénierie et Mathématique – UNSTIM/Abomey, Benin) and, Bernard Bourlès (Institut de Recherche pour le Développement – IRD/Brest, France) [M. Sc. thesis rapport in french]
Community Service
- • Volounteer, Judge of The Doris S. Perpall SURF Speaking Award, California Institute of Technology (Caltech, Pasadena, USA) - 21st October 2023
- • Volounteer, Judge of The Vodopia-Hasson Summer Poster Competition, California Institute of Technology (Caltech, Pasadena, USA) - 24th August 2023
- • Spokesperson for non-permanent researchers on the board and scientific college of LOPS - from 2020 to 2021
Honors and Awards
- • Loreatate of Make Our Planet Great Again (MOPGA) program, French President Mr. Emmanuel Macron initiative for the climate (July, 2018).
- • Major of the 2016-2017 Promotion of the Master 2 Physical Oceanography and Application - OPA, UAC/ICMPA, UNESCO-Chair.
