What is the Science of Surfing?
As an oceanographer, my professional writing is deeply rooted in research, where each statement requires solid evidence. This approach provides a helpful structure but can also be limiting due to its rigorous nature.
Here, I explore oceanic topics and surf-related science more freely. I'll cover subjects ranging from wave dynamics to marine life, from the impact of climate change on surf breaks to the difference in surf wax temperatures. While I'll link to original sources for figures and suggest further reading, I'm avoiding extensive citations. My aim is to write more openly about my, and hopefully your, oceanic curiosities.
Each Monday morning, I'll share an article centered on a single question, drawing upon a few key oceanographic or related scientific concepts. The goal is to offer easily digestible explanations of surf-related phenomena. I hope you'll find these weekly insights both informative and engaging. Who knows, maybe it’ll help you do an air or something.
Who am I?
I am a physicist-turned-oceanographer through surfing. Currently, I am working on my PhD in Applied Ocean Science at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography in San Diego, California. I have a B.S. in Physics from UC Santa Barbara and a M.S. in Applied Ocean Science from Scripps.
My PhD thesis focuses on internal waves and their effects on near-shore currents and turbulence along the coast in San Diego.
At Scripps, I have supported various projects, including: shallow water air-sea interactions, currents and turbulence through kelp fields, sediment heat diffusion on sparsely covered coral reefs, deployment of a very large fiber optic array, and numerous dive operations.
In past positions, I have built and simulated sensors for high-energy and particle physics, photonics, quantum material science, and oceanography experiments. Every single one of those has been focused on waves of some sort.
My photography can be found on the Science of Surfing Instagram, @scienceofsurfing, and my website, kevinokun.com.
