Dr. Anya Waite, chief executive officer and scientific director of the Ocean Frontier Institute, has been selected by the Oceanographic Society of Japan as the 2024 recipient of the Yoshida Award.
The award is granted to a researcher in recognition of their outstanding contributions to the advancement of ocean upwelling research, including physical, chemical, and biological phenomena and their effects on climate and ecosystems.
Ocean upwelling involves wind-driven movement of dense, cooler, and usually nutrient-rich water from deep water towards the ocean surface.
“Dr. Waite’s scientific achievements are immense,” says Dr. Naoto Ebuchi, president of the Oceanographic Society of Japan.
“Building on her expertise in biological oceanography, Dr. Waite has collaborated with physical and chemical oceanography colleagues and has succeeded in conducting a wide range of inter-disciplinary research topics.”
Commemorating the late Professor Kozo Yoshida, one award recipient is selected each year.
Advancing research
Dr. Waite was selected for the award based on her multidisciplinary work elucidating how mesoscale eddies impact ecosystem dynamics and biochemical processes in the Leeuwin Current region of the eastern Indian Ocean. She also studied how rock lobster larval health was controlled by the dynamics of the eddies.
Dr. Waite tracked how upwelling changed biological properties, such as plankton type, size and lipid content, and the organic carbon and nitrogen stable isotope ratio. She built a new map of the nutrient cycle, biological production, and food web structure inside mesoscale eddies.
'An honour'
“It is a true honour to be selected for the Yoshida award,” says Dr. Waite.
“The award highlights the global significance of ocean upwelling research and I look forward to continuing this important work.”
She will receive the award on September 18, 2024, during an in-person ceremony in Japan.
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