Dr Shubha Sathyendranath

Shubha Sathyendranath has some 40 years’ experience in the field of marine optics and remote sensing of ocean colour. Her interests include bio-optical properties of phytoplankton, marine primary production, biological-physical feedbacks in the ocean, phytoplankton phenology, ecological provinces in the ocean, water-borne infectious diseases, development of algorithms for remote-sensing of phytoplankton and the use of ocean-colour data in climate studies.

Her many scientific contributions have been recognized in the Grande Médaille Albert 1er of Monaco and A.G. Huntsman Award for Excellence in the Marine Sciences. She has devoted considerable effort to capacity building in developing countries, for which she has received the UNESCO/IOC Pannikkar Memorial Medal. She has been a Fellow of the Marine Biological Association of UK since 2020,and she is the current chair of the IOCCG. She has received national honours: She is Chevalier of the Order of Cultural Merit, Monaco (2022) and Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) (2023).

Dr Sathyendranath’s research interests include ocean colour modelling, spectral characteristics of light penetration underwater, bio-optical properties of phytoplankton, modelling primary production, bio-geochemical cycles in the sea, climate change, biological-physical interactions in the marine system, ecological provinces in the sea, ecological indicators and phytoplankton functional types.

Notable achievements

2023: Dr Shubha Sathyendranath appointed MBE in the King’s Birthday Honours
2022: Dr Sathyendranath awarded the Knight of the Order of Cultural Merit
2021: A.G. Huntsman Medal for Dr Shubha Sathyendranath

Key Projects

• Primary Production Parameters from Space (ESA Project)
• PAR for Primary Production (ESA Project)