PaCE-SD

Staff Details

Dr. Awnesh Singh (PhD, France)  

Associate Professor / Acting Director

PaCE-SD Administration Building, USP Marine Campus

E: awnesh.singh@usp.ac.fj

P: +679 3232666

Dr. Awnesh Singh is an Associate Professor and currently the Acting Director of the Pacific Centre for Environment and Sustainable Development (PaCE-SD) at The University of the South Pacific (USP) and based in Suva, Fiji. Dr. Singh is a physical oceanographer by training and has a PhD in Ocean, Atmosphere and Continental Surface from the University of Toulouse III Paul Sabatier in France. His scientific interests are in El Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO) dynamics, tropical cyclones, coastal hydrodynamics, climate dynamics, ocean colour remote sensing, and modelling. He is passionate about building capacity in the region, especially in the area of quantitative data analysis. He teaches postgraduate courses in physical oceanography, tropical meteorology, climate science, and research projects in climate change at PaCE-SD. He supervisors several Masters and Doctoral students both at USP and international universities. He is the founder and coordinator of the long running weekly PaCE-SD Seminar Series at USP.

PC415: Climate Science

This course provides important insights into the rapidly developing and fast moving realm of climate science among the future climate leaders of the Pacific to understand the scientific basis of the threats of the impacts of CC to develop appropriate measures to address and manage the challenges of the adverse impacts. This course navigates through new scientific evidences on our current scientific understanding of the earth’s climate including those which point at important tipping points leading to perhaps irreversible changes in major systems and ecosystems. The course also provides adequate skill in climatology of the region and the tools/methodology applied in the analyses and is thus useful for those intending to work with national meteorological services or other government agencies.

PC420: Research Project in Climate Change

The course is suitable for students who want to do a short research project in climate science, climate finance, tropical meteorology, physical oceanography, disaster risk management, food security, environment impact assessment, climate change impacts, vulnerability and adaptation and ecosystem-based adaptation at the postgraduate level. The course is tailored to the individual students’ requirements and is designed as an opportunity to work on a particular research topic. Students are required to do an independent research project, which includes a major report and seminar. Before registering for this course, students must first seek out a supervisor, obtain their agreement to provide supervision, and be assigned a research topic.

PC428: Tropical Meteorology 

The course provides and in-depth study of tropical atmospheric dynamics and processes. The course will cover atmospheric general circulation; the structure and behavior of weather systems; development, displacement and intensification of weather systems; key characteristics of the tropical atmosphere including convection, boundary layer processes, local and diurnal weather phenomena, mesoscale tropical systems, tropical storm structure, and energetics, and tropical cyclone development. The course is designed to provide a quantitative in depth understanding of key atmospheric processes and dynamics central to climate change in the region. It is an ideal course for students studying climate change science or interested in weather forecasting.

PC430: Advanced Physical Oceanography

The course provides an in-depth study of the physical ocean including ocean dynamics and processes. The course will cover physical properties of seawater, ocean structure, waves and tides, observational and data analysis methods, ocean dynamics and air-sea interactions. The course is designed to provide a quantitative in-depth understanding of key oceanographic processes and dynamics. It is an ideal course for students interested in climate variability, tropical meteorology, oceanographic processes, ocean/atmosphere interaction and climate change. Once mastered, the skills acquired from this course will be sufficient to enable a person to do basic oceanographic research and write scientific reports.

Chandra, A., N. Keenlyside, L. Svendsen, A. Singh (2024), Processes driving subseasonal variations of upper Ocean Heat Content in the equatorial Indian Ocean, Journal of Geophysical Research – Oceans, 129, e2023JC020074, https://doi.org/10.1029/2023JC020074. [link]

Dupouy, C., A. Whiteside, J. Tan, G. Wattelez, H. Murakami, R. Andreoli, J. Lefevre, R. Rottgers, A. Singh, R. Frounin (2023), A Review of Ocean Color Algorithms to Detect Trichodesmium Oceanic Blooms and Quantify Chlorophyll Concentration in Shallow Coral Lagoons of South Pacific Archipelagos, Remote Sensing, 15(21), 5194, https://doi.org/10.3390/rs15215194. [link]

Tu’uholoaki M., A. Espejo, K. Sharma, A. Singh, M. Wandres, H. Damlamian, S. Chand (2023), Influence of the Madden Julian Oscillation (MJO) on Tropical Cyclones affecting Tonga in the Southwest Pacific, Atmosphere, 14(7), 1189, doi: 10.3390/atmos14071189. [link]

Muna, L., G. Brodie, A. Singh, J. Hills, M. Wandres, H. Damlamian (2023), Understanding ecosystem services for climate change resilience in coastal environments: a case study of low-canopy sub-tidal seagrass beds in Fiji, Frontiers in Marine Science, doi: 10.3389/fmars.2023.1184568. [link]

Tu’uholoaki, M., A. Espejo, M. Wandres, A. Singh, H. Damlamian, Z. Begg (2023), Quantifying Mechanisms Responsible for Extreme Coastal Water Levels and Flooding during Severe Tropical Cyclone Harold in Tonga, Southwest Pacific, Journal of Marine Science and Engineering, 11, 1217, doi: 10.3390/jmse11061217. [link]

Whiteside, A., C. Dupouy, A. Singh, Bani, P., and R. Frouin (2022), Impact of Ashes from the 2022 Tonga Volcanic Eruption on Satellite Ocean Color Signatures, Frontiers in Marine Science, doi: 10.3389/fmars.2022.1028022. [link]

Ganachaud, A., K. von Schuckmann, A. Whiteside, C. Dupouy, P. Le Meur, M. Monier, S. Van Wynsberge, A. N’Yeurt, M. Costa, J. Aucan, A. Breckwoldt, L. Celliers, P. Douillet, S. Ferse, E. Holland, H. Kelsey, V. Kumar, S. Nicol, M. Riechers, A. Singh, D. Varillon (2022), Copernicus Marine Sea Surface Temperature and chlorophyll-a indicators for two Pacific Islands: a co-construction monitoring framework for an integrated, transdisciplinary, multi-scale approach. In: Copernicus Ocean State Report, Issue 6, Journal of Operational Oceanography, 15:sup1, s119-s126. [link]

Tu’uholoaki. M., A. Espejo, A. Singh, H. Damlamian, M. Wandres, S. Chand, F.J. Mendez, O. Fa’anunu (2022), Clustering tropical cyclone genesis on ENSO timescales in the Southwest Pacific, Climate Dynamics, doi: 0.1007/s00382-022-06497-6. [link]

Tu’uholoaki, M., A. Singh, A. Espejo, S. Chand, and H. Damlamian (2022), Tropical cyclone climatology, variability, and trends in the Tonga region, Southwest Pacific, Weather and Climate Extremes, 37, doi: 10.1016/j.wace.2022.100483. [link]

Singh, S., M. Lal, P. Southgate, M. Wairiu, and A. Singh (2022), Blue carbon storage in Fijian seagrass meadows: First insights into carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus content from a tropical southwest Pacific Island, Marine Pollution Bulletin, 176, 113432. [link]

Holbrook, N., V. Hernaman, S. Koshiba, J. Lako, J. Kajtar, P. Amosa, and A. Singh (2021), Impacts of marine heatwaves on tropical western and central Pacific Island nations and their communities, Global and Planetary Change, 208, 103680. [link]

Singh, S., M. Lal, P. Southgate, M. Wairiu, and A. Singh (2021), Trace metal content in sediment cores and seagrass biomass from a tropical southwest Pacific Island, Marine Pollution Bulletin, 171, 112745. doi:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2021.112745. [link]

Koliyavu, T., C. Martias, A. Singh, S. Mounier, P. Gerard, and C. Dupouy (2021), In-Situ Variability of DOM in relation with biogeochemical and physical parameters in December 2017 in Laucala Bay (Fiji Islands) after a strong rain event, Journal of Marine Science and Engineering, 9, 241. doi:10.3390/jmse9030241. [link]

Whiteside, A., C. Dupouy, A. Singh, R. Frouin, C. Menkes, and J. Lefevre (2021), Automatic Detection of Optical Signatures within and around Floating Tonga-Fiji Pumice Rafts Using MODIS, VIIRS, and OLCI Satellite Sensors, Remote Sensing, 13, 501. doi:10.3390/rs13030501. [link]

Sharma, P.,A. Singh, I. Marinov, A. Cabre, and T. Kostadinov (2019), Contrasting ENSO types with satellite derived ocean phytoplankton biomass in the Tropical Pacific, Geophysical Research Letters, 46, doi:110.1029/2018GL080689. [link]

Sharma, P., I. Marinov, A. Cabre, T. Kostadinov, and A. Singh (2019), Increasing biomass in the warm oceans: Unexpected new insights from SeaWiFS, Geophysical Research Letters, 46, doi:10.1029/2018GL079684. [link]

Keppler, L., S. Cravatte, A. Chaigneau, C. Pegliasco, L. Gourdeau, and A. Singh (2018), Observed Characteristics and Vertical Structure of Mesoscale Eddies in the Southwest Tropical Pacific, Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans, 123, 2731-2756, doi:10.1002/2017JC013712. [link]

Kumar, V., A. Melet, B. Meyssignac, A. Ganachaud, W. Kessler, A. Singh, and J. Aucan (2018), Reconstruction of local sea-levels at south west Pacific islands – a multiple linear regression approach (1988-2014), Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans, 123, 1502-1518, doi:10.1002/2017JC013053. [link]

Current MSc Students

  1. Sione Folau – Carbon footprint mitigation strategies for the Kingdom of Tonga, PaCE-SD, The University of the South Pacific, Fiji
  2. Tekimwau Otiawa – Seagrass habitat role in coastal protection: comparing Tarawa and Abaiang atoll lagoons in Kiribati, PaCE-SD, The University of the South Pacific, Fiji
  3. Andrew Paris – Evaluation of the abundance and distribution of microplastics in Fiji surface water, SAGEONS, The University of the South Pacific, Fiji
  4. Babitu Rarawa – Assessing the vulnerability of Giant Clam to Climate Change in Tavarua, Fiji, PaCE-SD, The University of the South Pacific, Fiji
  5. Sajiva Sharma – Characterizing Tropical Cyclone Activity in the Fiji region from Meteorological Observations, PaCE-SD, The University of the South Pacific, Fiji
  6. Roger Smithy – An assessment of the impacts of climate change on rural livelihoods in Malekula Island, Vanuatu, SAGEONS, The University of the South Pacific, Fiji
  7. Konamauri Olea – A coastal inundation early warning system for communities in the Solomon Islands, PaCE-SD, The University of the South Pacific, Fiji

Current PhD Students

  1. Jasha Dehm – Determining probabilistic relationships between coastal hydrodynamics and coral reefs of southern Fiji, SAGEONS, The University of the South Pacific, Fiji
  2. Timoci Koliyavu – Determining probabilistic relationships between coastal hydrodynamics and coral reefs of southern Fiji, PaCE-SD, The University of the South Pacific, Fiji
  3. Shilpa Lal – Marine Heat Waves in the Tropical Southwest Pacific: physical drivers and impacts on New Caledonia and Fiji lagoons, University of New Caledonia, New Caledonia
  4. Lency Muna – Coastal erosion, submersion and adaptation in communities in Fiji, University of New Caledonia, New Caledonia
  5. Tim Sperzel – Application of airborne ice surface and radiation data based on MOSAiC observations for surface albedo parameterizations of the central Arctic, University of Leipzig, Germany
  6. Laura Williams  – Turbidity plumes, phytoplankton (chlorophyll-a) blooms and salinity profiles in Fiji, South West Pacific, PaCE-SD, The University of the South Pacific, Fiji

Completed MSc Student Theses

  1. Lydia Keppler (MSc, 2017), Characteristics of mesoscale eddies in the Southwest Pacific, PaCE-SD, The University of the South Pacific, Fiji
  2. Ashneel Chandra (MSc, 2018), Morphology of cyclonic storms in the South Pacific region using VLF radio wave techniques, FSTE, The University of the South Pacific, Fiji
  3. Lency Muna (MSc, 2020), Evaluating the influence of seagrass on wave attenuation in coastal environments in Fiji, FSTE, The University of the South Pacific, Fiji
  4. Ahnivar Peralta (MSc, 2020), Coastal and sea level changes during the 2009-2011 El Nino southern oscillation on the coastline of Kaba Peninsula, Fiji, PaCE-SD, The University of the South Pacific, Fiji
  5. Shivanjani Chandra (MSc, 2021), The role of Information Communication Technologies (ICTs) in Climate Change Monitoring and Adaptation, PaCE-SD, The University of the South Pacific, Fiji
  6. Matthew Chinappa (MSc, 2024), Investigating the relationship between Marine Heatwaves and Tropical Cyclones in coastal areas of Fiji, PaCE-SD, The University of the South Pacific, Fiji

Completed PhD Student Theses

  1. Priya Sharma (PhD, 2018), Spatio-temporal dynamics of phytoplankton biomass from ocean color remote sensing, University of Pennsylvania, USA
  2. Vandhna Kumar (PhD, 2019), Statistical downscaling of island sea levels in the southwest Pacific: A multiple linear regression approach, University of Toulouse, France
  3. Shalini Singh (PhD, 2022), Assessing reproductive phenology, blue carbon and phytoremediation capacity of selected seagrass species in Fiji Islands, PaCE-SD, The University of the South Pacific, Fiji
  4. Andra Whiteside (PhD, 2023),  Ocean Colour Plume Monitoring around the Fiji Islands from Remote Sensing through Anthropogenic and Climatic Influences, University of Marseille, France
  5. Ashneel Chandra (PhD, 2023), The Role of Ocean Heat Content on the Madden-Julien Oscillation, University of Bergen, Norway
  6. Moleni Tu’uholoaki (PhD, 2024), Developing a Tropical Cyclone-Induced Coastal Inundation Forecast and Warning System for Tonga, PaCE-SD, The University of the South Pacific, Fiji

Expert reviewer for the following peer reviewed and ranked journals (rankings based on Scimago Journal Ranking – SJR):

Editor of the following journal:

USP Oceanography senior academic joins French Oceanographic researchers.

MIO – https://www.mio.osupytheas.fr/en/sokowasa-oceanographic-campaign-study-marine-ecosystems-south-fiji-islands-using-seaexplorer

IRD – https://www.ird.fr/sokowasa-une-campagne-oceanographique-pour-etudier-les-ecosystemes-marins-au-sud-des-iles-fidji

 

Title: Capacity Building of the National Meteorological and Hydrological Services in the Southwest Pacific region

Duration: 2 years starting October 2023

Funding amount: USD80,000

Funder: Asia-Pacific Network for Global Change Research (APN)

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