Sara Sanchez

  • Postdoctoral Fellow
  • ATOC

Currently an Assistant Professor in the Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences a CU Boulder (8/2022) ~~~ Brief Bio: Dr. Sara Sanchez joined the Oceans and Climate Lab at CU Boulder in Fall 2020 as a Chancellor's Postdoctoral Fellow for Diversity. Sara was most recently a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Joint Institute for the study of the Atmosphere and Ocean at the University of Washington. Prior to her postdoc in Seattle, Dr. Sanchez earned her Ph.D. at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography and B.S. at the University of Arizona. Sara's doctoral research focused on using corals to reconstruct climate variability in the tropical Pacific at decadal to centennial time scales. Coincidentally, as an undergraduate, Sara crossed paths with Prof. Karnauskas at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, where she was participating in a summer research fellowship program!

Dr. Sanchez's research is at the cutting edge of the fields of climate science and oceanography. At CU Boulder, she plans to investigate the mechanisms and impacts of persistent, extreme El Nino events. Outcomes of this research will have a positive impact on the lives of inhabitants of small island developing nations (SIDS), who face climate related threats from all fronts (sea level rise, declining freshwater availability, tropical storms, and more).