Matthew Asplin

Background

About Matthew Asplin

I am an interdisciplinary Scientific Project Manager, Research Scientist, and Adjunct Professor at the University of Victoria. I work with meteorological, oceanographic, sea ice, and climate data to support a variety of marine-based projects. Key areas are Coastal and Metocean offshore structures, and floating wind farms (ISO 19901:2015, 29400:2020, IEC-61400-1 and IEC-61400-12). I work closely with Indigenous community-led projects within the Coastal and Marine areas throughout Canada. I closely follow triple-bottom line principles by integrating local traditional knowledge with in situ field data, numerical models, and statistical methods in my work. Recent projects I have led or contributed to feature in-situ marine observatory studies (bottom-moored and AUV-mounted), resource development feasibility studies, and regional strategic environmental assessment studies. I have also completed a post-doctoral project studying storm surges and large waves along the coastlines of the Canadian Western Arctic, with implications for coastal erosion, communities, ecosystems, & emergency management. I possess extensive Metocean, Sea Ice and Interdisciplinary field-based research experience. My PhD project was supported with helicopter and ship-based physical sampling via the CCGS Amundsen (PhD Research in the Beaufort Sea & Northwest Passage). I also have field experience with severe weather (Miller analysis & storm chasing) & upper-level meteorology (weather balloons, ceilometer & passive microwave atmospheric profilers). I also have experience coordinating international field programs & proposals, industrial-academic partnerships, & data management. I am very interested in how mid-latitude synoptic-scale weather patterns, and ocean-atmosphere teleconnections are coupled with changing summer Arctic sea ice cover and ocean SST anomalies (e.g.'the blob'), and their impact on regional biophysical systems. Finally, I very much enjoy spending time outdoors hiking, camping, and one day, boating the BC inside passage again: the childhood experience that inspired my career.