A Churchill College Natural Sciences student took part in a transformative summer research experience at Brown University, where she conducted work on Arctic climate modelling that could shape her future career path.
A Churchill College Natural Sciences student took part in a transformative summer research experience at Brown University, where she conducted work on Arctic climate modelling that could shape her future career path.
Eleanor Mogridge spent eight weeks working with Prof. Amanda Lynch, Chair of the Research Board for the United Nations World Meteorological Organisation, investigating how accurately climate models simulate Arctic sea ice responses to volcanic eruptions. Her research focused on the 1991 Mt. Pinatubo eruption in the Philippines, analysing climate model outputs against reanalyses to evaluate their predictive capabilities.
The internship, made possible through a partnership between the Winston Churchill Foundation of the United States and Churchill College, began with an immersive week at the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, Colorado.
“Having the chance to ask questions and discuss ideas with climate modelling experts provided invaluable insights,” Eleanor said. “I became particularly interested in volcanic eruptions and their impact on Arctic sea ice, which led me to explore an experiment called VolMIP that simulates various past volcanic eruptions across several climate models.”
Working under the guidance of Prof. Lynch and PhD candidate Maria Luísa Rocha in Brown’s Department for Environment and Society, Eleanor developed technical skills in handling climate model data; working with NetCDF files, data manipulation in Python, and advanced visualisation techniques. Her research culminated in a poster presentation at the Brown’s Undergraduate Summer Research Symposium, where she connected with researchers from across multiple US institutions and received valuable feedback from Brown’s Head of Earth Sciences.
The internship was Eleanor’s first real experience of conducting independent research at a publication level, and the exposure to the US postgraduate system has opened new possibilities for her future, with Eleanor now considering pursuing a PhD in America.
“The American system is really appealing to me as you don’t need to know an exact topic before applying and can publish several papers before choosing your final topic. The summer experience confirmed my interest in climate modelling and that I would like to work with climate models in the future, whether that be in an academic setting through a PhD or in an industrial setting like at the Met Office.”
The experience also represented a significant personal milestone. Living abroad for the first time and travelling solo, Eleanor developed a newfound independence while exploring five US states. She made regular trips to Boston, joined laboratory outings to New Hampshire, and spent a memorable day in New York City.
The comprehensive support provided by the Winston Churchill Foundation, which generously covers programme costs, with additional support from Churchill College as needed, proved essential to Eleanor’s success. “Without the generosity of others, I would have never been able to go abroad for 10 weeks and be able to have freedom in choosing which department to work in. From health insurance to visa costs to flights to rent and food, the funding helped me have an amazing summer doing things I really enjoyed without worrying too much about finances.”
The partnership between Churchill College and the Winston Churchill Foundation continues to provide unique opportunities for students to gain international research experience at leading US institutions.
Eleanor plans to continue developing her research interests in climate modelling, armed with new skills, confidence, and a broader perspective on the possibilities that lie ahead in her scientific career.
Images: Eleanor and Malu with the poster
