Kateryna, please introduce yourself.
I’m Kateryna Terletska, and I am a researcher.
Tell us about your professional and academic career before becoming part of the OCEAN ICE community.
I built my professional and academic career in applied mathematics and mathematical modeling. I hold a Doctorate in Physical and Mathematical Sciences and have worked as a researcher at the Institute of Mathematical Machines and Systems Problems of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine. My research focuses on mathematical modeling of stratified flows, in particular internal waves, which play a key role in mixing processes in the ocean. These processes are essential for understanding ocean dynamics and their impact on the climate system.
What do you do within OCEAN ICE?
Within OCEAN ICE, I contribute to WP10 — Subpolar circulation, heat delivery and water mass export. My focus is on the sensitivity of ice melt to internal solitary waves and ice keel-induced mixing. I combine numerical modelling and observational data to study how variations in ice keel geometry affect internal wave transformation, turbulence generation, and vertical heat fluxes beneath sea ice. This helps to better understand the role of ice-ocean interactions in subpolar heat transport and water mass changes.
What have you enjoyed about OCEAN ICE so far?
What I enjoy most about OCEAN ICE so far is the unique opportunity to access diverse, high-quality measurement data and to communicate directly with those who carry out these challenging observations in the field. This demonstrates the remarkable progress science has made in recent years, especially in understanding complex ocean–ice interactions. Being part of this collective effort within OCEAN ICE truly inspires me and gives me great satisfaction. I sincerely hope to contribute valuable insights and understanding to this research, helping to translate advanced observations and modelling into knowledge that benefits both science and society..
Tell us about a skill or trait unique to you that you would like to share?
One skill I really value is my ability to connect abstract mathematical ideas with real-world problems and explain them in a clear and visual way. I like making complex things understandable and interesting for researchers, students, and the wider public. I believe this helps make science more open and inspiring.
Stay tuned on our social media channels (X, Mastodon, LinkedIn and Bluesky) for more of the series of OCEAN ICE 'Researcher in the Spotlight' articles.