Faculty Spotlight: Dr. Diana Bernstein

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Please describe the type of research that you do and background as far as degree path.

I am a climate scientist focusing on coastal processes in the Gulf of Mexico. My research involves studying the complex interactions between the atmosphere, ocean, and land in coastal areas.

What sparked your interest in focusing on this type of research? 

An avid hiker, I first became interested in climate and in natural processes while trekking through the desert.

I received my BSc, MSc, and PhD in Atmospheric Science from the Hebrew University and completed a postdoc at Cornell University.

I’ve also worked at UCLA and at the Larges Lakes Observatory at the University of Minnesota Duluth. Having been fortunate to live and camp in so many different parts of the U.S. and world, I’ve learned to appreciate the beauty in nature and try to share that experience with my students.

What led you to USM? 

Drawn to USM’s strengths in ocean sciences and sustainability, I moved to Hattiesburg from Ithaca, New York after pursuing a postdoc at Cornell. Among other things, I’ve grown enamored with the pine forests and coastal estuaries of our region. In Hattiesburg, I often visit Lake Thoreau, and along the Coast, I love visiting the Mississippi Sandhill Crane National Wildlife Refuge.

List the most recent (past, present or near future) projects that you are engaging in and provide info about that project’s funding.

Some of the projects that I am currently working on include studying wind waves in the Gulf of Mexico, air-sea interactions in the Gulf of Mexico, and the impacts of wildfire aerosols on weather and climate, especially in the western U.S.

List the students that you are currently working with as well as their projects they are involved in.

• Azadeh Razavi Arab, PhD student

• Hafeez Oladejo, PhD student

• Gabriel Hesketh, PhD student

• Ayden King, undergraduate student

Are any of the students above assisting in your projects?  If so, which ones and what projects? 

Azadeh and Hafeez are researching wave patterns in the Gulf of Mexico, while Gabriel and Ayden are investigating the effects of wildfire-generated aerosols.

Any other information that you would like to share which may be of interest to other potential faculty, students, or funding entities.

I’m broadly interested in studying the impacts of climate change, including how they affect Mississippians and others in the Gulf Coast region. Additionally, I’m interested in finding ways to help increase the number of women and underrepresented individuals in the sciences and in working to help people in our communities and schools appreciate the value of having science in their lives.