In conversation with Laurie Menviel

On this ACCESStory issue, we had a chat with Dr Laurie Menviel, a paleoclimate researcher from the Australian Centre of Excellence in Antarctic Science (ACEAS) at the University of New South Wales (UNSW) Sydney. Laurie is a member of the ACCESS Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC) and a member of the Earth System Modelling Working Group.

Where did you grow up and how did you become a paleoclimate researcher?

I grew up in a small village in the south of France, next to Marseille. After a degree in chemistry, I  spent a year in China doing organic chemistry and catalysis. This gave me a lot of time to think about what I wanted to do (and what I didnt want to do) and decided that I wanted to go into earth and environmental science. I then started a Masters in geochemistry in France that included lots of lessons in paleoclimate. I found it fascinating and put my energy into doing a PhD in paleoclimate modelling, this time in Hawaii, followed by a postdoc in Australia.

Which ACCESS Models/configurations you use and what do you use them for?

Sea-surface salinity anomaly following a weakening of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation as simulated by the ACCESS-OM2-025 (Pontes & Menviel, 2024, Nature Geosciences).

My team uses the ACCESS-ESM1.5 as well as the ACCESS-OM2-025 and ACCESS-OM2-01. The ACCESS-ESM1.5 is used to simulate specific time periods, such as the Last Interglacial (127,000 years ago), the last glacial period (49,000 years ago) and the Last Glacial Maximum (21,000 years ago) to assess the sensitivity of the climate to different boundary conditions (different insolation, greenhouse gas concentrations, vegetation distribution and ice-sheet topography and extent). We also use the ACCESS-ESM1.5 to understand the climatic and carbon cycle impacts of changes in the oceanic circulation. Finally, we use the suite of ACCESS-OM2 models to better understand oceanic processes and teleconnections.

What is the main focus of your research and what excites you about your work?

My research focuses on better understanding the impact of large-scale changes in oceanic circulation on climate and the carbon cycle. I get excited about my work as, everyday, I learn something new about the Earth’s system and how different parts of the Earth’s system interact with each other.

What do you like to do outside work?

Spending time with my children, wave sailing, SUP surfing and running.