Gina Chou

BSc 2018

Currently a PhD student at University of Toronto in the Department of Physics

1. What was your area of study (Atmospheric or Oceanic sciences)? Could you describe in a line or two your research/ area of interest while you were studying at McGill? 

I received my B.Sc. Atmospheric Science and Physics and a minor in Mathematics from the McGill University in 2018. The research that I was working on during my undergraduate with Prof. Yi Huang was a study on the radiative feedback in Arctic climate using a set of radiative sensitivity kernels to diagnose the variations in radiative energy budgets at the top-of-atmosphere, surface, and atmosphere. We have also looked at how much the temperature, water vapor, albedo, and cloud feedback contribute to the sea ice loss.

2. Looking back, what do you value most about your studies at Atmospheric & Oceanic Sciences at McGill?

Working as an undergraduate research assistant helped me to improve my coding and presentation skills. It also helped me to approach a research problem more independently and develop my interest in the atmospheric science which made me decide to pursue graduate school after I graduated.

3. How are you applying your degree in Atmospheric & Oceanic Sciences from McGill?

I am currently a Ph.D. student at University of Toronto in the Physics Department. Under supervision of Prof. Paul Kushner, I am working on projects that will improve our understanding in the atmospheric dynamics using the data from Aeolus, the first satellite that can measure global wind profiles.

4. What advice would you give to someone considering undergraduate studies in Atmospheric or Oceanic Sciences at McGill?

There are a lot of specialists and courses in a broad range of aspects in the atmospheric and oceanic sciences at McGill. I would encourage undergraduate students in AOS to choose the courses that they are interested in and to work on different projects or with different supervisors to find out what really interest them.

(Jan 2020)

Return to alumni profiles

Back to top