Associate Professor Jochen Kaempf

Associate Professor

College of Science and Engineering

place Earth Sciences (312)
GPO Box 2100, Adelaide 5001, South Australia

Jochen Kaempf is a passionate and fearless physical oceanographer with over 20 years of professional experience.

Key Discoveries

Jochen's research revealed that downwelling-favorable winds trigger bursts of sediment erosion and benthic nutrient releases in coastal oceans. This knowledge is pivotal in the understanding of the functioning marine ecosystems in shelf seas!

He has presented the first ever theory that explains the existence of upslope transport and channeling of suspended sediment in submarine channels of continental margins. Incidentally, this theory also explains the accumulation of orcas near the head of the Hood Canyon in the western Great Australian Bight.

His research has led to the discovery of the Great Southern Australian Coastal Upwelling System, which key nutrient source for the Southern Ocean marine food web. Kaempf also uncovered the physical mechanisms driving gigantic phytoplankton blooms in the northwestern Arafura Sea north of Australia.

Jochen was the first marine scientist exploring and describing the water circulation of both the Persian Gulf and South Australian gulfs with state-of-the-art 3D hydrodynamic circulation models.

Publication Achievements

He has published two textbooks on ocean modelling as a contribution to classroom teaching of oceanography, a monograph on upwelling systems of the world (co-authored by Piers Chapman, Texas A&M University), numerous book chapters, and more than 40 peer-reviewed publications.

Qualifications

Diploma (Physical Oceanography), University of Hamburg, Germany, 1994
PhD (Natural Sciences, Physical Oceanography), University of Hamburg, Germany,1996
Associate Professor (Oceanography) at Flinders University since July 2009

Honours, awards and grants

In 2011, Jochen Kaempf was a finalist of the prestigious Australian Museum Eureka Award in the Environment category. In the same year, he also was a finalist of the Jill Hudson Award for Environmental Protection by the Conservation Council SA. In 2014, Jochen won the Jill Hudson Award for Environmental Protection for his critical engagement as scientific expert in the discussion of various industrial proposals such as seawater desalination and oil drilling. Inofficially, his activities as environmentalist has earned him the title of "Guardian of the Gulfs".

Key responsibilities
  • Teaching & coordination of various topics (all year levels)
  • Supervision of honours and postgraduate students
  • Scientific research
  • Various administrative roles
  • Service to the community & community engagement
Teaching interests
  • to find ways to make students understand the scientific method and fundmental scientific concepts
  • to share my passion for oceanography and marine sciences with the students
Topic coordinator
EASC1102 Marine Sciences 1
EASC8702 Global Climate Change GE
EASC2702 Global Climate Change
EASC2701 Oceans & Estuaries
Topic lecturer
EASC2702 Global Climate Change
EASC2701 Oceans & Estuaries
EASC8702 Global Climate Change GE
EASC1102 Marine Sciences 1
EASC3742 Earth Fluid Modelling
Supervisory interests
Climate variability
Hydrodynamic modelling
Oceanography
Higher degree by research supervision
Current
Principal supervisor: Oceanography (2)
Completion
Principal supervisor: Oceanography/Climate Science (7)
Associate supervisor: Oceanography/Climate Science (3)
Expert for media contact
Marine Science
Oceanography
South Australia
Coastal and estuarine oceanography
Coastal upwelling
Hydrodynamic modelling
Marine desalination discharges
Marine pollution and protection
Oceanography
Upwelling in submarine canyons
Available for contact via
Or contact the media team
+61 8 82012092
0427 398 713
Media expertise
  • Marine Science
  • Oceanography
  • South Australia
Interests
  • Coastal and estuarine oceanography
  • Coastal upwelling
  • Hydrodynamic modelling
  • Marine desalination discharges
  • Marine pollution and protection
  • Oceanography
  • Upwelling in submarine canyons
Further information

Jochen Kaempf's CV (in PDF format) can be downloaded from the link below.

CV Jochen Kaempf Sept 2021 (pdf)