• B.S., Meteorology, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida (2004)
• M.S., Meteorology, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida (2006)
• Ph.D., Marine Science, University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina (2009)

Application of satellite observations, in-situ data, and model simulations to study biophysical interactions, ecosystem dynamics, air-sea interactions, ocean dynamics, atmospheric processes, and the oceans relation to climate variability.

• Jet Propulsion Laboratory (2011-Present)
• Scientist, Oceans and Ice Group
• Lead Project Scientist, Physical Oceanography Distributed Active Archive Center (PODAAC)
• Postdoctoral Associate, University of Miami, Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, Miami, Florida (2009-2011)

• NASA New Investigator Award in Earth Science (2012)
• Dean's Award for Excellence in Graduate Study (2009)
• NASA South Carolina Space Grant Consortium Graduate Student Research Program Fellowship (2008-2009)
• F. John Vernberg Outstanding Publication Award (2008)

1. Lee, T., D.E. Waliser, J.-L. Li, F.W. Landerer, and M.M. Gierach, 2013: Evaluation of CMIP3 and CMIP5 wind stress climatology using satellite measurements and atmospheric reanalysis products. J. Clim., accepted.
2. Lee, T., G. Lagerloef, M. M. Gierach, H.-Y. Kao, S. Yueh, and K. Dohan, 2012: Aquarius reveals salinity signature of tropical instability waves. Geophys. Res. Lett., 39, L12610, doi:10.1029/2012GL052232.
3. Gierach, M. M., T. Lee, D. Turk, and M.J. McPhaden, 2012: Biological response to the 1997-98 and 2009-10 El Niño events in the equatorial Pacific Ocean. Geophys. Res. Lett., 39, L10602, doi:10.10.29/2012GL051103.
4. Gierach, M. M., H. C. Graber, and M. J. Caruso, 2012: SAR-derived gap jet characteristics in the lee of the Philippine Archipelago. J. Remote Sens. Environ., 117, 289-300.
5. Gierach, M. M., B. Subrahmanyam, and P. G. Thoppil, 2009: Physical and biological responses to Hurricane Katrina (2005) in a 1/25° nested Gulf of Mexico HYCOM. J. Mar. Syst., 78, 168-179.
6. Gierach, M. M., B. Subrahmanyam, A. Samuelsen, and K. Ueyoshi, 2009: Hurricane-driven alteration in plankton community size structure in the Gulf of Mexico: A modeling study. Geophys. Res. Lett., 36, L07604, doi:10.1029/2009GL037414.
7. Gierach, M. M., and B. Subrahmanyam, 2008: Biophysical responses of the upper ocean to major Gulf of Mexico hurricanes in 2005. J. Geophys. Res. Oceans, 113, C04029, doi:10.1029/2007JC004419.
8. Gierach, M. M., and B. Subrahmanyam, 2007: Satellite data analysis of the upper ocean response to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita (2005) in the Gulf of Mexico. IEEE Geosci. Remote Sens. Lett., 4, 132-136.
9. Gierach, M. M., and B. Subrahmanyam, 2007: "Global ocean color and phytoplankton", State of the Climate in 2006. Bull. Amer. Meteor. Soc., 88, S43-S45.
10. Gierach, M. M., M. A. Bourassa, P. Cunningham, J. J. O'Brien, and P. D. Reasor, 2007: Vorticity-based detection of tropical cyclogenesis. J. Appl. Meteor. Climatol., 46, 1214-1229.