Asmita Singh
About
Asmita is currently a researcher in the Marine Chemistry & Biogeochemistry research group in the Department of Chemistry at NTNU.
She is a dynamic early career researcher (ECR) who is endowed with a multidisciplinary proficiency encompassing physics, condensed matter and solid-state physics, mathematics, programming, biophysics, optics, photonics, phytoplankton photophysiology and trace metal marine biogeochemistry.
Her current research endeavours involve the coordination and management of research projects out in the Trondheimsfjorden and Frohavet regions of Norway. This is in collaboration with a team of exceptionally talented and multidisciplinary researchers from science, technology and engineering, where the research is centred around actively harnessing the capabilities of remote hyperspectral imaging facilitated by the NTNU nanosatellites, HYPSO-1 and HYPSO-2, in conjunction with traditional in situ ocean sampling methodologies and autonomous sampling platforms that form the 'observational pyramid' to monitor ocean health.
Asmita is a member of APECS-Norway (Association of Polar Early Career Scientists) and has a keen interest in marine biogeochemistry research in both polar oceans.
She is also a member of the Golden Key International Honour Society (GKS) as well as Digital Life Norway (DLN).
Qualifications:
2021: PhD (Earth Sciences), with specialization in Marine Biogeochemistry, Stellenbosch University, South Africa.
2017: MSc (Physics), with specialization in Biophysics, Optics and Photonics, University of Pretoria, South Africa.
2013: BSc Honours (Physics), University of Pretoria, South Africa.
2012: BSc (Physics), University of Pretoria, South Africa.
Research
Publications
1. Singh, A., Thomalla, S.J., Fietz, S., Samanta, S., Mtshali, T.N., Roychoudhury, A.N., Viljoen, J.J., and Ryan‐Keogh, T.J. (2025). Phytoplankton iron limitation in the Atlantic Southern Ocean driven by seasonal mixed layer dynamics. Limnology and Oceanography Letters. https://doi.org/10.1002/lol2.70049.
2. Demasy, C., Singh, A., Samanta, S., Ryan-Keogh, T.J., and Roychoudhury, A.N. (2025). Toxic impact of aluminium on the natural phytoplankton community during spring in the Atlantic sector of the Southern Ocean. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology, 591, 152119. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jembe.2025.152119
3. Oudijk, A.E., Osanen, J., Singh, A., Perumthuruthil Suseelan, V., Sanchez, N., Hvammen Sikkerbøl, A.-M., Moreira Fragoso, G.M., Celesti, M., Nieke, J., Johansen, T.A., and Omholt Alver, M. (2025). Determining Absorption and Scattering Coefficients by Optimizing Radiative Transfer Modelling with In-Situ Coastal Hyperspectral Reflectance Spectra. EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr – 2 May 2025, EGU25-8871. https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-8871.
4. Singh, A., Fietz, S., Thomalla, S.J., Sanchez, N., Ardelan, M.V., Moreau, S., Kauko, H.M., Fransson, A., Chierici, M., Samanta, S., Mtshali, T.N., Roychoudhury, A.N., and Ryan-Keogh, T.J. (2023). Absence of photophysiological response to iron addition in autumn phytoplankton in the Antarctic sea-ice zone. Biogeosciences, 20, 3073–3091. https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-3073-2023.
5. Moreau, S., Hattermann, T., de Steur, L., Kauko, H.M., Ahonen, H., Ardelan, M., Assmy, P., Chierici, M., Descamps, S., Dinter, T., Falkenhaug, T., Fransson, A., Grønningsæter, E., Hallfredsson, E.H., Huhn, O., Lebrun, A., Lowther, A., Lübcker, N., Monteiro, P.M.S., Peeken, I., Roychoudhury, A., Różańska, M., Ryan-Keogh, T.J., Sanchez, N., Singh, A., Simonsen, J.H., Steiger, N., Thomalla, S.J., van Tonder, A., Wiktor, J.M., and Steen, H. (2023). Wind-driven upwelling of iron sustains dense blooms and food webs in the eastern Weddell Gyre. Nature Communications, 14(1), 1303. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-36992-1.
6. Singh, A., Thomalla, S.J., Fietz, S., and Ryan-Keogh, T.J. (2022). Spatial and temporal variability of phytoplankton photophysiology in the Atlantic Southern Ocean. Frontiers in Marine Science, 9:912856. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2022.912856.
7. Kauko, H.M., Assmy, P., Peeken, I., Różańska-Pluta, M., Wiktor, J.M., Bratbak, G., Singh, A., Ryan-Keogh, T.J., and Moreau, S. (2022). First phytoplankton community assessment of the Kong Håkon VII Hav, Southern Ocean, during austral autumn. Biogeosciences, 19, 5449–5482. https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-5449-2022.
8. Kauko, H.M., Hattermann, T., Ryan-Keogh, T.J., Singh, A., de Steur, L., Fransson, A., Chierici, M., Falkenhaug, T., Hallfredsson, E.H., Bratbak, G., Tsagaraki, T., Berge, T., Zhou, Q., and Moreau S. (2021). Phenology and Environmental Control of Phytoplankton Blooms in the Kong Håkon VII Hav in the Southern Ocean. Frontiers in Marine Science, 8:623856. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2021.623856.
9. Paradzah, A.T., Maabong, K.D., Elnour, H.M., Singh, A., Diale, M., and Kruger, T.P.J. (2019). Identification of exciton–exciton annihilation in hematite thin films. The Journal of Physical Chemistry C, 123(30), 18676-18684. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jpcc.9b04664.
Outreach
2024
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PosterSingh, Asmita; Puerto, Nicolas Sanchez; Fragoso, Glaucia Moreira; Garrett, Joseph Landon; Johnsen, Geir; Johansen, Tor Arne. (2024) Decoding Oceanic Mysteries: The Observational Pyramid for Insights into the Physical and Biogeochemical Changes in the Remote Polar Oceans. Antarktisseminaret 2024 , Tromsø, Norge 2024-05-07 - 2024-05-08
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PosterSingh, Asmita; Puerto, Nicolas Sanchez; Fragoso, Glaucia Moreira; Garrett, Joseph Landon; Johnsen, Geir; Johansen, Tor Arne. (2024) Enhancing Remote Polar Ocean Monitoring: Applying the Observational Pyramid for Improved Climate Insights. Digital Life Norway: Research School Conference , Oslo, Norge 2024-10-14 - 2024-10-16
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LectureSingh, Asmita; Puerto, Nicolas Sanchez; Fragoso, Glaucia Moreira; Garrett, Joseph Landon; Johnsen, Geir; Johansen, Tor Arne. (2024) The Observational Pyramid: Unravelling the Physical and Biogeochemical Processes in the Remote Polar Oceans. Surface Ocean Lower Atmosphere (SOLAS) conference , Goa, India 2024-11-10 - 2024-11-14