I am a physical oceanographer, with a research focus on the ocean submesoscale (horizontal scales of 0.1-10 km). These small spatial scales are particularly challenging for traditional observational and computational methods, and understanding processes at these scales remains among the most pressing open challenges in oceanography and geophysical fluid dynamics. In my work I use a combination of theory and state-of-the-art high-resolution numerical simulations, with the goal being to gain deep insight into physical processes in the ocean and atmosphere. These insights are then extended to more complex physical settings through collaborations with observationalists and large-scale numerical modelers, with the goal of connecting fundamental ocean dynamics to broader interdisciplinary problems.