Peter Marsh

Education

  • National Senior Certificate (2014) South African College of Schools (SACS) 74%
  • BSc Oceanography & Geology, University of Cape Town (2017) 62.5 %
  • BSc (Hons) Atmospheric Science, University of Cape Town (2018) 75% (1st class pass & Class Medal)
  • MSc Atmospheric Science, University of Cape Town (2019-2021) 74%
    • My Master’s dissertation titled: “A CMIP5 Model Selection Specific to South Africa’s Winter Rainfall Zone”. Examined a method to subsample a large ensemble of climate models to produce a smaller and more regionally realistic subsample while preserving the independence of the original ensemble and ultimately reduce the range of future climate projections in the winter rainfall zone of South Africa.

Employment History

  • 2023 - present Junior Research Fellow – University of Cape Town: Working for the Climate Systems Analysis Group as a Data Scientist on the DSI-Africa HE2AT Center project. My work in this role has centred on providing tools to a multi-disciplinary team of health and climate researchers. This has included creating analysis-ready land-surface temperature datasets from MODIS and Meteosat products, using Zarr. Using Intake catalogues and Kerchunk to abstract away from the HPC filesystem allowing easier access to reanalysis and station based climate products from within a JupyterLab based analysis platform. More recently my work has focused on the retrospective health data harmonisation process. This has involved creating standardised data and metadata formats and building a Streamlit based GUI to facilitate matching of study variables to a target codebook. Other exploratory work has included using Large Language Models to automate the data harmonisation process.
  • 2022 Research Assistant - University of Cape Town: Working for the Climate Systems Analysis Group on the Focus Africa project. I contributed to a report on the assessment of ENSO and IOD teleconnections in the Lake Malawi Catchment utilising a full ensemble of CMIP6 models.
  • 2022 Google Summer of Code Contributor: Working for the Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS) on the open-source python software Kerchunk.. Here I have created and expanded existing documentation. Helped users trouble shoot and understand existing limitation. Contributed to the code infrastructure through optimisation and creating efficient convenience functions. Most recently I have collaborated with IOOS to transition LiveOcean forecast data away from existing API and server based dissemination methods to instead use Kerchunk to create reference files, allowing users to open virtual datasets directly in python in a serverless manor.
  • 2020 - 2021 University of Cape Town demonstrator/Tutor
    • o EGS1005f: Introduction to Environmental Assessment & management for final year Civil Engineering Students. 2020. Facilitating practical and tutorial sessions and marking of examinations.
  • 2018-2021 I have worked for various Sailing teams, preparing and maintaining yachts, organising crew and facilitating deliveries of yachts. This includes both high performance race teams and luxury cruising yachts.
  • U/16 Rowing Coach at SACS 2015/16. Here my responsibilities included designing and facilitating a demanding training program, coordination with students and parents to manage transport and maintaining equipment to ensure an effective and time efficient training sessions. This culminated in the U16A four being top placed team in the province and 4th placed at the National Championships.

Technical Skills

  • Python
    • Data cleaning and analysis; utilising ReGex techniques for data cleaning and pandas for data frame management and manipulation.
    • Big data analysis of large multi-dimensional spatial arrays; utilising xarray to facilitate lazy-loading of large arrays where RAM is a limiting factor.
    • Parallel computations and multi-threading and algorithm optimization to facilitate complex operations across large datasets utilising dask.
    • Sharing code and collaborating with colleagues using jupyter notebooks as well as jupyterlab and Qhub for working and collaborating on remote computing facilities.
    • Starting and scaling remote clusters from within python using custom scripts.
    • Remote/Cloud file management and credential management utilising fsspec.
    • Statistical modelling and machine learning; utilising packages such as TensorFlow and scikit-learn to construct prediction models of spatial and/or timeseries data. As well as constructing bespoke models such as a cold front identification algorithm developed for my master's thesis.
    • Data-Visualization; construction of detailed high-resolution plots utilising matplotlib as well as construction of geospatial plots using cartopy projections.
    • Dashboard construction; construction of pythonic dashboards for visualization of real time data using packages such as ipywidgets, plotly, holoviz, datashader and streamlit.
  • Linux/Unix
    • Navigating Unix based operating systems via command line.
    • Managing virtual environments necessary for working across multiple different operating systems and computing facilities.
    • Batch scripting and resource management utilising tools such as slurm.
    • Scheduling scripts via contab.
  • Numerical Weather Prediction
    • Fortran; Initially through my Atmospheric Science Honours course where we constructed a basic physics model using fortran.
    • Dynamic Atmospheric Simulation Modelling: I have operationalised a 1km resolutions weather model downscaling for the Cape Town region. This WRF based model is run on my personal computer and is initialised from the 18z GFS forecast and supplies a 36-hour forecast. I use a python dashboard to share forecast data.
    • Experience working with and manipulating common weather data formats such as GRIB, NetCDF and Zarrays as well as manipulating these files using tools such as NCO, CDO and ferret. And more recently understanding and mapping the internal storage patterns of these data formats through Kerchunk.
  • Modern Web Construction
    • I have recently taken time to understand the tools used for construction modern websites, creating a simple personal website utilising Next.js a react based framework gaining experience working with html, CSS and JavaScript.
  • Virtual Collaboration
    • Experience communicating and collaborating in a work from home environment using tools such as Microsoft teams, Slack and Zoom.
  • Version control
    • Experience using git and github to manage and version control code.
    • Forking and creating pull requests to operational software.
    • Creating and storing docker images as github packages, used to run scripts across different compute resources.
  • R
    • My preference for statistical analysis has shifted towards python, however I have previous experience with R and more recently utilising R for rayshading to create realistic plots from terrain height data. Through this I have experience working with and manipulating GEOTIFF and TIFF data formats.
  • Microsoft
    • Experience across all Microsoft applications such as Excel, Word, Powerpoint and Teams as well as working with the Windows operating system.

Notable Achievements

  • 2020 Cape to Rio, ZuluGirl racing with Mazi Asset Management. 5th position Overall. Joined the campaign December 2019 to assist in rigging and provisioning before January 2020 start, were my primary roles involved advising on Meteorology and as a trimmer/helmsman. An electrical failure in the first week of the race meant we completed the 18 day race with very limited navigational instruments and communication, a credit to the team to remain competitive despite these challenges.
  • Transatlantic sail from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil to Cape Town, South Africa via Tristan da Cunha, Navigation and Weather Routing aboard the sailing yacht Scatterling. February 2017.
  • UCT to Rio 2017 boat to shore communications, weather data advise and social media correspondence during Cape to Rio 2017 as well as full refurbishment and preparation of yacht. Not competing in the race due to an injury pre-start. (1st place in IRC Division 2; UCT Sport performance of the year 2017)
  • UCT Full Colours (Yachting, 2018,2019)
  • UCT Yacht Club kitesurfing representative (2018,2020)
  • UCT Rowing Club Vice-Men's Captain (2016)
  • Western Provincial Sporting Colours (Rowing, 2013, 2014
  • South African Schools Rowing Union tour to Belgium (2013)

Hobbies

  • I enjoy competitive sailing where I have competed in many of South Africa's top amateur competitions. I have a particular passion for offshore racing where I am drawn to the challenge and intensity of competing non-stop, day and night for extended periods, whilst also drawn to the beauty and isolation of the oceans. During the week I enjoy going for trail runs in the evening to clear my head.

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