Page 41 - Careers in Mathematics

Climatologist equation I have had a major impact on international climate
change negotiations via the 2015 Paris Agreement. But more
about that later……

The Butterfly Whilst I admit that when I finished school, I had no clear
Engelbrecht
Effect was career plan (not many 18-year old’s do!) I did know that I had
introduced a talent for Maths and loved Applied Maths as well as having
by Edward an interest in Geography, specifically Climatology. To pursue a
Lorentz in tertiary education, I was dependent on obtaining a bursary
Francois
the context and was, fortuitously, offered one by the South African
of Weather Bureau. I completed my undergraduate degree in
atmospheric Meteorology, Maths and Applied Maths at the University of
predictability. The idea behind the Pretoria, going on to complete my Master’s and PhD in
effect is simply explained by the Numerical Meteorology with the same Institution.
analogy of a butterfly flapping its
A large component of my knowledge and skill comes from my
wings in Tokyo, leading to a tornado
in Tennessee. The chances of this academic pursuits. I was fortunate to have a strong
foundation of Applied Maths from my undergraduate studies
occurring are improbable, but the
concept is really that a small event and, whilst completing a PhD occupied a significant portion of
my younger life, I was studying and learning about a subject I
can have large and far-reaching
consequences in the future. Not am passionate about, under the significant mentorship of an
Australian supervisor, with whom I still maintain a close
only is the Butterfly Effect directly
relationship.
linked to the field of climatology,
but it also accurately describes What is really fascinating and exciting about my career is the
what climatology is. Climatology variety I experience on a daily basis, together with the ability
uses partial differential equations this career affords me to make an impact on matters which
and the laws of physics to make could, literally, save our planet in the long term. There are
both short- and long-term three components to my work; they are climate modelling, the
predictions of weather conditions communication of science and post-graduate training.
and patterns based on atmospheric
changes. My career journey further Climate modelling – I work with big data and high-
personifies the Butterfly Effect – performance computing to develop code which assists in the
starting with a small mathematical development of accurate climate models. Data is gathered

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