Integrated Practical: Python in Geosciences

Course objectvies

The course aims at to provide practical python skills that are useful for your BSc/ MSc studies and beyond. It should enable you to work independently with python on your own laptop, with a focus on geoscience topics.

Course Content

• You will set up python on your laptop.
• You will learn how to work with python environments (using conda).
• Different ways of using python are covered: jupyter notebooks, ipython, 'python from the command prompt'.
• You write python code yourself (python scripts, *.py files or jupyter notebooks), and get guidance on how to do this in a clean and re-usable way.
• The focus is on aspects relevant in geosciences (and beyond): quantitative data handling and analysis with numpy and scipy, line plots and maps using matplotlib and cartopy, labelled data and working with netCDF files (xarray, pandas) to organize your data.
• Emphasis is put on collaborative work (you work in small teams of typically two people) and on how to help yourself (using web resources to solve your python problem).
  

The practicum takes place in block 1 of the integrated practicum (IP), Monday 11.03 to Tuesday 26.03. It consists of three introductory half days, six half days project work, and one half day to present your results to everybody. Bring your own laptop! (If you have no laptop, contact )

• Mo 11.03, 14:15 - 18:00: presentation of available projects; set up python for IP on personal laptop
• Tu 12.03, 14:15 - 18:00: python basics for IP part 1
  
• We 13.03, 08:15 - 12:00: python basics for IP part 2
• We 13.03 (afternoon) & Mo 18.03: teams work on their project
• Tu 19.03, 14:15 - 16:00: Mid-term discussion of progress and questions.
• We 20.03 & Mo 25.03: teams work on their project
• Tu 26.03, 14:15 - 18:00: Each team presents their work (~10 min; results, highlights, challenges)

Attendance is compulsory on the half days printed in bold.

• Participation in introduction and mid-term question round
  
• Hand in python code as requested, working and commented
  
• Present your work (~10 min) on the last half day of the course