My Climate Science Phd (At @Oxforduniversity )

The Dawn of a New Adventure

Today, I find myself reflecting on a decade of exploration into the heart of climate change. A decade spent delving into the intricacies of atmospheric physics, a decade spent grappling with the complexities of predicting rainfall, and a decade spent trying to understand the world's changing climate. It was a full decade since I embarked on my journey as a PhD candidate in atmospheric physics at the University of Oxford.

The Dance of Rain and Climate

Rain, the life-giver, the nourisher of our farms and cities, is a critical component of our climate system. Yet, it's also a challenge to predict accurately. As we heat our planet, the patterns of rainfall change, but the changes are not straightforward. Some regions become wetter, others drier, and in some areas, it's hard to discern any clear trend.

The Complexities of Rainfall Prediction

Rainfall changes are complex and difficult to simulate in computer models. These models are designed to simulate all the physical processes that affect the climate, such as atmospheric circulation and evaporation of water. Climate scientists use these models to predict what the planet would do in different circumstances, such as if we added a bunch of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere.

However, these models are far from perfect. One of the main reasons for this is their limited resolution. Just like an iPhone camera can't take a perfect picture of what someone's reading two miles away because of its limited resolution, climate models can't perfectly simulate all the tiny processes that lead to rainfall. This limitation results in mistakes in their simulations, leading to disagreements in their predictions for the future.

The Hidden Agreement in Climate Models

Despite these disagreements, there are some key things that climate models agree on. My PhD was about finding this hidden agreement between them. I was looking for a way to adapt these models to uncover some kind of hidden agreement between them. This led me to a fascinating discovery: moving all the rainfall blobs around to get them into the right places revealed hidden agreement between climate models about rainfall.

The Maths and Coding of Rainfall Prediction

To achieve this, I had to delve into the world of mathematical modeling and coding. I borrowed techniques from medical imaging, which were developed for studying people's brains, and used them to study rain. This involved a lot of maths and coding, which I've since forgotten.

The Impact of My Research

My research was cited in the latest IPCC report, the most important climate change report ever written. This confirmation that my research is not nonsensical is incredibly rewarding. I left academia because I realized I enjoyed talking about and sharing research more than actually doing my own research. So, I decided to share my knowledge through this YouTube channel and my science journalism.

The Future of Climate Change Research

Next time, we'll be returning to our usual focus on some of the most fundamentally important climate change research out there. Specifically, we'll be looking at sea level rise. Stay tuned for that video, and make sure you're subscribed to this channel. If you want to help me keep making videos, you can become a patron on Patreon. Until next time, bye!

The End of the Journey

As I reflect on this journey, I'm reminded of the words of the great philosopher, Confucius: "Life is ten percent what happens to us and ninety percent how we react to it." This journey has been a testament to that philosophy. It's been a decade of learning, of discovery, and of sharing that knowledge with the world. And as I look forward to the next decade, I'm excited about the possibilities that lie ahead.