Saurav Sahu

Tell us about your work/research. What kinds of things do you do?

I am an applied mathematician specializing in numerical modeling of oceanic flow. I specialize in Lagrangian particle tracking and the use of machine learning to answer questions regarding oceanic flow processes. Such a question can be: Where will a water parcel end up, or where does it start its journey from? From 2016-2019 specifically worked towards estimating the pathways of water that end up every summer below the Juan de Fuca Eddy in the North East Pacific causing a low oxygen pool of water below the eddy. From November 2019 where I joined as a Data Steward at Ocean Networks Canada, I am responsible for metadata curation and data curation tasks of acquisition, ingestion, and distribution. that describe infrastructure, datasets, and field operations. From my previous experience in doing data science with large datasets, I presently perform data file manipulations, data reprocessing, and other corrections as needed. Other than expedition support (i.e. my role aboard the Nautilus). I am actively involved as part of Ocean Networks Canada's support towards the Pacific Salmon Foundation initiative in the Strait of Georgia and the Enhanced Maritime Situational Awareness Initiative (PEMSA) by Transport Canada.

What sparked your initial interest in your career?

My undergraduate was in mechanical engineering. During this time, I came to learn about machines but despite the best efforts of my teachers I wasn't quite as much inspired towards design and manufacturing of machines as I was in fluid mechanics or the study of the motion of fluids. I felt making ripples in the bathtub can be even more fun if we could generate those same waves artificially on a screen by numerically solving simple math equations.

Who influenced you or encouraged you the most?

I would say my mom and dad inspired me the most. It was my mom (Krishna Sahu) and her support that led me to always pursue my dreams and move from one step to the other. My master's supervisor Dr. Susan Allen (UBC) really inspired me to not only explore physical oceanography but also at a lot more personal level.

What element of your work/study do you think is the most fascinating?

Getting a chance to go out into the sea and then playing around with the data I managed to collect. Sounds fun, doesn't it?

What other jobs led you to your current career?

Mainly my academic disciplines led me to study thoroughly the fundamentals of Maths, Physics, and Computer Science. A combination of these skills is what I utillize for my job.

What are your degrees and certifications?

Masters in Applied Mathematics (and Physical Oceanography) _ University of British Columbia (UBC)
Masters in Mathematics and Computing = Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kharagpur
Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering-- Jadavpur University

What are your hobbies?

I love to teach in my spare team and I run online courses as well for students. Besides this I love to travel and also love to explore new cities on my bike.

How did you get involved with the Ocean Exploration Trust?

As part of the expedition team from Ocean Networks Canada.

What advice would you give someone who wants to have a career like yours?

Learn the basics and never shy away from solving partial differential equations. Spend your younger years trying to be as analytical as you can.