Geomatic - Peter Macharia
Peter Macharia: PhD from the The KEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme and The Open University, UK. Fellow of the Initiative to Develop African Research Leaders (IDeAL). He just completed his PhD in October 2020, can’t wait to see what he does next! Connect: Twitter @Pete_M_M
His Research: As a geospatial modeler, Peter creates maps and analyses data that is linked to a place or location (geolocated data). By looking at how health data compares from one location to another he can try to figure out what is causing the differences. His specific interest is in child health outcomes, and he layers this information on top of other data about nutrition, malaria, how close a clinic is, immunization and other factors. He then performs geospatial and statistical analyses to determine what is contributing to health outcomes in a given area. For example, he might see that malaria is high in a given area and that transport to clinics is difficult. This information can then be used by government and non-governmental organisations to direct programmes and resources to those areas, or change policies that will help the whole population.
Peter’s work is largely computer based. He uses mapping software such as ArcGIS and does analyses in the free statistical software R. He depends on other researchers for the data that he analyses and collaborators with the Kenya Ministry of Health and others across Sub-Saharan Africa.
See some of the scientific papers that he has written through his ORCID, a cool way of uniquely identifying a scientist.
Read more about his research here or here or watch here and here.
His Name: Geomatic speaks to his ability to quickly turn geospatial data into analyses. It’s not quite automatic but with skills you can quickly make the map, and paint the picture that is much more convincing than a 1000 words. Geomatics is also the discipline of turning geospatial data into analyses and recommendations, whether in health, environmental conservation, or urban planning.
His SuperPowers: Managing the data storm and painting a picture worth a million data points. Sometimes there is not enough data, sometimes there is too much! Peter can take many different data layers and combine and analyse them to be able to show decision makers where they should direct health programmes.
His Scientific Strengths: Peter’s scientific strengths include being inquisitive (questioning and curious) and able to do so in a positive way - it’s a real skill to ask probing questions about someone’s data or scientific research and not make them defensive. Through these skills he’s able to develop new research questions and collaborations. He also brings a unique set of skills as a geospatial modeler and sees data and ways to explain data that others don’t. To be able to explain what he has created to policy makers, he needs to translate technical information and his communication skills are on point!
His Heroes: Peter’s heroes are his family and scientific mentors who include Dr Emelda Okiro, Prof Benn Sartorius, Prof Robert Snow, and Dr Emmanuel Giorgi.
“What I take from my heroes is to remain humble and be always be ruthless for excellence, their journeys exemplify this.”
Connect: Twitter @Pete_M_M
In isiZulu
Peter Macharia: PhD evela ku-KEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme kanye neThe Open University, UK. Umuntu Wohlelo Lokuthuthukisa Abaholi Bocwaningo Base-Afrika (IDeAL). Usanda kuqeda i-PhD yakhe ngo-Okthoba 2020, akasakwazi ukulinda ukubona ukuthi wenzani ngokulandelayo! Xhuma: Twitter @Pete_M_M
Ucwaningo Lwakhe: Njengomodela we-geospatial, u-Peter udala amamephu futhi ahlaziye idatha exhunywe endaweni noma indawo (idatha ye-geolocated). Ngokubheka ukuthi idatha yezempilo iqhathaniswa kanjani ukusuka endaweni eyodwa kuya kwenye angazama ukuthola ukuthi yini ebangela umehluko. Isithakazelo sakhe esiqondile sisemiphumeleni yezempilo yezingane, futhi ubeka lolu lwazi phezu kolunye ulwazi mayelana nokudla, umalaleveva, ukuthi umtholampilo useduze kangakanani, ukugoma nezinye izici. Ube esenza ukuhlaziya kwe-geospatial kanye nezibalo ukuze anqume ukuthi yini enomthelela emiphumeleni yezempilo endaweni ethile. Isibonelo, angabona ukuthi umalaleveva uphezulu endaweni ethile nokuthi ukuthutha ukuya emitholampilo kunzima. Lolu lwazi lungasetshenziswa nguhulumeni kanye nezinhlangano ezingekho ngaphansi kukahulumeni ukuqondisa izinhlelo nezinsiza kulezo zindawo, noma ukuguqula izinqubomgomo ezizosiza wonke umuntu.
Umsebenzi kaPeter usekelwe kakhulu kwikhompyutha. Usebenzisa isofthiwe yokwenza imephu efana ne-ArcGIS futhi uyahlaziya ngesofthiwe yezibalo yamahhala R. Uncike kwabanye abacwaningi ukuze uthole idatha ayihlaziyayo nabahlanganyeli Nomnyango Wezempilo waseKenya nabanye e-Sub-Saharan Africa.
Bona amanye amaphepha esayensi awabhale nge-ORCID yakhe, indlela epholile yokuhlonza ngokukhethekile usosayensi.
Funda kabanzi ngocwaningo lwakhe lapha noma lapha noma bukela lapha nalapha.
Igama Lakhe: I-Geomatic ikhuluma nekhono lakhe lokushintsha ngokushesha idatha ye-geospatial ibe ukuhlaziya. Akuzenzekeli impela kodwa ngamakhono ungenza imephu ngokushesha, futhi upende isithombe esikholisa kakhulu kunamagama ayi-1000. I-Geomatics futhi iyisiyalo sokuguqula idatha ye-geospatial ibe ukuhlaziya nezincomo, kungaba kwezempilo, ukongiwa kwemvelo, noma ukuhlela amadolobha.
Amandla Akhe Amandla: Ukuphatha isiphepho sedatha nokudweba isithombe esibiza amaphoyinti edatha ayisigidi. Kwesinye isikhathi idatha eyanele, kwesinye isikhathi iba miningi kakhulu! U-Peter angathatha izendlalelo eziningi zedatha ezihlukene azihlanganise futhi azihlaziye ukuze akwazi ukukhombisa abenzi bezinqumo lapho kufanele baqondise khona izinhlelo zezempilo.
Amandla Akhe Esayensi: Amandla kaPetru kwezesayensi ahlanganisa ukuba nemibuzo (ukubuza nokuba nelukuluku) nokukwazi ukwenza lokho ngendlela eyakhayo - kuyikhono langempela lokubuza imibuzo ephenyayo mayelana nedatha yothile noma ucwaningo lwesayensi futhi ungamenzi azivikele. Ngalawa makhono uyakwazi ukuthuthukisa imibuzo emisha yocwaningo nokusebenzisana. Futhi uletha isethi eyingqayizivele yamakhono njengemodeli ye-geospatial futhi ubona idatha nezindlela zokuchaza idatha abanye abangayiboni. Ukuze akwazi ukuchaza lokho asekudalile kubenzi bezinqubomgomo, udinga ukuhumusha ulwazi lwezobuchwepheshe kanye namakhono akhe okuxhumana akhona!
Amaqhawe Akhe: Amaqhawe kaPeter umndeni wakhe nabeluleki besayensi abahlanganisa uDkt Emelda Okiro, uProf Benn Sartorius, uProf Robert Snow, noDkt Emmanuel Giorgi.
“Engikuthatha kumaqhawe ami wukuhlala ngithobekile futhi ngihlale ngingenasihawu ngokwenza kahle, uhambo lwabo luyisibonelo salokhu.”
Xhuma: Twitter @Pete_M_M