Getting to Know: Matt Davis

In January 2012 I enrolled in a workshop Greg Wilson did at the Space Telescope Science Institute. I ended up helping at that workshop and guiding some exercises for the class afterwards. A month later Greg invited me to Toronto to teach Python and help at a workshop there. I've been teaching for SWC ever since!

There have been lots of adventures with SWC. On my way to my first workshop in Toronto I missed my flight and made it to the workshop as my lesson was starting. I once taught an entire two-day workshop solo (plus one helper). (I'm not keen to do it again.) And I'll always remember the times I've taught at the Lawrence Berkeley Lab and stayed in their guest hostel with a beautiful view of the San Francisco Bay.

Chill, outside, California

At my current job I write Python software used in urban planning and modeling. (So lots of orchestrating data flowing through statistical models.) At previous jobs I've worked on web applications, astronomy data pipelines and observation planning tools, and on data analysis/visualization in atmospheric science.

I use the scientific Python stack (NumPy, SciPy, pandas, matplotlib) for almost everything, with occasional use of web technologies like JavaScript, HTML, and CSS.

I've made a few projects, mostly related to, or in, Python:

• Palettable - Color palettes for Python
• SnakeViz - A graphical viewer for Python profiles
• ipythonblocks - A tool for teaching Python in the IPython Notebook
• Open in nbviewer - A collection of browser extensions for opening your current URL in nbviewer with one click
• Days Since it Rained - A web application for checking rainfall around the world

I'm in the lucky position of doing what I love: being a software engineer and working in Python. As I grow in my career I'd like to become a team lead and mentor people starting their careers. Oh, and I want to always keep learning and helping.