Python Course for Geoscientists

31 Mar 2025, 09:00 → 4 Apr 2025, 16:30 Europe/Berlin

Ralf Mueller (DKRZ), Jannek Squar (Uni HH), Marco Kulüke (DKRZ), Angelika Heil (DKRZ), Nils-Arne Dreier (DKRZ), Karin Meier-Fleischer (DKRZ)

 

Target group:  Python beginners
 

In today's world, there is usually no way around the Python programming language in the geosciences. However, learning Python on your own is associated with many difficulties and leads only to unsatisfactory results, which is why this course was developed especially for beginners.

This workshop will take place via Zoom videoconference.

We only offer a limited number of 60 course seats to ensure there is enough time to help with problems. A few additional seats for the waiting list will be taken in the registration which does not guarantee participation.

The course is only offered to our DKRZ users and project partners who are just starting to work with Python.

Notes:

• On 31.03.25 we offer a short introduction to Linux and Jupyterhub for those registered participants interested.
• From 01.04.25 on the actual Python course starts for all registered course participants.

 

Registration will open on 18.02.25 at 10am.

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The next course will take place in autumn this year.
 

Monday, 31 March

13:30 → 16:15 Day 1: Offer for Linux newbies

Here Linux newbies are briefly taught the basics of working on a Linux computer. This enables the Python course team, to start directly with the Python core language introduction on Tuesday morning.

13:30 Welcome

A short welcome to the participants and speakers.

13:40 Difference between a supercomputer and a mobile phone

• what is a node, cpu
• historical development
• architecture

14:00 What is Python - short overview

• difference between a programming language and Python
• assembler, compiler, interpreter

14:15 Jupyter notebooks

• connecting to Levante with Jupyterhub
• Jupyterlab
• notebook
• terminal

15:00 Introduction to Linux

• terminal
• via WSL
• command line and shell
• editor

Tuesday, 1 April

09:00 → 16:30 Day 2: Python core language

Start of the Python course for all registered course participants.

09:00 Welcome

• Jupyterhub
• Jupyterlab
• terminal
• copy course material

09:30 Syntax

• case-sensitive
• print
• indentation and code blocks
• line continuation
• comments

10:00 Data types

• boolean
• integer
• floating-point
• complex
• conversion between types
• None

10:15 Strings

• formatting
• string functions

10:30 Lists, tuples, and sets

10:45 Dictionaries

• creation
• access

11:15 Coffee break

11:30 Copy objects

• shallow copy
• deep copy

11:45 Basic operators and math functions

12:00 Conditions

12:30 Lunch break

13:30 Loops

• for
• while

14:00 List comprehension

• nested

14:30 Functions

• definition

14:45 Coffee break

15:00 File I/O

• open
• close
• read
• write
• csv reader

15:45 Exceptions, error handling

• try and except
• logging
• debugging

Wednesday, 2 April

09:00 → 17:00 Day 3: Introduction to Numpy, Xarray, and Matplotlib

Introduction to Numpy, Xarray, and Matplotlib

09:00 Welcome

09:05 Numpy (1)

10:30 Coffee break

10:45 Numpy (1/2)

11:30 Xarray (1)

12:30 Lunch break

13:30 Xarray (1/2)

15:00 Coffee break

15:20 Xarray (1/3)

Thursday, 3 April

09:00 → 16:30 Day 4

09:00 Welcome

09:05 Visualization (1)

11:00 Coffee break

11:15 Visualization (1/2)

12:30 Lunch break

13:30 Visualization (2)

15:00 Coffee break

15:15 Visualization (2/2)

Friday, 4 April

09:00 → 16:30 Day 5

09:00 Welcome

09:05 Xarray (2)

10:45 Coffee break

11:00 Xarray (2/2)

12:30 Lunch break

13:30 Xarray (2/3)

14:30 Python in action - GLOBAGRIM

An application example

15:15 Time for feedback on the finished course