Thalles is an Earth scientist and autodidact who aims to fill the gap between real-world interdisciplinary Earth processes and applied mathematics and physics, doing both theoretical and field work. With most of his experience in oceans sciences and towards the completion of his fourth university degree, Thalles is a PhD Candidate developing low-cost methodologies to use satellite imagery to investigate how waves and sea level rise trigger coastal erosion worldwide.
An avid autodidact, at 12, Thalles figured out how to know the time from the stars, deduced the circle of fifths from music theory without knowing it existed, and taught himself how to play the piano and compose. Since then, he has composed over 20 songs and taught himself from how to play the ukulele to over six programming languages and the entire mathematics of Einstein’s theory of general relativity (und ein bisschen Deutsch). By being somewhat polymathic with such a wide spectrum of interests, he usually draws parallels across disciplines that few people notice. As such, professionally, he goes from flying solo in writing essays in theoretical fluid mechanics to collaborating with geologists to investigate groundwater flows. However, he says: “The scientific topic that is the closest to my heart is geophysical fluid mechanics – the flow of oceans, atmosphere, magma, and ice sheets – with all of its nonlinear, chaotic, fractal, and abstract gorgeousness.” Since 2017, he has been writing a mathematical physics book with original ideas on this topic.
Thalles firmly believes that the contemporary world needs more collaboration across disciplines that employ current knowledge holistically (a horizontal approach) than research that goes deeper and deeper to produce new knowledge in isolated topics (a vertical approach). Committed to work for a cause – not for someone – and making Earth more pleasant to all living beings, he adheres to inclusive open-source and low-cost tools so his work is universally available, replicable, and scalable. Over the past years, Thalles has been a first lieutenant oceanographer at the Brazilian Navy, a programming consultant, a course director of a UNESCO online programming course to four different countries, and a mathematics and physics lecturer. Co-author of a few scientific articles and a book chapter, he has also taken part in scientific expeditions in three different countries.
Thalles is from Brazil and loves it. A critic of the current capitalist means of production and consumption, he usually has a philosophy book on him and prefers a minimalist, sustainable living. Valuing the simplicity of the outdoors, he enjoys long walks and being simple with a backpack, usually choosing people over places. After living in 11 addresses in three different countries and decluttering at every move, he loves camping and knows how moving broadens horizons. A firm believer in a strictly plant-based diet, he can be found swimming, biking, or kayaking. He also is a divemaster who enjoys breathing weightless underwater. Passionate about music and piano, he is also regularly composing solo piano versions of existing pop/rock/metal songs. A studious of the Spiritist Doctrine, he believes in a non-material reality ruled by moral principles. For him, people should acknowledge their privileges, promote effective altruism, and practice active charity.
