Hello. I'm Kelvin (Tsz Hei Choi).

I’m a Senior Data Scientist with a passion for unlocking data’s full potential. Currently, I work at a startup in traffic management, where I lead the development of a real-time data fusion engine for incident monitoring. Prior to Valerann, I obtained my PhD in physics, focusing on solar panel design using remotely sensed satellite data. In my spare time, I craft tools to help people understand the world around them through sensing. I developed Sensor Logger App, which empowers individuals to experiment, conduct research, and prototype motion and geospatial applications. I blend my love for data science and visualization with interests like roller coasters (Coaster Fusion) and LEGO (Projection Mapping).

PhD. Research

Through my PhD research, I have furthered the atmospheric radiative transfer and remote sensing capabilities in existing retrieval schemes, such that quantities that are most pertinent for assessing solar resources worldwide are routinely generated. In this way, the optimal cell technology and design for different regions can be identified based on real, long-term observations.

Personal Interests

I enjoy fusing the beauty of science with design. This fascination has manifested itself in a wide range of expressions, including my love for physics, computing, architecture, immersive-themed design, photography, cartography, and more. I am always excited to explore new frontiers and find new and unique perspectives to see the world through traveling, exploring, and the work I do. I am actively involved in the physics community and science outreach.

I am constantly seeking exciting opportunities. Please don't hesitate to contact me for any reason. 

Selected past and current education and experiences. Full CV and references are available upon request. 

Education

PhD in Physics, Imperial College London and the Grantham Institute, Graduated. |  2017 - 2021

  • Researched the use of earth observations to improve solar panels design

  • Aerosol classification by fusing physical model observations, validation against ground-based observations

  • Studied error propagation and quantification using satellite data for solar cell power output

  • Developed metrics to evaluate climate products for solar energy applications

  • Investigated the impact of the COVID-19 lockdown on solar energy resources

  • Thesis available at https://spiral.imperial.ac.uk/handle/10044/1/92800

BSc (Hons) Physics, Imperial College London: Graduated, First Class | 2013 - 2016

IB Bilingual Diploma, HKCCCU Logos Academy, Graduated, 44/45 | 2013

Employment & Work Experience

Senior Data Scientist, Valerann | 2020 - (ongoing)

  • Leads the research and development of real-time data fusion engines for operators to monitor roads

  • Works with geo-spatial and time-series machine learning models

  • Works with event, risk, weather, traffic & computer vision data to tackle clients’ data challenges

  • Rapid prototyping and building POCs in a cross-functional team

  • Productionise, maintain and scale streaming data pipelines

  • Leads Valerann’s innovation activities, including patents, hackathons & conferences

Academic Visitor, Imperial College London | 2021 (ongoing)

Earth Observation Intern, Assimila | Winter 2019

  • Designed algorithms to extract geophysical information from earth observation data with data assimilation

  • Assimilated thermal observations into a canopy temperature model in Africa and Colombia

Lead Teacher for Python, King Solomon Academy | 2019 - 2020

Physics Undergraduate Laboratory Demonstration, Imperial College London | 2017 - 2020

  • Laboratory demonstration in scientific Python programming

Telephone Fundraising, Imperial College London | 2016

Undergraduate Researcher, Imperial College Space & Atmospheric Physics Group | 2015

Head of Design, Squeek startup company | 2015 - 2016

Apps & Personal Projects

Sensor Logger, available on app stores | 2020 (ongoing)

  • Designed & developed iOS + Android app for data logging from motion, GPS, audio, video & bluetooth sensors

  • Originally for personal use; it has seen 10K monthly active users

  • Grown the app into a viable product with monthly recurring revenue

  • Conceived & built a SasS platform to support large-scale crowd-sourced data studies & research

  • Consulting & supporting users in academia and industries with their data needs, including medical studies, flight tracking, whale watching, geology surveys, railway monitoring, indoor localisation, insurance and more

  • Beyond development, assumed design, marketing, product development and commercial functionalities

Whale Watcher, for Institute of Marine Research | 2022

Coaster Cred, available soon on app stores | 2022 (ongoing)

  • Developed algorithms to fuse smartphone motion sensors to re-create roller coaster experiences

  • Used variety of sensor fusion, time-series mining, inertial navigation techniques

  • State estimation e.g. particle filter, ensemble Kalman filter, 4D variational data assimilation

  • ML-based analysis on heart rate and audio data from rides

  • Roller coaster track element identification & classification via ML-based methods (LSTM)

  • Developed 3D visualisation of roller coasters in AR & web

Property Price Radar, an easy-to-use, cross-platform app that helps you explore and keep track of property prices in England and Wales based on property sales since 1995. | 2021 (discontinued)

Automated Projection Mapping on LEGO Sets | 2021 (ongoing)

  • Prototyped projection mapping system for official sets inspired by satellite remote sensing

  • Implemented photogrammetric 3D reconstruction (Structure from Motion, SLAM)

Watch Recorder, consulting work for Human Signals Lab, University of Texas Austin | 2022

Publication & Patents

Awesome Sensor Logger, A GitHub repository of scripts and tools for analysing motion data, diagnosing data issues, data visualisation, and handling Bluetooth and streaming data

Choi et al. (Dec, 2023) System and Method for Providing Consolidated Events in a Traffic Management Control Centre Using Situational Awareness (US Patent No. 12,118,881)

Choi et al. (Jan, 2023) System and Method for Determining a Viewpoint of a Traffic Camera (US Patent No. 11,557,089)

Choi et al. (2021). Developing Automated Methods to Estimate Spectrally Resolved Direct Normal Irradiance for Solar Energy Applications. Renewable Energy. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.renene.2021.03.127

Choi et. al. (2020). COVID-19 lockdown air quality change implications for solar energy generation over China. Environ. Res. Lett. https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/abd42f

Choi, K. T. (2019). The role of climate services in handling climate change risks: Contributions of UKCP18. Weather, 74(7), 255-256. doi:10.1002/wea.3526

Choi, K. T. (2018). Space, satellite and solutions: Essential climate variables and the future of climate monitoring from space. Weather,73(12), 390-391. doi:10.1002/wea.3306

Student Scholarship & Awards

Grantham Institute for Climate Change and the Environment DTP Scholar | 2017 - 2021

Best Presentation at the NCEO Researchers' Forum 2020 | Mar 2020

Best Presentation at the NCEO Researchers' Forum 2018 | Feb 2018

Imperial College Alumni Association Hong Kong Endowment Fund Scholar | 2013

Training & Summer Schools

Deep Learning for Computer Vision | by NVIDIA at Plymouth Marine Laboratory | Mar 2020

Data Assimilation Training Course | by NCEO & DARS at University of Reading | Feb 2020

SOlar Radiation Based Established Techniques for aTmospheric Observations Summer School | CNR and Sapienza University, Rome | Jul 2018

Presentations

Join DTP Conference 2020; Implications of Air Quality Change Over China During COVID-19 for Solar Energy Generation | Sep 2020

NCEO Conference 2020; Implications of Air Quality Change Over China During COVID-19 for Solar Energy Generation | Jun 2020

Researching Software & Atmospheric Physics: Coping with Data & Models for Imperial College Research Software Engineering | May 2019

EGU 2019; Session ESSI1.16 Earth Observations for Sustainable Development | Apr 2019

A Changing Planet Joint DTP Conference 2018; Session 4B Novel Measurements and Solar | Sep 2018

UK National Earth Observation Conference 2018; Session 6A Satellite ECV data asset and climate services | Sep 2018

Imperial Space & Atmospheric Physics Group Talk | Mar 2018

Space, Satellites & Solutions, Royal Meteorological Society | Mar 2018

NCEO Researchers' Forum 2018, National Centre for Earth Observation | Feb 2018

Public Engagement

Brick-ing Down the Global Solar Energy Resources with LEGOs, Research as Art Installation & Exhibition at the Blyth Gallery, Imperial College | Jul 2019

Earth Observation Detective, NCEO at the Farnborough International Airshow I Jul 2018 

Raising awAIRness: The Board Game, Imperial Festival I Apr 2018 

Debate Panellist on Are Humans Responsible For Climate Change?, UCL Life Ethics Society I Mar 2018 

Imperial Fringe: Air, Imperial College Space & Atmospheric Physics Group | Nov 2017

Authorship

Dispatches from the Climate Debate: Thoughts on Engaging with Climate Deniers, Article on the Grantham Institute Blog I Apr2018 

Iconic Iceland, digital photo book | published in 2015

Leadership & Volunteering

GCSE Mathematics Tutoring, The Access Project | Summer 2020

Visual Communications Officer (Elected), Imperial College Design Collective | 2015 - 2016

PhySoc Committee Member (Elected), Imperial College Physics Society | 2014 - 2015

Head of Content (Elected), Imperial College Student Television | 2014 - 2015

International Association for Physics Students appointed designer | 2014 - 2015

i, Science Magazine appointed designer | 2014 - 2015

Welsh Highland Railway Volunteering | 2014, 2015

English Teacher Volunteering in China | 2011

Language Skills

Fluent in English, Cantonese and Mandarin

Computer Skills

Proficient in Python and the general data science and scientific computing ecosystem

Some experiences with Javascript, Matlab, React and Swift

Experience working with UNIX systems

Data Tools & Domains

Data fusion, Scikit-Learn, Jupyter, YOLO, knowledge graphs, fuzzy logic, traffic modelling

Technologies & Processes

Python, AWS, ECS, S3, Kafka, SQL (Postgress), Postgis, Airflow, Redis, FastAPI, Grafana, Git, Docker, DVC, React Native, Expo, Javascript, Agile development process