When University of Pretoria (UP) master’s student Dr Michael Barnes submitted his thesis for external examination, he got the surprise of his life when it was subsequently converted into a PhD.

“The way in which my thesis was converted was quite unique, because when most people have a thesis converted, it is done way before submission of a master’s,” Dr Barnes said. “Whereas I submitted a master’s and it ended up being more than that. It came out of the blue and I was caught completely off-guard.”

The Cape Town-born meteorologist, who recently graduated with a PhD, has experience in both operational forecasting, and research and development. He works as a research scientist at the South African Weather Service’s Marine Research Unit, where he is involved in the development of numerical models and associated forecast products and services.

His qualifications reflect his love for weather. “I hold a Bachelor of Science (Hons) Degree in Meteorology from UP, and a forecasting diploma from the South African Forecasting Service,” he said. Barnes is on the graduation roll for both a master’s and PhD in Meteorology.

His master’s-turned-PhD dissertation focused on atmospheric dynamics. “I studied the dynamics of upper-tropospheric weather systems called cut-off lows,” Dr Barnes explained. “The study analysed the properties of these weather systems that extend all the way to the surface compared to those that do not.”

He was supervised by Dr Thando Ndarana, BSc Meteorology Programme Coordinator and Senior Lecturer, and co-supervised by Professor Willem Landman, Programme Coordinator in the Department of Geography, Geoinformatics and Meteorology in the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences.

“By the time Michael submitted his MSc dissertation for examination, he had already published his first paper based on his research in Atmospheric Research, which is a very reputable, high-impact journal,” Dr Ndarana said. “He had also submitted a second article to Climate Dynamics, an equally reputable journal of the atmospheric sciences. Both these papers closed a knowledge gap in the literature. Based on the depth and breadth of the work that was submitted, an international examiner from Oxford University suggested that an upgrade be considered. To quote him, ‘This thesis is, by any measure, a truly outstanding and exceptional piece of work.’”

Reflecting on his academic journey, Dr Barnes said it was not an easy road. “At the time of completing my master’s, I was working full-time and found it exceptionally challenging. Working and studying is no joke. Finding a work-study-life balance is not easy.”

Dr Ndarana praised Dr Barnes for his work ethic. “The remarkable thing about Michael’s journey is that he was working as a full-time researcher at the South African Weather Service, which is a technically demanding operational organisation. He led the development of the operational marine forecasting system there and published five papers based on this system in high-impact journals. These papers had nothing to do with his academic research, meaning that he needed to find time for the latter after working hours.”

Dr Barnes advised other students who are in the process of completing their studies to keep going. “Perseverance is key. I really struggled during my first year. Finding a friend who is starting their degree around the same time as you and is on the same path can also help. I was lucky to start and complete this course with my friend Anika de Beer. Just having someone who understood exactly what I was going through was very helpful.”

He’s unsure about whether or not he will further his studies. “I’m going to take the rest of the year to explore some opportunities, and then decide what to do next.”