James Mason

What’s your job title?
I’m a data scientist

What sort of duties do you have at work?
I develop the routing software for our FastRig wing sails. The software estimates the fuel savings that our customers can expect to see when they install our wing sails and use them on different shipping routes around the globe. On a day-to-day basis, it involves lots of coding in Python

What has your career path looked like until now?
I graduated with a master’s degree in Physics at The University of Manchester in 2016, after which I was adamant that I wanted to move to London to experience the “big city” life when I was 22. I ended up not enjoying the city so much, so after a year of working for a software consultancy company, I decided that I wanted to change my career path to do something that I was both interested in and helped people. I enjoyed some climate change modules during my time at university, so I decided to go back to The University of Manchester in 2017 to start a PhD. This is where I developed the ship routing software that I use for SGS today, and in my PhD, I looked at how this technology can reduce greenhouse gases from shipping. I was completely new to the world of shipping and also fairly new to the field of climate change, so I had a lot to learn throughout my 4 years there. In 2021, I graduated with my doctorate and decided to stay on as a postdoctoral researcher, as I enjoyed academia so much. I ended my university journey in 2023 when I moved to Smart Green Shipping. I was (and am) fascinated by the challenge of developing the routing software into something that can be used by the industry to promote the uptake of low-carbon wing sail technology

What’s your secret to making progress each day?
Fortunately (and probably weirdly!) I’ve always really liked looking at maps. I think this helps to make the ship routing problem incredibly intellectually interesting for me. I enjoy coding, so when I combine the two, it helps me settle into a flow-type state where I can get a lot of work done. But also coffee

What motivates you at work?
The knowledge that wing sails helps the lives of people who suffer from the consequences of climate change. I’ve spent some time in Southeast Asia hearing stories from people who are already suffering from the lifestyles of the high-carbon-emitting nations. The climate is changing, and with it, so are the livelihoods of many of the poorest nations in the world, who are simultaneously not responsible for the actions of the wealthy nations over the last hundred years. Immediate action is important to save lives, and in some cases, such as the Marshall Islands, complete nations. Knowing that I’m a cog in the machine that drives decarbonisation helps to motivate me throughout my days at work

What makes SGS different from other places you’ve worked for?
I don’t have much experience outside of the academic world, but SGS’ core principles are very much different from typical businesses that I’ve experienced. Firstly, our principal aim focuses on immediate and disruptive climate action to tackle the climate emergency. And this promotes both awareness and motivation, which makes SGS feel like an inspiring place to work. As our goal is ultimately focused on helping people, I feel like this also fosters an environment of kindness and compassion, which helps me feel valued by the team each day

Who inspires you?
I’ve always loved the phrase “we are standing on the shoulders of giants”. I feel fortunate that I’ve had amazing people around me throughout my life, and their hard work and sacrifice have played an important role in where I am today. The people around me that have helped me throughout my journey are the people that inspire me. From my kind parents and friends to the amazing supervisors, colleagues, and bosses that I’ve had.

What kind of music do you like?
When I was younger and had an emo fringe, I was into heavy rock and metal. But nowadays, my tastes have evolved in the opposite direction. I now like chilled-out van life music: Jack Johnson, Nick Mulvey, and Easy Life, to name a few

What’s the best book you’ve read recently?
I don’t read regularly, but my favourite book is The Glass Bead Game by Hermann Hesse. I was reading this book just before starting my PhD in 2016, and this was an inspiring novel that made me realise how much my mind enjoys academic-type thinking

What’s your favourite food?
Ramen. Shoryu in Manchester might be my favourite restaurant! I even learned to cook this in Japan

Do you have any hidden talents or hobbies?
I played table tennis for Yorkshire when I was a teenager, and I’ve been playing ever since I was old enough to hold a bat. But more recently, I’ve gotten into cooking and snorkelling. I’m not great at either, but it’s fun to take some time cooking something new in the evening

When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?
I wanted to be an astronaut! As a kid, I had astronaut wallpaper in my room and used to read books on space. This passion continued into A-levels as I loved science, and I didn’t actually stop dreaming about being an astronaut until I was in my twenties after finishing my physics degree!

What’s your favourite thing to do on a weekend?
Watching football and exploring somewhere new

What’s your favourite season and why?
Spring, the season of hope! I enjoy seeing all the new flower buds and especially the cherry blossom