00.01 Biography ZA

Thapelo Madiba Masebe is a transdisciplinary practitioner operating at the intersection of data, memory, and emerging African identity.

His practice charts an emotional geography that stretches from his origins in Seshego, Limpopo (representing ancestral memory) to his current studio in Johannesburg (representing the urban intersection).

He works from a professional office, not a traditional studio. This operational model prioritizes systems over chaos, merging the rigor of Data Science with the intuition of Fine Art. He calls this duality the Systematic-Poetic.

He recently formalized his technical stack through a Data Science Learnership while architecting Studio Masebe, a decentralized cultural institution for the 21st century.

00.02 // Capabilities
LOGIC
  • Python (Pandas/NumPy)
  • SQL / Database Arch
  • Machine Learning
  • GraphRAG
SENSATION
  • Art Direction
  • Photography
  • Generative Art
  • Sound Design
SYSTEMS
  • Linux / Bash
  • Git / Version Control
  • Docker
  • Astro / React
OFFICE
  • Project Management
  • Creative Strategy
  • Technical Writing
  • Brand Architecture
00.03 // Experience

Data Scientist / Junior Data Analyst

April 2025 – Present
Ogilvy South Africa | City of Johannesburg
Key Client Accounts: Google, Mastercard, OM Bank, Brand South Africa, Global South Africans, Play Your Part.
  • Design and deploy sentiment analysis pipelines utilizing Large Language Models (LLMs) to extract actionable brand insights from vast amounts of unstructured consumer data.
  • Develop interactive Looker dashboards and compile comprehensive report decks to track campaign performance, visualizing complex datasets for non-technical stakeholders and executive teams.
  • Bridge the gap between data and creative strategy, utilizing SQL and Python to extract and clean high-volume data to inform high-level business decisions.

Data Science Practitioner

April 2025 – April 2026
Deviare | Johannesburg
  • Completed a rigorous, structured Data Science Learnership, executing end-to-end data lifecycles.
  • Built and deployed machine learning projects encompassing multiple algorithms (Linear/Logistic Regression, K-Means Clustering, Decision Trees, Random Forests).
  • Mastered data visualization and business intelligence reporting using Tableau and Power BI.
  • Compiled a comprehensive open-source portfolio detailing data extraction, wrangling, and algorithmic problem-solving.

Freelance Photographer, Videographer & Creative Director

Jan 2017 – Present
Self-Employed | Johannesburg
Clients: Vans, Cotton On, Viktor & Rolf, Match Padel SA, The Longevity Centre, Block Black, Thickleeyonce, Leebex.
  • Shot, scripted, edited, and managed full production pipelines for commercial campaigns, social media, and documentary content.
  • Collaborated with marketing teams and influencers to develop campaign concepts and execution plans, ensuring tight deadlines and high client satisfaction.
  • Utilized advanced editing software (Da Vinci Resolve, Adobe Suite, Final Cut Pro) for high-quality visual storytelling and algorithmic content optimization.

Photography Studio Manager & Image Editor

Jan 2018 – Dec 2019
UCT Photosoc & Varsity Newspaper | Cape Town
  • Managed the university photography studio, oversaw equipment, and conducted photography workshops.
  • Edited, selected, and retouched photos for publication in the Varsity Newspaper, managing digital archives and ensuring adherence to copyright laws.
00.04 // Certifications
  • Data Science Practitioner Certificate | Deviare April 2026
  • Introducing Generative AI | AWS Nov 2025
  • FREE OpenCV Bootcamp | OpenCV University Oct 2025
  • Building Generative AI-Powered Applications with Python | IBM Sep 2025
  • Generative AI and LLMs: Architecture and Data Preparation | IBM Sep 2025
  • Google Analytics Certification Aug 2025
  • Deep Learning using TensorFlow | IBM Jul 2025
  • AWS Educate Machine Learning Foundations Jul 2025
00.05 // Systems & Repositories
  • [ Project 0723 ] Architecting a 100% local, privacy-first AI agent ecosystem using LangGraph, Qdrant, and Ollama.
  • [ CalibratingTheCosmos-UHF ] Python-based radio astronomy data pipeline for MeerKAT telescope observations. (GitHub)
  • [ Flask Chatbot Blenderbot ] Full-stack conversational AI application utilizing Flask and Transformer models. (Hugging Face)
  • [ AI Vision Toolkit ] Image captioning and classification application utilizing Salesforce BLIP models. (Hugging Face)
  • [ DataSciencePortfolio ] Open-source archive detailing EDA, wrangling, and ML algorithm implementations. (GitHub)
00.06 // Network
MAILTO: hi@thapelomasebe.com
LINKEDIN: /in/thapelo-masebe-733a67143
GITHUB: /Cozisoul
HUGGING FACE: /coziSoul