Why You Should Take Part in the SciPy Sprints
Alternatively titled: How conference code sprints can transform your career!
Hello fellow datanistas!
Have you ever wondered how participating in open source sprints could change your career trajectory? Let me share my personal journey with you.
My first open source contribution was with the Matplotlib project at the SciPy 2015 sprints. I was tasked with replacing pylab imports in the examples gallery with numpy and pyplot import statements.
What seemed simple turned into 70 pull requests over three months, but the learning was immense! I gained confidence in git, improved my software skills, and learned the value of CI/CD. I also experienced the power of collaboration, both in-person and remotely, which later helped me at Novartis.
Meeting Matplotlib maintainers taught me how to communicate effectively and build trust, which has been invaluable in my career.
For students, sprints are a chance to connect with tool developers and give back to the community.
If you're looking to make a lasting impact, contributing to software is a great way to do it. My encouragement to you: book an extra day, join the sprints, and have fun. It could change your career arc!
Participating in sprints can be a transformative experience, offering networking opportunities, skill development, and a chance to make a meaningful impact. It's a journey worth taking!
I invite you to read the full story of my experience and insights in my blog post. If you find it valuable, please share it with others who might benefit!
Happy Coding
Eric
P.S. I rarely include external content, but one of my long-time Pythonista and fellow data nerd friends Hugo Bowne-Anderson is leading the 2nd cohort of Building with LLMs course. Enrollment is still live, and if you’re interested in learning more, I’m linking a blog post he wrote about it here.