The Women in Tech Show: A Technical Podcast: Recent Episodes
The Women in Tech Show
A podcast about what we work on, not what it feels like to be a woman in tech. Hosted by Edaena Salinas, Software Engineer at Microsoft. Website: wit.fm
Sarah Bird, Engineering Lead at Microsoft talked about what responsible AI is and its main components and best practices. Sarah also explained what generative AI is and example metrics to evaluate systems that use it. At the end we talked about existing tools that can assist in developing AI systems.
Shruti Pathak, Senior Product Manager at Microsoft, talked about optimizing web applications by using Redis cache and things to consider to make it secure. Shruti also explained what in-memory databases are and how they improve performance. At the end we also talked about the program manager and her experience transitioning from a software development role.
Laura Jiang, Product Manager at Microsoft, talked about what DevOps is and security vulnerabilities in this area. Laura also explained how to dentify and address security threats within the GitHub ecosystem.
Kathleen has been writing software in .NET and other Microsoft technologies for over 20 years. We talked about how systems have evolved and how the process of developing software has improved. Kathleen also talked about different programming languages such as C#, F# and Visual Basic.
Mia Reyes, Director of Foundational Security at Microsoft started working in tech after several years of experience in foreign policy. We talked about how her past experience relates to her role in security product management. Mia also gave a general overview on what built in security is and examples of common vulnerabilities. Mia also talked about challenges she’s faced throughout her career and how she’s tackled them.
There are different roles related to the execution of a project. Some examples are: program manager, project manager, and product manager. Jhansi Reddy, principal technical program manager at microsoft, explained the differences between these roles. We also talked about how to transition from a developer role into a program manager role. Other topics that were covered are: conflict resolution and building trust with customers.
As technology evolves, more organizations across different industries are looking to adopt new technologies. Lara Rubbelke, Partner Engineering Manager at Microsoft, talked about how engineers at Microsoft collaborate with other organizations to build technical solutions. Lara explained that through customer engineering engagements, they are able to contribute to real world scenarios and help improve products. We also talked about her trajectory to a leadership role and career advice.
Open source software is behind a lot of systems we interact with. One example is Wordpress, a system that powers over 30% of the internet. In this episode Helen Hou-Sandi, explained what Wordpress is and how it’s used to create websites. We also talked about the characteristics of open source projects and best practices. Helen Hou-Sandí is Lead Developer at Wordpress and Director of Open Source Initiatives at 10up.
Marketing and storytelling are important components of product development because they allow companies to reach their audience and share their message. Miri Rodriguez, Head of Global Intern Programs at Microsoft, explained what storytelling is and its role in brand development. Miri is the author of the book “Brand storytelling: put your customers at the heart of your brand story”.
Technology changes the way we learn and engage with content. Throughout her career, Mickey Revenaugh has worked on bringing technological advancements to education. We talked about her experience in the 80s when computers were just starting to appear in classrooms. Mickey also talked about bringing the internet to schools in the 90s and how educational content has evolved. At the end we talked about how big data and artificial intelligence are used in education. Mickey is currently Vice President of Business Development in Global Online Learning at Pearson.
There are many paths to a career in technology. Shobana Krishnamoorthy, Senior Software Developer Lead at Microsoft, talked about her time growing up and learning to code with limited access to a computer. We also talked about her work and trajectory as a Software Developer Lead. At the end, we covered topics around the Grace Hopper Celebration, and open source mentorship.
Product management is a core area that helps us build software products. Tracy Mahnken, Vice President of Product at NerdWallet, explained the different areas of product management. We talked about product experimentation, cross-discipline collaboration and market research. Tracy also talked about important skills to have in product management and leadership positions.
Technology impacts the way we learn new languages. Maya Goodall, Senior Director at Rosetta Stone, explained how different technologies are used in language learning. We talked about Lingual Learning, a company she co-founded to help students learn English. Maya explained the challenges students face and the importance of embracing heritage languages and diverse backgrounds. We also talked about her current work at Rosetta Stone, and how they’re using Artificial Intelligence in tools for language learning.
Google’s main source of revenue is digital advertising. Sissie Hsiao, VP of Display, Video and App Advertising at Google, explained what digital advertising is and its workflow. We also talked about the role of Machine Learning in advertising and tackling invalid activity. Sissie then explained her path to a leadership role.
Intel Corporation is one of the largest semiconductor chip manufacturers in the world. Since then, it has expanded and built technologies in other domains. Huma Abidi, Senior Director of AI Software Products at Intel, talked about the semiconductor and microprocessor. We also talked about technologies developed in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning. At the end, Huma explained her path to an Engineering Manager role.
Leadership in engineering is about driving product development, helping engineers elevate their careers, mentoring, managing conflict, among many other things. Kate Reading, Engineering Manager at Asana explained her path from Software Engineer to Engineering Manager. We talked about her experience in this role and its characteristics. Kate also explained the transition to a remote team because of the COVID-19 pandemic. We also talked about her work in the Platform Integrations team at Asana.
Since the outbreak of COVID-19, domestic violence against women and girls has increased. UN Women released a report with this information earlier this year. Lesley Nuttall, who works at IBM Security Labs, gave an overview of the statistics for domestic abuse. She also explained how technology is misused to intensify domestic abuse. Later we talked about her article “Five Technology Design Principles to Combat Domestic Abuse”. Lesley highlighted the importance of thinking about these concepts when we work on software and other technologies.
Digital journalism enables us to reach a wider audience that traditionally we might not have been able to reach. Brenda Salinas, Audio Content Strategist at Google explained what digital journalism is and its impact. We talked about advancements in audio technology particularly in podcasting. Brenda explained how artificial intelligence can be used to index podcast topics an allow people to discover content. We also talked about several software systems in podcasting and how the field has improved. Brenda also gave an overview about her trajectory in digital journalism.
Technology has a big impact in our society. Some examples from the last decades are, the internet, personal computers, smart phones, and social media. Kara Swisher, a Technology Journalist, has been covering tech since the 1990s. We talked about what the panorama was like when she was first starting out as a reporter back then in Silicon Valley. We also talked about the impact of technology in journalism. Kara also talked about the lack of underrepresented folks in tech, and observations she’s made throughout her career.
Fighting cyber criminals is a challenging task. Laura Mather, Cyber Security expert, talked about her time at eBay fighting cyber criminals in the early 2000s. Laura explained different attacks that she saw and how these were being tackled back then. We also talked about Silver Tail Systems, a company she co-founded in 2008 to build systems that other companies could use to fight cyber criminals. Laura also explained the challenges of getting funding and how the panorama is changing for entrepreneurs.
Flexible work environments provide an opportunity to be more inclusive to other people. Brea Starmer, Founder of Lions and Tigers, talked about building a company with a flexible work environment as a priority. We talked about how to maintain the company culture and sense of community and some of the challenges. Brea also talked about her trajectory in marketing in tech, and insights and learnings from early in her career.
Building software involves understanding our users. This helps us build better software and consider new things. Sarah Hall, Lead User Researcher at Crunchyroll, explained how insights from users can drive product development. We talked about different types of user research, and various examples of how a product can improve from this. Sarah also talked about the role of a Lead User Researcher and important skills for the job.
The fashion industry is one of the biggest polluters on the planet. Maria Isabel Amorin, Founder and CEO of INDEQUI, explained the different types of pollution generated by these industries. We talked in detail about water pollution and about an affordable filter that she built to clean the water. Maria Isabel also explained the challenges of building a company in Guatemala and her path to raising funds.
In 2019, María Isabel was recognized by the MIT Technology Review as an innovator in biotechnology.
Rebecca Parsons has been working in technology for over 30 years. Throughout her career, some of the things she’s worked on are system architectures, software design patterns, distributed systems and best practices. Having started programming at 13 years old, she has seen significant technological transformations. In this episode we talked about the evolution of technology and how that leads to changes in how we develop software. Rebecca is currently the CTO of ThoughtWorks.
Understanding how people use technology across cultures around the world gives us valuable insights. Genevieve Bell, Anthropologist and Distinguished professor at The Australian National University, talked about her work in anthropology and technology. Genevieve has been working in technology since the 1990s. We talked about her time working in silicon valley, particularly at Intel, where she was studying how different groups of people were using technology. Later on, we talked about how technology and mass surveillance are being used to fight COVID-19. Genevieve explained solutions we’re seeing in around the world and the trade-offs.
In 2013 Genevieve was the recipient of the Women of Vision Abie Award for Leadership. Abie Awards are presented by AnitaB.org, a global nonprofit with a goal of reaching 50/50 gender equity in tech by 2025. Abie awards honor and celebrate women who have led technical innovations and made a notable impact on business or society through technology. This episode is part of a series of show that highlight the work of previous Abie Award Winners.
Advancements in technology have enabled us to share information much faster. We can start a blog, share information on social media, or create a podcast. Yasmin Alameddine, Founder and Host of the Witty Podcast explained why and how she started the show. We talked about the challenges and the things she learned from this. We also talked about data journalism and the intersection between technology and journalism. Yasmin studied Communication at Cornell University and is currently pursuing a Masters degree in Journalism at Columbia University.
Throughout the decades we’ve seen numerous advances in artificial intelligence. In the late 1990s, Catherine Havasi invented crowdsourcing for artificial intelligence. This made it possible for a vast amount of data to be collected and used for the Open Mind Common Sense project at MIT. A project with a goal of teaching computers what we consider as common sense. Catherine Havasi is a Research Scientist that specializes in artificial intelligence. We talked about her work in this area. She also explained the intersection between research and the enterprise.
A workplace can become a safe space for employees in many different ways. One of them is by enabling conversations around mental wellness. Beth Anne Katz, Program Manager at Microsoft talked about her struggle with depression and the importance of an accepting work environment. We talked about mental wellness and things that a workplace can do to be more welcoming. Beth Anne also talked about her initiatives to raise awareness around mental health, one of them is the podcast Katzbe Fights Depression.
Note: If you would like to connect with a crisis counselor in the united states, you can text HOME to 741741. Thank you.
Providing opportunities to migrants can help them integrate to society and add value. In 2017 Marcela Torres founded HolaCode, a startup with a goal to integrate migrants in Mexico by teaching them software engineering skills. With these skills, they’ll have access to more jobs and opportunities. Marcela explained the challenges that migrants face and how they tackled them. We also talked about the tech scene in Mexico and in other parts of Latin America.
Designing technology with accessibility in mind is about making sure that your product can be used by a wide range of individuals. This includes people that have disabilities such as visual, speech, motor, among others. Jhillika Kumar, creator of Mentra talked about why she and her team built a hiring platform for people with autism. Jhillika explained the challenges people with autism face when looking for a job and how technology can help solve them. We also talked about her experience building a company while studying at Georgia Tech.
Startups can get funding in different ways. Susan Preston, Managing Partner at SeaChange Fund explained how startups can get funding from angel investors and venture capital. We talked about what the differences are and to evaluate companies before deciding to invest in them. Susan also talked about her first investments in the 90s and what she has learned throughout the years.
There are many ways in which organizations share their message and build a brand. One of them is through social media and social networking. Lauran Driver, Senior Client Partner at Twitter, explained the difference between Social Media and Social Networking. We talked about how digital media strategies are built by leveraging these tools. Lauran also explained her workflow for working with clients and partners in this space.
People that work in tech adapt to new technologies, learn new skills, and can work in different roles throughout their career. Asya Kamsky, Principal Developer Advocate at MongoDB, started her career in the late 80s. We talked about her experience working in software development, systems architect, product management, and most recently in developer advocacy. Asya gave advice about navigating a career in technology. We also talked about her work at MongoDB in measuring the performance of databases.
Behavioral science and artificial intelligence can enable recruiters and candidates to find a job that matches their skills and potential. Frida Polli, CEO and Founder of Pymetrics explained how behavioral science can be used to get insights from a candidate that we would not get from a resume. We talked about how games based on neuroscience can help candidates find a job. Frida also explained ways in which a recruiting can function like a recommendation engine.
Natural language processing is used across many different systems that people interact with. It can help us extract information and get insights from data. Thamar Solorio, Associate Professor at the University of Houston explained what Natural Language Processing or NLP consists of. We talked about how systems use it and different approaches of implementing it. Thamar explained how NLP is used to determine the author of a text and some applications for this system. Note: AnitaB.org was formerly known as Anita Borg Institute. Grace Hopper Conference refers to Grace Hopper Celebration.
Cybersecurity is about protecting systems, networks and programs. Jen Easterly, Managing Director at Morgan Stanley explained the core ideas behind cybersecurity. We talked about understanding and assessing threats and about the importance of understanding the adversary. Jen also explained what cybersecurity in financial services consists of and different roles in this domain.
Many applications we use are distributed systems. Some examples are ATM systems, social media and currency trading. Depending on the type of application, we might need to process system events in a logical order also known as causal order. Aly Cabral, Lead Product Manager at MongoDB, explained how causal order is implemented in a database system. We talked about several design implementations that she and her team at MongoDB considered. Aly explained concepts like distributed systems, clock synchronization and dependency tracking. MongoDB is a sponsor of the show.
Nimmi Ramanujam is developing technology to improve women’s health and well-being. While in graduate school, she was diagnosed with cervical cancer. Her experience with this diagnosis led her to develop a portable cervical cancer screening device. Nimmi explained how the device works and the process of designing it. We also talked about existing structural, emotional and cultural barriers present in women’s healthcare.
Design is a fundamental component for building technology. Heather Winkle, started her career in design in tech in the 90s. We talked about the panorama of the tech industry when she was first starting out and about some of the areas that she worked on. We also talked about leadership roles in design, designing financial products and the impact of design in an organization. Heather is Head of Design at Capital One.
Since 1994 hundreds and now thousands of women in technology gather for the Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing. Just this last year, 2019 it attracted 25,000 attendees from all over the world. The Grace Hopper Celebration, also known as GHC is organized by AnitaB.org, a global non-profit helping women in tech succeed. Kety Esquivel Vice President Head of Marketing and Communications at AnitaB.org explained the different goals they have to help reach gender equity in the tech industry. Kety also talked about AnitaB.org’s mission, GHC, and other programs that they organize throughout the year.
Space exploration allows us to understand our place in the universe. Natalya Bailey, CEO and Founder at Accion Systems, is on a mission to accelerate the exploration of space. We talked about satellite propulsion and advancements to make it more accessible. Natalya explained the different types of propulsion technologies: chemical propulsion and electric propulsion. We also talked about the process of developing a hardware product for space.
Data protection is a fundamental component in software systems across different domains. Ana-Maria Calin, Systems Engineer at Paybase explained what data protection is and the role of a Data Protection Officer. We talked about compliance and the General Data Protection Regulation, also known as GDPR. Ana also talked about Financial Technology and the challenges in this area.
As technology continues to be an important driving force in many industries, we still see a lack of representation from various minority groups. Having diverse teams building technologies that impact all of us is important to account for different perspectives or things that we otherwise wouldn’t have thought of. Robin Máxkii, a Native American technology activist and software engineer, talked about growing up in an Indian Reservation in the United States and her path to a career in technology. We also talked about her work running the first national Native American collegiate hackathon. Robin also explained different ways in which companies can be more inclusive.
Enabling people from various backgrounds to build technology can help us create better products and include different perspectives. Mehul Smriti Raje, Software Engineer at Google, talked about her involvement in getting more women into the tech industry. We talked about her time as an undergraduate student and her experience in participating in programming contests. Mehul explained how she saw a gender gap and why it was important to address it. We also talked about her trajectory in tech and various projects she has built.
Cryptography is fundamental to providing privacy and security over the internet. Tal Rabin, Head of Research of the Algorand Foundation, explained what cryptography is and the main ideas behind it. We talked about the building blocks of cryptography and how these can be used to build protocols and systems that provide privacy and security.
Mastercard is an American multinational financial services corporation founded in 1979. Dana Lorberg, Executive Vice President of Operations and Technology at Mastercard, joined the company in 1987 and was part of a team that programmed and designed some of the early systems at Mastercard. We talked about how software was developed throughout her career and about examples of technical constraints that influenced how software was designed and implemented with performance and availability in mind. Dana also talked about leadership, management and building a good working culture.
Advancements in hardware allow us to get better measurements and insights about our body movement. Nan-Wei Gong, CEO at Figur8 explained how we can obtain useful measurements about our body movements and how these can help us improve our health. We talked about the concept of movement intelligence and the technical components that are used for it. Nan-Wei also explained how she and her team are building a digital health platform and how they collaborate with people across many disciplines. At the end, we talked about entrepreneurship.
Technology is used across many different industries. This is one of the reasons why there are many opportunities for people working in tech. One of these areas is sales. Merrie Williamson, Vice President of Azure Apps and Infrastructure at Microsoft gives an overview of careers in sales within the tech industry. We talked about the advantage of having a technical background when working in technical sales. Merrie also explained what a transition path looks like from engineering to sales. At the end we talked about leadership, and career growth.
Design in tech is a collaborative process. Angela Guzman, Designer and Entrepreneur based out of Silicon Valley, explained how designers can work together to create unified designs. We talked about her work designing the first set of Apple emoji in 2008. Back then emoji were still in the early days and there were challenges in designing small icons. Angela also explained what diversity and inclusion in design means. At the end we talked about different areas of design that people in tech can focus on and about leadership positions.
Cloud computing is an area where we are constantly seeing new patterns and best practices emerge, especially around the Kubernetes ecosystem. One example is GitOps. Yvonne Radsmikham and Samiya Akhtar, Software Engineers at Microsoft, explained what GitOps is and how it changes the way applications are deployed to a Kubernetes cluster. We talked about different ways of deploying applications and the challenges that GitOps addresses.
The way software companies operate and develop software has changed dramatically in the last decades. Lisa Reeves, Senior Vice President of Product at Zenefits, started her career in technology in the early 90s. We talked about her time at SAP, a company that builds enterprise software since the 1970s and how software was developed at the time Lisa was there. Lisa also talked about her role as CEO of GridCraft, a software company that was acquired by Workday. At the end we discussed software solutions in Human Resources, and how she operates as SVP at Zenefits.
Cloud computing technologies are changing how network services are developed. These services had been traditionally deployed in physical boxes and required more maintenance. Heather Kirksey, VP of Community and Ecosystem for the LFNetworking, explains how network services moved from hardware to virtual machines and now to containers. We talked about how this is implemented and the benefits of this approach.
Learning from data is something that is being used to improve processes across different industries. Kelley Rivoire, Engineering Manager at Stripe, explained how machine learning is used for payment processing applications. We talked about what machine learning is, and about Stripe’s real-time machine learning based system to evaluate user risk. Kelley also explained the process of deploying machine learning systems to production and the challenges.
Running software at scale comes with its own challenges. Deepthi Sigireddi, Software Engineer at PlanetScale explained what database scaling consists of. We talked about different types of databases, horizontal and vertical scaling, and how to reason about what to choose. Deepthi also talked about her experience working across companies of different sizes.
Technical marketing is an area that has changed a lot with the development of new technologies. Kim McMahon, Marketing Strategies and Communications for McMahon consulting, explained different marketing strategies. We also talked about the importance of the message and how that can affect your market strategy. Kim also explained how social media and messaging tools are being used in technical marketing.
Starting a technology company and leading product development is a process that is constantly evolving. Christine Spang, CTO of Nylas explained various stages of leading a tech company. We talked about developing software in areas like Email, finding initial clients, and evaluating the product. Christine also talked about the importance of wellness and gave advice on things that she does that have allowed her to focus and succeed in a digital world.
There are many paths to working on technology and software development. Some people get exposure when their young, others through high school or college, and others learn after they worked in other industries. Leah Petersen, Engineer at Two Sigma explained her trajectory from professional motorcycle stunt rider to software development. We also talked about cloud computing and Kubernetes, which is what Leah is currently working on. Leah also explained what Two Sigma is and how technology is being used in investment management.
Virtual Reality allows us to experience simulated environments. Mar Gonzalez Franco, Researcher at Microsoft Research explained what Virtual Reality is. We talked about the role of human perception and how sensors create and enhance simulated environments. Mar also explained various brain mechanisms that enable users to believe that a computer generated world is effectively real.
The combination of art and technology can lead to interesting innovations. Kitty Yeung, Manager of the Microsoft Garage at Silicon Valley, talked about how she infuses technology in fashion. Kitty explained how to embed technology in clothing and the challenges faced by the fashion industry. We also talked about tools and open source projects in hardware.
Product forecasting involves data analytics and making recommendations. Pooja Sund, Data Analytics Group Manager at Microsoft explained the data that financial analysts look at for product forecasting. We talked about what financial models are and how software is being used to help financial analysts. Pooja also talked about management, technical training and diversity and inclusion.
To develop and maintain software we can have systems that allow us to deploy to production and respond to incidents. Hannah Foxwell, Associate Director at Pivotal, explained the impact these systems can have on the developers and their health. We talked about extreme cases where deployments are done overnight requiring the engineers to be at the office. Hannah explained how processes can be improved to avoid this and metrics that we can use for guidance.
In cloud computing one way to develop and deploy applications is by using containers. Kaslin Fields, Cloud Advocate at Oracle explained what containers are and how they are similar to chocolate chip cookies. We talked about the advantages of containers and how they compare to using virtual machines. At the end we also talked about Software Quality and the role of a Quality Assurance Engineer.
Cloud computing enables sharing resources between an organization or with entities outside an organization. Multi-tenancy helps enable this. Tasha Drew, Product Line Manager at VMware and co-chair of the Kubernetes Multi-tenancy group explained what multi-tenancy is. We talked about the benefits of multi-tenancy and how it relates to Kubernetes. Tasha also over scenarios where it is used.
The early days of the internet were very different than what we have today. The internet was primarily accessible only to people in academia or the government. Mitchell Baker, Co-Founder and Chairwoman of Mozilla explained how the internet evolved and made its way to consumers. At the time, Mitchell was working on Netscape, which was the dominant browser for consumers. We talked about the browser wars and how Microsoft later dominated with Internet Explorer. Mitchell also explained why the code for Netscape was released as open source and the impact this had on how the internet is today.
The growth of an application leads to changes in various areas of its architecture. Shraya Ramani, Senior Software Engineer at BuzzFeed explained how the growth led to changes in the microservices architecture and in the way these services were being secured. We talked about Single Sign-On ( also known SSO), and BuzzFeed’s SSO open source project. Shraya also explained the process of releasing code as open source.
In the early 2000s, after the Dot-com bubble burst, it was difficult for and entry-level software developer to find a job. Nivia Henry, Senior Engineering Manager at Spotify talked about her time as a recent graduate during the Dot-com bubble. We then talked about her experience in Project Management, Software Testing, Quality Assurance, and Bias in Machine Learning. Nivia also explained concepts around leading teams and how to prepare for the growth of an organization.
The process of designing a Software Architecture involves different aspects such as the type of project, the organization involved, the people involved and many others. Stefania Stefansdottir, Lead Developer and Consultant at ThoughWorks, explained through a series of examples what Software Architecture Design can consist of. We talked about how one can start tackling a project and the role of the architect and tech lead. Stefania also explained how to validate a solution and the risks of a project.
Security and compliance are two fundamental components of software. Wendy Knox Everette, Senior Security Advisor at Leviathan Security explained what security and compliance are. We talked about the software development cycle and how security can be involved throughout the cycle. Wendy also explained what compliant software means and the process of making software compliant.
Data analysis of the human genome is more accessible thanks to advancements in technology. In this episode I talked to two Senior Product Scientists and Managers at 23andme: Jamaica Perry and Alisa Lehman. Jamaica an Alisa talked about the human genome and areas of research in this. We also talked about data that can be generated from analyzing it and the ways in which this can be presented to a consumer.
Cindy Warner, Senior Vice President at NetApp has a career in technology that spans over 30 years. We talked about various technology transformations. Cindy explained how data and data analysis became fundamental to businesses. We also talked about the process of building software, data services, and the ethical side of data.
The insurance industry is incorporating technology to reduce bottlenecks, improve experiences and bring to market new solutions. Vivian Li, Principal, Corporate Ventures, Capital & Labs at CSAA, explained recent advancements in the insurance industry. We also talked about Corporate Venture Capital and different types of investments such as early stage financing and seed capital. Vivian explained the finance process and the role of business plans.
Infrastructure as Code is an important approach used in cloud computing. Kerry Munz, Director of Engineering at HubSpot explained what Infrastructure as Code is. Kerry also talked about leveraging multiple cloud providers and migrating more than 400 SQL databases from AWS to Google Cloud Provider. At the end we talked about ways to evaluate the impact of the new computing environment.
Technological advancements are improving many industries, one example is the finance industry. Trisha Price, EVP of Product Development and Engineering at nCino gave an overview of the bottlenecks in financial services and examples of how these can be improved with technology. We also talked about cloud-based solutions for banking leveraging the Salesforce platform.
Running an application in the cloud involves different tools and technologies, a lot of which are open source. Priyanka Sharma, Director of Technical Evangelism and Cloud-Native at GitLab, explained the tooling panorama in the cloud ecosystem. We talked about different tools and the challenges in integrating them to have an end-to-end cloud workflow using GitLab as an example. We also talked about Serverless and Knative.
Open Source Software has characteristics that affect how marketing is conducted for it. Kiersten Gaffney, VP of Marketing at Buoyant explained what Open Source Software is and how it can be marketed. We talked about the objectives of a marketing campaign, the role of the open source community and software tutorials. Kiersten also explained metrics of success for open source projects.
Kubernetes is one of the main open source systems used for cloud computing. Janet Kuo, Software Engineer at Google explained various Kubernetes patterns. We talked about stateless, stateful, daemons and batch. Janet also explained the declarative nature of the Kubernetes API and examples of its application.
Migrating legacy applications to modern technologies in the cloud computing space can be done in different stages. Idit Levine, Founder and CEO of Solo described how legacy applications can leverage a Hybrid Architecture when migrating to the cloud. We talked about migrating a monolithic application to other architectures like microservices and serverless. Idit also explained software tools that can simplify the migration process.
Communities are an important component of open source software. Karen Chu, Community Manager at Microsoft, talked about communities in the cloud computing space. Karen explained different ways to manage and nurture a community. We talked about marketing, workshops and conferences. Karen is one of the creators of “The Illustratated Children’s Guide to Kubernetes” which we also talked about.
Many technologies that we use today are the product of decades of research. Christine Peterson, Co-founder of the Foresight Institute and CEO at a Stealth company is researching technologies that are of fundamental importance to the human future. One of them is nanotechnology. Christine explained what nanotechnology is and challenges it can tackle in renewable energy, improving health and longevity, supplying clean water among others. We also talked about the misuses of nanotechnology and important things to have in place to prevent them.
In 1998 Christine coined the term open source. She explained how that came to be and the impact it had in the software community.
Podcasts are a way to scale mentorship. Through thoughtful conversations, a podcast listener can learn helpful things. Colleen O’Brien, Executive Communications Manager at Microsoft, and Sonia Dara, Product Marketing Manager at Microsoft talked about how they’re scaling mentorship through the Women in Business and Technology podcast. Colleen and Sonia gave an overview of the highlights of running the podcast, and various topics that have been explored. They explained how the podcast provides actionable advice that individuals and organizations can take to build inclusive environments.
When you work at a startup, it can expose you to work on different areas in a short amount of time. Jessica Lachs, Head of Analytics at DoorDash leverages data science to improve the business. We talked about what data science is, and examples of how it is used at DoorDash. Jessica also explained what it involved to launch the business in other cities.
Building robots that can interact with the physical world involves a team of scientists, engineers, academics, and business operators. Sara Wojciechowski, Mechanical Design Engineer at Kindred explains the types of problems that robots can tackle and current limitations. We talked about the components of Mechanical Design and how it’s applied in robotics. Sara explained how ideas are prototyped and developed for building robots.
Behind some of the software products that we use is a team of researchers. Research in the software industry plays an important role in the development of new products. From coming up with ideas to evaluating existing approaches, researchers work with other teams within an organization to provide insights and direction. Beth Toland, Head of Experience Research at Asana, explained the role of research in a software product. Beth talked about what user research consists of and how this influences how a product is developed. We also talked about the process of conducting research at a software company and some examples of its use at Asana.
Growth and adoption of software involves gathering metrics, evaluating them, and deciding among different strategies. Katie Guzman, Product Manager Lead at Asana explained different strategies in growth and adoption of software. We talked about metrics that can be used to evaluate this and examples of how Asana leverages that information. Katie also explained software monetization strategies and factors that can help determine what strategy to choose. At the end we talked about team leadership and how an internship program in Product Management is structured.
Getting work experience while studying in school has become more accessible, especially in the software industry. Safia Abdalla, Open Source Maintainer on the nteract project talked about her experience as an independent consultant while she was in college. We also talked about Safia’s contributions to open source software since she was a first year college student. At the end we explored topics around data science and tooling.
Taking an idea into a product involves steps like evaluation, prototyping and commercialization. Maggie Ng, Vice President at Xinova explained the process of developing products. We talked about projects from different industries and the role of intellectual property. Maggie also talked about project trends from around the world.
Product Marketing in technology varies depending on the product and the audience. In some cases it involves deep technical knowledge and understanding how developers work. Karri Alexion-Tiernan, VP of Product Marketing at Skytap, explained what product marketing consists of. We talked about effective ways of engaging with enterprise customers and developers. Karri also talked about modernizing and migrating legacy applications to the cloud and how people at Skytap are approaching this.
The way we develop software is constantly changing. Throughout the decades we see different processes and practices emerge in how we write software. Laura Butler, Vice President and Technical Fellow at Microsoft talked about her time working on Windows 95 and what it was like to write software in the 90s. We talked about debugging, performance, and becoming a better programmer. Laura also talked about leadership and building strong teams.
Developer relations is a core component of platforms that allow developers to publish applications or games. Grace Francisco, VP of Developer Relations at Roblox, explained what developer relations is and different ways of interacting with creators. Roblox is the world's largest social platform for play. We talked about how to gather feedback from the community and the different stages of the development process. Grace also talked about growing up in the Bay Area, and her early experiences with technology.
Small electronic components enable us to have powerful portable devices. Isabel Yang, Chief Technology Officer at Advanced Energy Industries explained what microelectronics is. Isabel has over 20 years of industry experience in semiconductor research. We talked about what transistors are, their characteristics and their role in electronics. Prior to being CTO at Advanced Energy Industries, Isabel worked at IBM Research for 19 years.
Advancements in the cloud computing space have democratized how software developers manage their product infrastructure. With this, they can focus more on the core components of their product instead. Risha Mars, Software Engineer at Buoyant and Eliza Weisman, Systems Software Engineer at Buoyant explained various components that improve how an infrastructure is developed and maintained. We discussed various topics like: service proxy, service mesh, and the programming languages Rust and Go.
Learning to code opens a lot of opportunities. Even if you decide that you don’t want to code for a living, it helps you understand how software is made and the technical implications of it across different industries. Alex Sejdinaj, Founder of South Bend Code School, explained why she decided to start teaching kids how to code. We talked about the components of an immersive curriculum and the things kids learn as they get older. Alex explained different projects the kids built and the different programming languages and technologies they use.
Technology can be used to improve slow and manual processes. Ritu Vincent, Engineering Manager at Checkr, explained the bottlenecks of the background checks process and how it’s being improved. Ritu explained how a REST API and machine learning are speeding up the process of getting a background check, and reducing the unconscious bias that is present in the traditional workflow of background checks.
Many industries are using technologies to improve their processes and to provide better services to people. Natalie Gray, Co-founder and Lead of Product Design at Cover, explained the bottlenecks in the insurance process and how technology can simplify it. We talked about a mobile-first solution that addresses these problems. Natalie talked about the product design process and how ideas can be evaluated. We also talked about Stylekick, a fashion e-commerce app that she co-founded that was later acquired by Shopify.
Security threats are everywhere. To tackle these threats we can gather and analyze information about potential attacks. Barbara Kay, Senior Director of Security Product at ExtraHop, explained internal and external threats that systems can be exposed to. We talked about different types of threats and how these can be identified using machine learning. Barbara also explained the product development strategy for products in security. Prior to working ExtraHop, Barbara led security operations market research and product strategy for McAfee and was responsible for the threat intelligence and analytics solutions, as well as the security information and event management.
Creating and deploying applications to the cloud has gotten a lot easier. With advancements in containers and networking capabilities organizations can adopt a hybrid cloud approach. Lakshmi Sharma, Director of Product Management and Networking at Google explained what the hybrid cloud and the role of containers in cloud computing. We also talked about Ingress, a tool on Google Cloud that makes containers a first-class citizen in the cloud. Lakshmi also explained the process of deciding what tools to build and how some internal tools from Google developed into products that are released to the public.
Maureen Zappala, former Engineer at NASA explained what it meant to conduct jet propulsion research at the NASA Lewis Research Center, now known as the NASA Glenn Research Center. We talked about the different experiments that could be conducted there. Maureen also explained the ways in which she experienced Impostor Syndrome and what this consists of. We talked about examples of symptoms and strategies to combat it. Maureen is the author of Pushing Your Envelope: How Smart People Defeat Self-Doubt and Live with Bold Enthusiasm.
We are surrounded by a lot of devices. These devices can be connected to other devices forming the Internet of Things. Maria Gorlatova, Assistant Professor at Duke University Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Engineering explains what the Internet of Things consists of. Maria also talked about what Edge computing is, and how we can bring intelligence from the cloud to devices that are installed close to the users. We discussed the architecture components for edge computing and how it can be used for machine learning.
Blockchain technology is being used in different industries. NASA is using it to improve their communications systems. The finance industry is exploring it in how they do transactions. Jin Wei-Kocsis, Assistant Professor in Electrical & Computer Engineering at University of Akron explains what blockchain technology is. We talked about the components of blockchain and examples of applications using it. Jin explained the implications of decentralized processing and tools we can use to use this technology.
Data is constantly flowing through a system. From telemetry data to data from IoT devices, as the amount of data increases, challenges emerge on how to process it. Holden Karau, Open Source Big Data Developer Advocate at Google, talked about how data can be processed and analyzed in batches or in streams. Holden explained the infrastructure needed to process data at scale and fundamental performance improvements for these systems.
When you’re working on a product, an important part of the process is to understand how your customers use it. This helps drive improvements. Avni Patel, CEO and Founder of Poppy explained the role of consumer psychology in analyzing products. Avni also explained the process of launching a tech startup as a solo founder. We talked about how she built and launched the first version without having a background in software development and programming. Avni explained her experience at YC and how she handled rejection the first time she applied.
A data-driven approach is becoming more common across companies from different sectors. These companies have people that are focused on getting insights from data, such as data analysts and data scientists. Hanna Landrus, Data Scientist at Usermind explains the difference between data analyst and data scientist. Hanna has experience in both these roles. She explained the types of problems that she explored as a data analyst and as a data scientist. We also talked about the mathematical concepts present in this area, and the workflow and technologies she uses.
As the amount of data has increased, we have been able to apply other machine learning methods like deep learning. Erika Menezes, Software Engineer at Microsoft explains what deep learning is and the problems it has been able to tackle. We talked about artificial neural networks and how these are the core component in deep learning architectures. Erika also explained how a deep learning project is structured and the different steps in the pipeline.
What does it mean for a machine to be creative? Maya Ackerman, CEO of WaveAI, addresses this question. We talked about the challenges of building systems that have creativity. Maya explained how she began exploring the idea of computational creativity by building a system that makes songwriting accessible to more people. This system, called ALYSIA, plays the role of a creative partner and helps a person write music. We talked about how the system was built using machine learning and the ways in which it is creative.