Summary
One of the great strengths of the Python community is the diversity of backgrounds that our practitioners come from. This week Lorena Mesa talks about how her focus on political science and civic engagement led her to a career in software engineering and data analysis. In addition to her professional career she founded the Chicago chapter of PyLadies, helps teach women and kids how to program, and was voted onto the board of the PSF.
Brief Introduction
- Hello and welcome to Podcast.__init__, the podcast about Python and the people who make it great.
- I would like to thank everyone who has donated to the show. Your contributions help us make the show sustainable.
- Check out our sponsor Linode for running your awesome new Python apps. Check them out at linode.com/podcastinit and get a $20 credit to try out their fast and reliable Linux virtual servers for your next project
- You want to make sure your apps are error-free so give our other sponsor, Rollbar, a look. Rollbar is a service for tracking and aggregating your application errors so that you can find and fix the bugs in your application before your users notice they exist. Use the link rollbar.com/podcastinit to get 90 days and 300,000 errors for free on their bootstrap plan.
- Visit our site to subscribe to our show, sign up for our newsletter, read the show notes, and get in touch.
- By leaving a review on iTunes, or Google Play Music it becomes easier for other people to find us.
- Join our community! Visit discourse.pythonpodcast.com to help us grow and connect our wonderful audience.
- Your host as usual is Tobias Macey
- Today we’re interviewing Lorena Mesa about what inspires her in her work as a software engineer and data analyst.
Use the promo code podcastinit20 to get a $20 credit when you sign up!
I’m excited to tell you about a new sponsor of the show, Rollbar.
One of the frustrating things about being a developer, is dealing with errors… (sigh)
- Relying on users to report errors
- Digging thru log files trying to debug issues
- A million alerts flooding your inbox ruining your day…
With Rollbar’s full-stack error monitoring, you get the context, insights and control you need to find and fix bugs faster. It’s easy to get started tracking the errors and exceptions in your stack.You can start tracking production errors and deployments in 8 minutes - or less, and Rollbar works with all major languages and frameworks, including Ruby, Python, Javascript, PHP, Node, iOS, Android and more.You can integrate Rollbar into your existing workflow such as sending error alerts to Slack or Hipchat, or automatically create new issues in Github, JIRA, Pivotal Tracker etc.
We have a special offer for Podcast.__init__ listeners. Go to rollbar.com/podcastinit, signup, and get the Bootstrap Plan free for 90 days. That’s 300,000 errors tracked for free.Loved by developers at awesome companies like Heroku, Twilio, Kayak, Instacart, Zendesk, Twitch and more. Help support Podcast.__init__ and give Rollbar a try a today. Go to rollbar.com/podcastinit
Interview with Lorena Mesa
- Introductions
- How did you get introduced to Python?
- How did your original interests in political science and community outreach lead to your current role as a software engineer?
- You dedicate a lot of your time to organizations that help teach programming to women and kids. What are some of the most meaningful experiences that you have been able to facilitate?
- Can you talk a bit about your work getting the PyLadies chapter in Chicago off the ground and what the reaction has been like?
- Now that you are a member of the board for the PSF, what are your goals in that position?
- What is it about software development that made you want to change your career path?
- What are some of the most interesting projects that you have worked on, whether for your employer or for fun?
- Do you think that the bootcamp you attended did a good job of preparing you for a position in industry?
- What is your view on the concept that software development is the modern form of literacy? Do you think that everyone should learn how to program?
Keep In Touch
Picks
Links
The intro and outro music is from Requiem for a Fish The Freak Fandango Orchestra / CC BY-SA
Summary One of the great strengths of the Python community is the diversity of backgrounds that our practitioners come from. This week Lorena Mesa talks about how her focus on political science and civic engagement led her to a career in software engineering and data analysis. In addition to her professional career she founded the Chicago chapter of PyLadies, helps teach women and kids how to program, and was voted onto the board of the PSF.Brief IntroductionHello and welcome to Podcast.__init__, the podcast about Python and the people who make it great.I would like to thank everyone who has donated to the show. Your contributions help us make the show sustainable.Check out our sponsor Linode for running your awesome new Python apps. Check them out at linode.com/podcastinit and get a $20 credit to try out their fast and reliable Linux virtual servers for your next projectYou want to make sure your apps are error-free so give our other sponsor, Rollbar, a look. Rollbar is a service for tracking and aggregating your application errors so that you can find and fix the bugs in your application before your users notice they exist. Use the link rollbar.com/podcastinit to get 90 days and 300,000 errors for free on their bootstrap plan.Visit our site to subscribe to our show, sign up for our newsletter, read the show notes, and get in touch.By leaving a review on iTunes, or Google Play Music it becomes easier for other people to find us.Join our community! Visit discourse.pythonpodcast.com to help us grow and connect our wonderful audience.Your host as usual is Tobias MaceyToday we're interviewing Lorena Mesa about what inspires her in her work as a software engineer and data analyst. Use the promo code podcastinit20 to get a $20 credit when you sign up! I’m excited to tell you about a new sponsor of the show, Rollbar. One of the frustrating things about being a developer, is dealing with errors… (sigh)Relying on users to report errorsDigging thru log files trying to debug issuesA million alerts flooding your inbox ruining your day...With Rollbar’s full-stack error monitoring, you get the context, insights and control you need to find and fix bugs faster. It's easy to get started tracking the errors and exceptions in your stack.You can start tracking production errors and deployments in 8 minutes - or less, and Rollbar works with all major languages and frameworks, including Ruby, Python, Javascript, PHP, Node, iOS, Android and more.You can integrate Rollbar into your existing workflow such as sending error alerts to Slack or Hipchat, or automatically create new issues in Github, JIRA, Pivotal Tracker etc. We have a special offer for Podcast.__init__ listeners. Go to rollbar.com/podcastinit, signup, and get the Bootstrap Plan free for 90 days. That's 300,000 errors tracked for free.Loved by developers at awesome companies like Heroku, Twilio, Kayak, Instacart, Zendesk, Twitch and more. Help support Podcast.__init__ and give Rollbar a try a today. Go to rollbar.com/podcastinitInterview with Lorena MesaIntroductionsHow did you get introduced to Python?How did your original interests in political science and community outreach lead to your current role as a software engineer?You dedicate a lot of your time to organizations that help teach programming to women and kids. What are some of the most meaningful experiences that you have been able to facilitate?Can you talk a bit about your work getting the PyLadies chapter in Chicago off the ground and what the reaction has been like?Now that you are a member of the board for the PSF, what are your goals in that position?What is it about software development that made you want to change your career path?What are some of the most interesting projects that you have worked on, whether for your employer or for fun?Do you think that the bootcamp you attended did a good job of preparing you for a position in industry?What is your view on the concept that software development is the modern form of