Echo

[ECHO] Working Overseas with CSE Alumni John Wiseheart

In this interview, we explore the intricacies and nature of moving overseas to the USA as an expat from a CSE point of view. Featuring our guest John Wiseheart, a graduate of UNSW CSE working at Candid Health, Seattle, and hosted by Michael Zheng, Dylan Hu and Leo Xu.

Ask any questions in this form to John and we'll send them over! https://forms.gle/Mx6Rt87XBEyx1mGNA

[ECHO] Life, Startups and Education with Hayden Smith

Is Hayden Smith your lecturer this term? Doesn't matter!

Hear a talk from Hayden, currently a co-founder of a start up called Pearler, who is also a lecturer AND ex-tutor that has dabbled in many subjects. He is most known for running COMP6080, the React course, and COMP1531, the groupwork course. In this podcast, we talk about uni life, startups and education and cover questions like:

Does Hayden have work life balance?
What does Hayden think about students?
... and how does Hayden experience impostor syndrome? 

Hayden's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hayden-smith-4505a55a/

Time stamps
00:00 - Intro
00:58 - Life: Juggling everything
03:17 - Life: Opportunities current students should grasp
04:42 - Life: Projects
07:29 - Life: Impostor syndrome
12:27 - Start Ups: CompareMeals, why start a start up?
15:45 - Start Ups: Fail fast learn quickly
18:27 - Start Ups: What good startups need
20:06 - Start Ups: Technical Depth
22:22 - Start Ups: Mentorship at Pearler
23:31 - Start Ups: Daunting things
25:49 - Start Ups: Letting go of and taking on responsibilities at a higher level
27:07 - Education: Why teach
27:51 - Education: Why still teach
30:00 - Education: Hayden and the community
31:47 - Education: Key things learned from teaching
35:45 - Education: Accommodating for students
37:27 - Education: Impacts of covid
40:31 - Education: Most challenging courses to teach
43:38 - Education: MyExperience
46:34 - Education: Teaching skills
50:49 - Life: Other horizons
52:52 - Education: Advice to uni self

Coming back for CS: The Postgrad Experience

Want to listen to some 👄 talky talk 👄on the postgrad experience in CS? Rachel and Ivan try to cover these topics in a roundtable with some students studying CS as their second, or next, degree.

Welcome our features,
- Peter, who was in the Construction Management 📋 industry when he started a Bachelor's degree majoring in Computer Science
- Rachel, a pharmacist 💊who decided to start a Bachelor's degree majoring in Computer Science
- Mark, who was already working as a Mechanical Engineering graduate 🔨 when he made the jump into an MIT
- Ady, who was doing a PhD in Biology 🦠 until she decided to pursue an MIT majoring in Bioinformatics

🚦Where did they come from?
🏃‍♂️Why did they make the jump??
👀How are they finding it???
🤼Can they even make friends????
🚄What are they looking forward to?????

Timestamps
00.00.12 - 00.02.04  intro
00.02.04 - 00.04.22 original plan
00.04.22 - 00.08.45 phase in life when decision to start cs was made
00.08.45 - 00.11.40  initial thoughts on cs
00.11.40 - 00.15.06 cs attractive why? preconceptions?
00.15.06 - 00.18.30 first impressions of cse at unsw
00.18.30 - 00.21.10 useful acquired skills
00.21.10 - 00.24.37 uni life, volunteering
00.24.37 - 00.27.03 young classmates
00.27.03 - 00.31.57 maybe: how to make friend w/ young classmates
00.31.57 - 00.36.52 fears
00.36.52 - 00.46.26 bachelors vs mit vs other
00.46.26 - 00.52.40 pacing the degree
00.52.40 - 00.54.56 regrets
00.54.56 - 00.57.48 plans
00.57.48 - 01.01.51 advice
01.01.51  ending + thank you

In case you had any further questions or wanted to continue discussion specifically with any of the guests, you can reach out:

Mark
- discord: MarkRaya#4626
- ig: @markyr
- linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-raya-4467a21b8/

Peter
- discord: Kiki#8134
- ig: @poots___
- linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/putijak-souk-58a10a19b/

Rachel
- discord: rachel#4578
- linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachel-ahn-926a05222/

Is Computer Science Right For You?

📫📫📫 Is studying compsci right for you?📫📫📫

 

You're sick of your degree, or you're a high school student thinking about your future. Well, Mariya and Nat sit down with four people who've all grappled with the same question!

 

- Rani Jiang, who ditched Information Systems 📊 to study computer science ⚙️;

- Teresa Feng, who started in Computer Engineering ⚡ but graduated with a compsci degree 🎓;

- Raymond Wan, who came back 🏃 after graduating to start a new path in physics ⚛️ ; and

- Issac Norris (Izzy), who skipped uni entirely 🌟 and went straight into industry!

 

You're asking - maybe they'll have the answer for you!!!

 

Timestamps:

0:00: Intro

0:28: High school experience and path to computer science 

8:39: Difference between highschool and uni/industry

11:57: Why UNSW?

13:48: Rani - transferring into compsci from information systems

18:16: Raymond - changing minds about computer science

21:40: Izzy - Going into the workforce without a degree

27:34: Teresa - Transfering from Computer engineering, working with a Compsci degree

34:33: Things missing from a compsci education

38:30: Is CSE worth it?

41:18: Advice for high schoolers

45:22: Final words

47:40: Outro

Competitive Programming w/ Angus Ritossa

Ever been interested in competitive programming but don’t know where to start?🥴

Keen to hear about what it's like taking part in some of the biggest programming competitions in the world?😱

Join Raman and Caitlyn as they delve into the ✨mysterious✨ world of competitive programming with Angus Ritossa, current president of CPMSoc, and chat about topics including: 

- How to get started with competitive programming  🤓 

- Juicy group dynamics 😳

- Angus’ most traumatic questions 😭

 

0:00 - 4:04: Introduction

4:04 - 9:55: Competitions

9:55 - 17:00: Angus’ History

17:00 - 28:50: General CP Questions

28:50 - 30:20: Talking about CPMSoc

30:20 - 35:35: Pre-reqs for getting started

35:35 - 40:20: Getting Started

40:20 – 44:00: Practicality of CP

44:00 - 47:34: Group Dynamics 😳

47:34 - 50:20: Before and after a competition

50:20 - 51:58: Looking Forward

51:58 - 53:28: Outro

CSE News - Ethics in Tech

Had your fill of careers podcasts? Wanna get into philosophy but words make brain hurty? Listen in on Abby, Lesley and Sam as they tackle CSE news - headlines in computer science and technology and the ethics that underpin them. Watch us discuss:

- the possibility of Elon Musk as the next big religion🛐
-the secret to immortality ⏰

- cyborgs 🤖
- and planned obsolescence (of both man and machine😳)

 

 

Timestamps:

0.00 - 00:32 Intro

00:32 - 21:20 Planned Obsolescence 

21:20 -43:10 Secret to Immortality (Transhumanism)

43:10 - 50:21 Our Impact as Students

50:21 - 50:49 Outro

 

 

Data Analytics at Canva w/Vincey Au

Our world is now becoming more and more data driven, but what do we do with it all? Enter the field of ✨data analytics✨!! In this episode of the Echo podcast, Subrat and Michael sit down with Vincey Au from Canva to discuss:

- What even is data analytics??? 🙃

- The skills 🧠 you need to grind 💪 to become a data analyst

- Life and culture at Canva 🎨

- Breaking into the industry

- And more!! 🔥 🔥 🔥

 

Note: This episode was recorded in 2021 during the Covid-19 lockdowns.

 

Timestamps:

00:00 - Intro

00:56 - What is data analytics, ELI5

03:32 - A/B testing at Canva & dark analytics

05:32 - Data analytics vs. engineering vs. science vs. analytics engineering vs. marketing analytics

07:14 - Coding background give you a head start?

08:33 - Involvement of AI, ML, etc.

09:24 - Analytics Engineering

12:26 - Personal background

17:50 - Volunteering & developing soft skills

18:12 - Gender disparity

19:20 - More on volunteering

21:47 - Internships

24:15 - Working at Canva

35:40 - Changes with COVID

38:27 - Advice on breaking into industry

41:02 - Side note on Red Tape

42:32 - Future goals/plans

44:06 - Outro

Software Engineering at Google w/ Eve Martin-Jones

Everyone's thought about working at Google at least once in their life. But what is it like to actually work there as a 🤔 software engineer 💻?

In this podcast, Mitchell and Michelle are joined by Software Engineer 🤩Eve Martin-Jones🤩, as they dive into the fascinating world of Google. Join us as we navigate through Eve's journey through internships, hardships, and the many rooms at the Google office!

Find the answers to all of your burning 🔥 questions like such as:

• What are the different pathways into securing an internship at Google? 🚀
• Is the Google office as cool as the rumours say? 😎
• What are the biggest challenges working at such a big company? 🥶
• Women in the tech industry 💪
• How is the work life balance at Google? ⚖️
• And more! 👀

 

Timestamps:

(00:00) Intro

(00:42) From Philosophy to Software Engineering

(04:09) The Google Internship Experience + The Google STEP Program

(15:28) Google Headquarters & Perks

(19:43) What is it like working at Google?

(33:26) Looking to the future and reflecting on the past

(36:02) Women in Technology

(40:09) Inspiration + Giving Advice

Getting to Know the 2020 Young Woman of the Year

Ever wonder what happens in the lives of other amazing computer scientists? 

Timmy and Michelle interview computer scientist ✨ Hannah Beder ✨, who won Young Woman of the Year 2020! This podcast with Hannah aims to let us learn about her journey to get to this stage of being an accomplished computer scientist 🤯 and look further into her role as a technology lead at Creatable. 

They discuss:

• What it’s like working as a tech lead at Creatable 🧠
• How she balances her life with multiple jobs ⚖️
• Women in the tech industry 💻
• Tutoring at UNSW 📚
• How to nurture one’s interests in technology 🔥
• And more! ✨

 

Timestamps:

Intro - 00:00:00 to 00:01:23

Working as a tech lead at Creatable - 00:01:23 to 00:20:15

Juggling multiple jobs - 00:20:15 to 00:26:53

Women in tech - 00:26:53 to 00:32:02

Nurturing others’ interests in technology - 00:32:02 to 00:43:14

UNSW tutoring and the future - 00:43:14 to 00:51:07

Advice - 00:51:07 to 01:02:46

Outro  -  01:02:46 to END

Socials and Studex - Getting to Know CSESoc Ep#5

What’s it like organising some of the biggest events for CSESoc like First Year Camp 🏕️, Pub Crawl 🍻, and Peer Mentoring 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦? How does one teach first years React and JavaScript in a week ⏰ to make a CS Electives review website?

Come join Caleb and Fiona as they chat (and casually banter) with the Socials and Student Experience Directors of 2021 … 🥁✨ Lachlan, Evan & Giuliana ✨

Some juicy content 🧃 include:

• Organising the biggest events like camp 🏕️, peer mentoring 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦, and weekly BBQs 🍖♨️🔥🥩🥓
• Working as a team 🤝 to make visions 💭 come to life 🔮✨
• Balancing ⚖️ work 💻, uni 🎓 & a social life 🎉
• The story behind Jebediah Dumptruck & how Lachlan is literally dating a 🔥 HOT 🔥 grill
• And so many more SPICY TAKES!!! 🌶️🌶️🌶️

Timestamps:

(0:00) Intro
(2:12) What does your portfolio do?
(5:51) Organising the CSESoc Peer Mentoring Program
(10:45) Behind the Scenes of CSESoc 1st yr camp
(18:30) Biggest challenges in organising large-scale events
(21:13) CSESoc Pub Crawl post-reflections
(25:39) Potential All Years camp?!?!?! 👀👀👀
(30:32) “Which CSESoc exec are you” Personality Quiz
(48:44) The actual reason why StuNet was rebranded as Studex
(52:05) Giuliana’s role as the SecSoc president
(55:39) Who would you save: CSESoc or SecSoc?
(57:43) Studex’s vision & its outreach to international students
(1:00:09) Training subcom to make CSElectives
(1:03:53) Working with the subcom
(1:09:10) Working with each other
(1:13:02) How does introversion/extraversion affect the way events are run?
(1:15:47) Lachlan: What it’s like studying at 7 different high schools over 4 different countries
(1:19:05) Evan’s take on balancing uni, work & a social life
(1:23:05) Hosting sponsored BBQ’s
(1:24:38) Running the T2 Welcome Back BBQ Event was CHAOS
(1:32:30) The story of Jebediah Dumptruck
(1:34:35) Jebediah Dumptruck x Lachlan’s #1 hottest love affair
(1:37:16) Challenging & rewarding aspects of being a director
(1:45:44) Advices to your first year selves
(1:49:38) Final comments & outro