"Collecting data; is only the first step to wisdom. But sharing data, is the first step toward community."
- Unknown.
"You know what the best currency is? And I just thought about this yesterday. The best currency,
the most valuable of all, is gratitude. And if...when you're dead, you're dead. But you're not
quite so dead, if you contribute something."
- John Dunsworth.
I initially got involved in volunteering almost by accident - I was there and found myself joining in.
I ended up having a lot of fun. These experiences not only introduced me to wonderful people and interesting
situations, it's also been one of the more meaningful things I've done in life.
How I got involved
Open Source Contributions: Actively contributing to various open source projects. You can read more about the projects in the side projects page of this site.
Tech Workshops and Seminars: I was a founding member of a makerspace, where we delivered seminars and workshops on a variety of subjects, from electronics to CNC and everything in between. Throughout my professional career, I have organized, planned and delivered community meeting showcasing new technologies, as well as training and onboarding new hires.
Community Outreach Programs: Volunteering to teaching and exposing students to the daily life of an engineer through engineering institution funded programs.
Mentorship Programs: Mentoring aspiring software engineers, providing guidance, resources, and support to help them advance in their careers.
Stuff I've been a part of
Institution of Engineering and Technology | Inspiration Rover: We helped young people from rough backgrounds live the daily life of an engineer for six weeks, developing and building a scale model of the Mars Science Laboratory Rover using a design from NASA Jet Propulsion Labs. You can read more about it here.
Peer Assisted Study Sessions: As second year students, we planned, organized and led sessions aimed at helping first year university students understand course material more deeply, develop effective study strategies, and improve academic performance. We focused on active learning, where students engage in discussions, problem-solving, and collaborative activities, guided by us as the facilitators.