So I finished the Data Analysis with Python course on FCC. I have to say, the certification projects may have some library usages that were not displayed on the videos for the course (as of today). One example is scikit’s linregress: you won’t see an explanation on that, but you’ll be required to do a linear regression, good luck if you have no math background in functions.
Joseph Quevedo
Karma: 18
TLDR: Full Stack Javascript Software engineer looking for full-time or part-time opportunities in AI Safety or AI Safety-adjacent projects
Skills & background: I started my self-taught path in web development in 2018. I finished my Engineering Informatics degree in 2020. I’ve been doing front-end and back-end stuff full-time for different organizations since 2020.
I also speak native Spanish. I’m currently going through the Leveling Up In AI Safety Research engineering guide, finished the Scientific Computing with Python certificate.Location/remote: I’m based in Venezuela, I can work remotely in either PST/MST/EST time zones.
Availability & type of work: I can start working with 2-4 weeks’ notice, and am interested in positions with a 20- 40-hour weekly load.
Resume/CV/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dewstend/
Email/contact: You can DM me on the Forum, or connect with me on LinkedIn.
Other notes: I don’t have strict cause area preferences at the moment, although I would like opportunities to learn more about Machine Learning. Besides being interested in different AI Safety agendas, I am also drawn to Global Health and Development, Climate Change, and Global Priorities Research.
A role I could be a great fit for right now: you have features, bugs, projects, and/or ideas that need the help of a frontend or a backend software engineer to help you build and add value to your org. React, Vue, Node.js, Nest.js, Next.js, Python, Django REST Framework, throw it at me and I’ll make it work.
A role I’d see as ideal but understand if it’s not available: Contains a track for upskilling me as a Machine Learning Engineer and helping you with the software engineering aspects of your data and model flows and pipelines.
I am currently going through the Data Analysis with Python course on FreeCodeCamp.
I have to say, just watching a video and then answering a question is not very interactive, and has made it hard for me to keep engaging with the course.
When I was doing the certification projects for Scientific Computing with Python in December, I was interested in progressing with my project. Still, lately, I’ve been dreading or uninterested in watching one more video of this guy going through a Jupyter notebook.
Another thing I disliked about it is that the “exercises” already have the answers in them.
I searched for this link in Reddit and found someone recommending a FreeCodeCamp course on Data Analysis with Python with Jovian, it supposedly being more interactive (you do have to pay for submitting assignments), but I was able to see the assignments, so it might be useful in case someone wants more practice and hands-on things to do.
I think I won’t switch courses halfway, I don’t want to get stuck in tutorial hell.
This is a great resource, and one I’ve been using myself, even though I’m a software engineer, I’ve been doing the Python FreeCodeCamp courses because I love FCC and I don’t use Python daily at work.
I think there should be a Slack workspace or a Discord server for people doing this—I’ve felt that getting the maths in or the pre-requisite Machine Learning concepts is not a matter of just watching a few YouTube videos.
Joseph Quevedo’s Quick takes
I didn’t know if it was okay for me to push the whole transcript onto here, is that usually done that way?
Yes, I think there is a growing group of “left-wing/progressive” people that attack EA with mostly lazy/old arguments. To me, I feel they have a sizable audience that genuinely care about the state of the world, and maybe we could have something like an “Anti- Anti-EA F.A.Q.”, seeing as how Anti-”TESCREAL”ists are surging
How the Wealthy Use “Charity” to Screw Everyone Else with Amy Schiller—Factually! - #238 (by Adam Conover)
Update for Dec 22, 2023
I created a Slack workspace!
Here’s the invite link: EA Left/Progressive Wing Slack (name not final)
Hi Amber! That intersection is one I’m interested in. I’m writing to a few people to see if they already know of a community I join, and I will be updating the post and letting anyone interested know so they can join.
Thank you for sharing! I wrote to Garrison, to see if they know of any such community.
“a Utilitarian may reasonably desire, on Utilitarian principles, that some of his conclusions should be rejected by mankind generally; or even that the vulgar should keep aloof from his system as a whole, in so far as the inevitable indefiniteness and complexity of its calculations render it likely to lead to bad results in their hands.” (Sidgwick 1874)