An Inspiring Experience
Just got back from Google Developers ML Community Summit 2022. It was a great event organized by Soonson Kwon and his team Hee Jung and Nari Yoon from Google Global ML Developer Programs. I was honored to be invited to the summit among the top contributing ML GDEs and TensorFlow Group organizers.
It was a two-day event in Bangkok Thailand where I finally met the ML GDEs who I collaborated with over the years but never met in person. From the roof top dinner to the boat cruise, we had a great bonding experience with so many beautiful memories. I wrote this post to share my stories.
Day 0
In the afternoon, I got to hang out with ML GDE Sayak Paul from India. This is the very first time we met in person after collaborating on multiple projects over the years. We went to Mango Tango and had the best mango sticky rice with ice cream, a popular Thai dessert.
Some of us who arrived early attended the pre-summit dinner in the evening.
Margaret M. on Twitter: “Dinner with ML GDEs in Bangkok! @GoogleDevExpert @vykthur @RisingSayak @mdda123 @URengaraju @ksoonson… pic.twitter.com/J8qPDKbiKo / Twitter”
Dinner with ML GDEs in Bangkok! @GoogleDevExpert @vykthur @RisingSayak @mdda123 @URengaraju @ksoonson… pic.twitter.com/J8qPDKbiKo
After dinner we took a group photo together, which was the first of many group photos from the summit.
Soonson Kwon on Twitter: “Google ML Community Summit in Bangkok with the most active ML GDEs and TFUG organizers around the globe. @RisingSayak @algo_diver @margaretmz @vykthur @vfcarida @mdda123 @kuanhoong @sachin_atk @ErwinHuizenga @Sam_Witteveen … pic.twitter.com/KppXr9WCFt / Twitter”
Google ML Community Summit in Bangkok with the most active ML GDEs and TFUG organizers around the globe. @RisingSayak @algo_diver @margaretmz @vykthur @vfcarida @mdda123 @kuanhoong @sachin_atk @ErwinHuizenga @Sam_Witteveen … pic.twitter.com/KppXr9WCFt
Day 1
At breakfast, I met ML GDE Merve Noyan from Hugging Face.
Margaret M. on Twitter: “Nice to meet you in person @mervenoyann! Thanks for the beautiful 🤗 #huggingface stickers. #ML #GDE @GoogleDevExpert #womenintech pic.twitter.com/mzzxvO1SF6 / Twitter”
Nice to meet you in person @mervenoyann! Thanks for the beautiful 🤗 #huggingface stickers. #ML #GDE @GoogleDevExpert #womenintech pic.twitter.com/mzzxvO1SF6
At summit registration, ML GDE George Soloupis gave me a lovely surprise gift by his 10-year old daughter Christina. She heard about the summit and made a portrait of me for her dad to bring it. I felt so special to receive a gift all the way from Greece!
Margaret M. on Twitter: “At the #ML Community Summit, I got a lovely surprise gift made by 10-year old daughter of @GSoloupis! Thank you Christina! I will be making a drawing for you too. ♥️🎨 @GoogleDevExpert pic.twitter.com/eSWWev9NUd / Twitter”
At the #ML Community Summit, I got a lovely surprise gift made by 10-year old daughter of @GSoloupis! Thank you Christina! I will be making a drawing for you too. ♥️🎨 @GoogleDevExpert pic.twitter.com/eSWWev9NUd
Sayak, George and I took photos together. In 2020, we collaborated on a project that won a #TFCommunitySpotlight award and now we finally met in person.
Margaret M. on Twitter: “In 2020 @RisingSayak, @GSoloupis, ( Patrick) and I collaborated on an end-to-end #TFLite project. We finally met at the #ML Community Summit 2022! @GoogleDevExpert https://t.co/mrWhZvbViQ pic.twitter.com/SHNRZev6a3 / Twitter”
In 2020 @RisingSayak, @GSoloupis, ( Patrick) and I collaborated on an end-to-end #TFLite project. We finally met at the #ML Community Summit 2022! @GoogleDevExpert https://t.co/mrWhZvbViQ pic.twitter.com/SHNRZev6a3
The conference started. Soonson gave us a program update when he shared the impressive stats of the ML community. He also shared with us the history of how ML GDEs got started, growing to be the largest GDE community today!
Margaret M. on Twitter: “.@ksoonson sharing with us the history of how #ML #GDE got started 6 years ago, growing to be the largest GDE community today! @JeffDean @GoogleDevExpert pic.twitter.com/XOqnclDcMA / Twitter”
@ksoonson sharing with us the history of how #ML #GDE got started 6 years ago, growing to be the largest GDE community today! @JeffDean @GoogleDevExpert pic.twitter.com/XOqnclDcMA
We each got a copy of the MapReduce paper signed by Jeff Dean as a souvenir!
Soonson Kwon on Twitter: “When @JeffDean visited Korea in 2016 to attend the AlphaGo match, I asked his autograph on his MapReduce paper copies and kept them. Today, I am happy to give them to the most active community members attending the Google ML Community Summit. 🙂 #MLCS https://t.co/9Wy5i1HvNj pic.twitter.com/SsWunOyZhh / Twitter”
When @JeffDean visited Korea in 2016 to attend the AlphaGo match, I asked his autograph on his MapReduce paper copies and kept them. Today, I am happy to give them to the most active community members attending the Google ML Community Summit. 🙂 #MLCS https://t.co/9Wy5i1HvNj pic.twitter.com/SsWunOyZhh
After project updates on Cloud, JAX and TPU, each attendee (ML GDEs and TF user group organizers) gave a 5-minute brief. It was really great to hear everyone sharing their open-source project accomplishments and upcoming ideas.
Margaret M. on Twitter: “I enjoy hearing about the projects by @vykthur because I’m a big fan of his work. #ML #UI #UX #Design @GoogleDevExpert pic.twitter.com/OlAjTFC7MX / Twitter”
I enjoy hearing about the projects by @vykthur because I’m a big fan of his work. #ML #UI #UX #Design @GoogleDevExpert pic.twitter.com/OlAjTFC7MX
After the project briefs, we divided into groups to brainstorm on the various ML products.
After I gave my intro, Hee told me that she graduated from Parsons School of Design where I’m currently studying 3D Virtual Fashion Design.
Margaret M. on Twitter: “Just realized that @heeya_ML and I both students of @parsonsdesign. Thank you so much for organizing the #ML Community Summit! #design pic.twitter.com/bTAviL10wi / Twitter”
Just realized that @heeya_ML and I both students of @parsonsdesign. Thank you so much for organizing the #ML Community Summit! #design pic.twitter.com/bTAviL10wi
In the evening we rode a bus together to dinner. While on the bus I enjoyed chatting with Sam Witteveen from Singapore and Victor Dibia from the Bay Area. We chatted about gadgets, cameras, video recording, 3D modeling and JavaScript. Sam showed me his digital human product, very fascinating. Victor and I have met before and we got a chance to get to know each other better during this summit.
We had a roof-top dinner with the river view of Bangkok. The temples lit up in the beautiful orange colors along the river.
Margaret M. on Twitter: “A photo with @Tahabsn @ImtheVB @AashiDutt @URengaraju @vfcarida and @vykthur at dinner. pic.twitter.com/X0zFJhw3mO / Twitter”
A photo with @Tahabsn @ImtheVB @AashiDutt @URengaraju @vfcarida and @vykthur at dinner. pic.twitter.com/X0zFJhw3mO
Day 2
Me, Sayak and Merve hanging out in the temple.
Sayak Paul on Twitter: “Met @margaretmz and @mervenoyann at the ML Community Summit — two of the most inspiring women I know. Technical proficiency is no longer the only norm now! Thanks for inspiring and being kickass! Keep being awesome! pic.twitter.com/xE8U6eTvmc / Twitter”
Met @margaretmz and @mervenoyann at the ML Community Summit — two of the most inspiring women I know. Technical proficiency is no longer the only norm now! Thanks for inspiring and being kickass! Keep being awesome! pic.twitter.com/xE8U6eTvmc
While on the tour bus I chatted with ML GDE Jerry Wu from Taiwan. This is his first time attending a community conference with attendees from around the world. So this is all new to him.
I love the boat cruise where I rode with Jerry, Merve, Martin, Sayak, Sam and Victor. Very peaceful as we cruised through the Thai houses by the river, with locals and little kids waving to us ‘hello’.
Margaret M. on Twitter: “Boat cruise in Bangkok with @mervenoyann, Jerry, @RisingSayak, @mdda123, @Sam_Witteveen and @vykthur. So many beautiful memories from the #ML Community Summit! @GoogleDevExpert pic.twitter.com/Gt2ux236Wo / Twitter”
Boat cruise in Bangkok with @mervenoyann, Jerry, @RisingSayak, @mdda123, @Sam_Witteveen and @vykthur. So many beautiful memories from the #ML Community Summit! @GoogleDevExpert pic.twitter.com/Gt2ux236Wo
At dinner I got to connect with Chansung Park, ML GDE from Korea. We chatted about a lot of things: from how to successfully run GDG events to future ML project collaboration ideas. I was very touched when he showed me his facebook profile background with the sketchnotes I made for the TensorFlow Contributor Award last year.
Margaret M. on Twitter: “A photo with #ML @GoogleDevExpert @mervenoyann @GSoloupis @algo_diver and @RisingSayak at the ML Community Summit. pic.twitter.com/Lg6ZEBblCW / Twitter”
A photo with #ML @GoogleDevExpert @mervenoyann @GSoloupis @algo_diver and @RisingSayak at the ML Community Summit. pic.twitter.com/Lg6ZEBblCW
In the evening, Usha Rengaraju returned to me my mis-placed power bank and we finally got a chance to connect one on one. She is very passionate about using ML to help people with autism and we chatted about being part of the ML community.
Margaret M. on Twitter: “Very nice to meet you @URengaraju at the #ML Community Summit! I’m glad we got a chance to connect. #womenintech pic.twitter.com/VvirIKN9bh / Twitter”
Very nice to meet you @URengaraju at the #ML Community Summit! I’m glad we got a chance to connect. #womenintech pic.twitter.com/VvirIKN9bh
Thank you Soonson, Hee and Nari for organizing such a great community event. I thoroughly enjoyed connecting with the ML GDEs and TensorFlow User Group organizers. What an inspiring bonding experience!
ML Community Summit 2022 was originally published in Google Developers Experts on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.
