Where have I been?

I haven't been updating this blog for a while and there's a good reason – I'm actually getting a chance to practice what I preach and write my own code from scratch! This fall I decided to move more towards computer graphics, and I'm taking CS294-26: Computational Photography and Image Processing. You can check out my portfolio here: www.rachelalbert.com/image_processing.html

I am still very interested in finding out more about programming best practices, and in the spring I plan to volunteer with Software Carpentry, an organization specifically created for the purpose of helping researchers write better code. 

This fall I also had the opportunity to volunteer for the Biophysics department and teach a one-month Introduction to Python class. It was a blast! I learned so much about all the different ways people think and how to account for those differences and communicate clearly about code. I also had the unique opportunity to experience 30 people sitting in a room together using pandas data frames for the first time! The class helped me appreciate how valuable is the experience of the Software Carpentry group! No matter how much you try to think ahead, someone will almost always interpret the material differently. Teaching helps you to get out of your own head and into the minds of others, and it clarifies your thoughts and assumptions. I highly recommend it!