{ "author": "Riyan Imam", "title": "IGs: Interest Groups, Not Instagram!", "thumbnail": "interest_groups.jpg", "date": "2016-10-18T18:12:57Z", "tags": ["all"], "published": true }
Hey Hackers, Hustlers, and Hipsters!
This time around, I'm posting about something PantherHackers has been doing: Interest Groups (shortened to IGs because it sounds cooler). What are Interest Groups? They are mini-organizations for particular Computer Science, Business, and Design interests. Say you have an interest in iOS Development? Well, head over to the iOS IG. Android development? We've got you covered.
PantherHackers has a variety of IGs: PH Ladies (led by Jennifer Ly and McKenzie Rochester), 3D-Modeling (led by Wasfi Momen), iOS Development (led by Harsha Goli), Android Development (led by Josh King), Capture the Flag (led by Mo Hijazi), Business Development (led by Jordan Robinson), Game Development (led by Kenneth Hyman), and NetSec (led by Kirtan Patel).
We asked each Group three questions about their groups:
- What do you try and accomplish in each meeting?
- How do you think your participants are doing so far?
- What are your plans for this IG?
With these questions, we got some great insight into how things are running with each group!
What do you try and accomplish in each meeting?
3D-Modeling: We just got introductions done with everyone so nothing is awkward and we will have a good learning environment. Android Development: We teach a new concept, tool, or element of Android Development at each meeting. Business Development: Our meetings are centered around events. We plan on attending some entrepreneurship events in the city and hosting some events of our own. Capture the Flag: Tackle a new and interesting problem from a CTF every week and train members on various tools and techniques used in CTF and InfoSec in general. Fullstack: With each meeting, we give everyone the essentials to developing a web application We’re currently learning the very basics of HTML/CSS as well as UI/UX design concepts and will start backend next semester. Game Development: We try to learn how to implement a new feature every meeting. iOS Development: Every meeting we try to get through a few certain concepts. PH Ladies: We strive to improve self-efficacy in women by bringing in speakers and just in general, talking about adversity and overcoming it. NetSec: We teach out participants a variety of different topics, going over and discussing different topics each time we meet.
How do you think your participants are doing so far?
3D-Modeling: Responses to different types of learning methods were incredibly helpful, so I'm going to push for a project-based workflow instead of the lecture-based idea I was going for. Android Development: It’s been two weeks and they’re experimenting on their own already. Business Development: We've only had one meeting so far, so, to gauge interest, it's hard to say how everyone's doing. We'll be attending an event later this month. Capture the Flag: I think all of our members are engaged and interested in the material and I look forward to seeing them continue to learn and grow. Fullstack: All of our members have a good understanding of the content we have covered so far and they’re asking good questions which is awesome. Game Development: So far, everyone seems to be doing great. iOS Development: My participants seem ready to learn and they’re not afraid of asking questions. I want to enforce the idea that this isn’t a class but instead a group of friends that are working towards a common goal. PH Ladies: We’ve only had one meeting so we can’t be 100% accurate, however, a lot of them are willing to talk to us about their strives in life, and we think that’s super fantastic. NetSec: We don’t have anything on that thus far, but the conversations have been productive and very insightful.
What are your plans for this IG?
3D-Modeling: We’re using some web development tools to put content up online, I've already uploaded a syllabus to the Slack channel, and we are in the process of figuring out the best way to teach the vast field of 3D modeling. Android Development: The goal of this IG is to create a group of students who can materialize app concepts. Our goal is for each attendee to have an app in the App Store (under their name) in the Spring semester. Business Development: Once we establish a healthy level of attendance and interest we’d like to start a speaker series that features relevant professionals in the Atlanta business community. Capture the Flag: CTF is an interest group the requires participants to have a strong understanding of the basics of CS and Linux, and also requires a willingness to learn and research on the fly. Fullstack: Make web development great again! A lot of programmers write off web development as below them, and we think it's an important skill to have. We want to show through this IG that it's not just making a cute personal website, and it's not just drag-and-drop. Game Development: Personally I think this is the best format for the size (just doing as they have been thus far) … I think that write-ups summarizing the events of each meeting would go above and beyond to help those who learn in a different style. iOS Development: I want them to have messed around with some of the more important concepts in iOS. I want to enforce the principal that failure is integral to programming, and if you’re afraid to fail you shouldn’t be a programmer. PH Ladies: We’re bringing in speakers to help women make connections to hopefully, help them have enough confidence to reach out to people themselves. NetSec: We plan to elaborate on topics that we have just scratched the surface with and go more in-depth about what this could mean from an industrial standpoint.
From this, we hope everyone has a better idea of Interest Groups! If you are interested in something and don’t see it on the list, email us to start a group of your own at [email protected]! We are always considering new groups to open up. If you are interested in joining any of these IGs, join the channel on the PantherHackers Slack.
That will be all! Stay hungry guys!
-Riyan Imam