Dev8D: developer success story: Bharti Gupta

Feb 16, 2012 by michelle-pauli

“Remember: it’s three days of total informal unconference. And then you rock!”

Bharti Gupta is an applications developer at Mimas, University of Manchester. At her first Dev8D last year she was a challenge winner and she’s come back this year to give talks and organise her own challenge. Here’s her inspiring story, and top tips for being a Dev8D success

“I’ve been working at Manchester for the last four years as a developer with many services such as UK PubMed Central, Landmap, JLeRN. I also have experience of working for commercial organisations in India. When I came over here I feared that the education sector would not be so exciting but I was mistaken because there are so many opportunities to meet and learn from other people at conferences.

I heard from colleagues that Dev8D was an exciting event, full of other higher education developers, so I came along for the first time last year and I was surprised to see the number of people here. And that it was 99% male!

I was encouraged to take on some challenges so I started working on the Elseveier Sciverse developer challenge, based on javascript. I attended the sessions and got all the help and won the second prize!

There were only three females here at that time so I decided to put some more effort in and so I attended a workshop and did the metadata challenge, developed an idea and that also won second prize. I also gave a lightning talk about Landmap work and got third prize for best newcomer and I was overwhelmed! I was so pleased with the reaction when I was back in my workplace and more people were interested in coming to Dev8D this year.

So this year I came back full of enthusiasm and I was made an organiser of a challenge with responsibility for organising and holding a session on working with JLeRN. I feel more mature and ready for it this year, after the success of last year. I have just run a 50 minute-long open session on the work I learnt last year (about linked data for the Landmaps service) and which I then presented and won JISC funding. Oh, and I’m winning badges!

Bharti’s top tips for a successful Dev8

• Try to not be nervous
• Treat everyone as your friends
• Be informal
• Come in your t shirt and jeans
• Reach out to anyone without any anxiety – no one will think your question is stupid
• Everyone is here to help – this place is to help developers learn and share
• Don’t worry about whether you will win the challenge or not – it’s about what you learn
• It is always good to share your knowledge, whatever work you have been doing and whatever new technology you have been learning and spreading the word

Remember: it’s three days of total informal unconference. And then you rock!