The Windsor Google Developers Group (GDG) is proud to host our fourth annual Windsor-Essex DevFest on Saturday, October 28, 2023. DevFests are Google-sponsored software developer conferences that allow the local software development community to come together to network and learn about the coolest new technology out there. The Devfest is also an opportunity to present topics that are aligned with the latest industry trends or have the potential to be one and to share knowledge and experience with others. Topics/sessions around Generative AI, Cloud Security, Machine Learning Operations (MLOps), Google Cloud, and any other topics that can help and benefit the tech community are welcomed.
REGISTRATION - Registration starts at 8 am.
NETWORKING - One of the main goals for the event is to network and connect with like minded professionals. Be sure to MEET SOMEONE NEW and LEARN WHAT THEY DO.
THANK A SPEAKER - Speakers are key to making the DevFest a big success. Use the opportunity to connect with at least one speaker and thank them for their time and effort
LEARN SOMETHING NEW - Try to attend a session on a topic that is new to you or you know nothing about. Be amazed when you feel a tingling of excitement to learn more!
THANK A SPONSOR - Just like speakers, our sponsors are key to making the event a big success. Connect with them
BE GOOD TO EACH OTHER - This conference is volunteer driven. No one is being paid. Please treat everyone with respect and how you wish to be treated.
Glad you asked! We are excited to host a small group of High School Students who will be learning the logical and physical skills to build and program electronic devices that interact with the physical world during the event.
We are currently working on building the final agenda and will be available in the next couple weeks. In the meantime, below are the session topics that will be on the agenda. The full abstract for the sessions can be found here. More will be added soon
Josh Gordon - Hands-on introduction to LLMs with MakerSuite and the PaLM API
David Neufeld - Using Docker in the development / deployment process
Glen Yu (Google Developer Expert) - Lessons Learned in Building a Where's Waldo Object Detector
Godfrey Nolan - Mobile Security
Ali El-Sharif - Optimizing for AI Fairness
Naresh Jasotani - Generative AI
Bryan Bedard - Architecture
Nicholas Schmidt - Responsible and Ethical Use of Machine Learning and AI
Sam Branton - Get Plugged into the Windsor-Essex Tech Scene
Nav Singh (Google Developer Expert) - Accessibility in Android
Sydney Thompson - EPICentre Programs & Services. How students can turn their ideas into a business
Noah Campbell - Building a connected and converged future you can trust
Khizer Hayat - Machine Learning Operations
Abdul Habra - Speech I/O
Medha Muppala - Inclusive Design and How Google Paves the Way
Sodiq Shofoluwe Introduction to the concept of Large Language Models LLM
Aislyn Laurent - Computational Tools for Scientific Research
Joseph Youssouf - Predictive Maintenance: Machine Learning to Prevent Vehicle Breakdowns
The abstract for the speakers sessions can be found here
Head of ML & Generative AI DevRel
Cloud Engineer
PwC
St. Clair College
St Clair College
Professor
Perceptron Inc.
Software Development Engineer
SolasAI & BLDS, LLC
WEtech Alliance
BlackBerry, the Prime Minister's Youth Council, St. Clair College
i-50
Women Techmakers Windsor
Amrock
Manulife
Mobile Software Engineer, Google Developer Experts
Self
RIIS
President
Utilismart Corp
University of Windsor
Ecosystem Partner
Preteckt
Intermediate Data Scientist
Josh Gordon is the head of Machine Learning and Generative AI DevRel at Google, and is adjunct faculty in machine learning at Columbia University. His team creates and runs popular websites including https://developers.generativeai.google/ and https://tensorflow.org/, and educational content at all skill levels with hundreds of millions views. He has over 20 years of machine learning experience to share.
Glen has a 16-year tech career spanning government, telecommunications, animation/VFX, retail, banking, and tech startups. Since 2016, he's honed his focus on cloud computing and DevOps, specializing in Google Cloud and HashiCorp tools. His expertise includes security, serverless tech, Kubernetes, and hybrid-cloud architecture. Glen is a dedicated lifelong learner who's delved into machine learning, especially computer vision. He holds the titles of Google Developer Expert on Google Cloud and HashiCorp Ambassador.
You can connect with Glen on https://www.linkedin.com/in/glenyu/
Ali El-Sharif works as a professor at St. Clair College in Windsor, where he teaches Data Analytics and Cybersecurity.
Ali is currently co-authoring a book with Serg Masís and Nick Schmidt. The book title is “Building Responsible AI with Python - Identify, explain, and mitigate bias with hands-on code examples.”
Ali enjoys volunteering for GDG Windsor and encourages everyone to stay connected with this amazing community of developers.
Noah Campbell is a LEAD gold medallion scholar graduate of the University of Windsor and the first member of the Prime Minister’s Youth Council to be based in Windsor, Ontario – where he directly advises the Prime Minister, Cabinet, and senior government officials. He holds an honours bachelor’s degree of Computer Science (cooperative education) with distinction. Noah is also an honouree on the Major League Hacking Global Top 50 list. His relevant work experience includes several engagements at BlackBerry, including his current role in elite technical marketing supporting BlackBerry's top customers, and previous roles leading the BlackBerry Bootcamp program, creating cybersecurity training content, and facilitating research partnerships. In addition, Noah is an adjunct researcher in cybersecurity at St. Clair College, and an entrepreneur. Noah is also a Pastoral Chaplain, able to officiate marriages across the Province of Ontario. Past experiences include securing over $23m in funding for rural internet connectivity, and community economic development.
Follow on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/noahcampbell1/
Medha is a user interface designer, speaker, and Google Women Techmakers Ambassador with a background in computer science. On the professional front, she crafts delightful digital experiences and conducts usability audits & research. In her spare time, she helps early designers get started and thrive in their design careers.
Follow on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/medhamuppala
Godfrey Nolan is the president of RIIS LLC, a mobile development company based in Troy, MI. Specializing in developing mobile apps for drones, their client list includes some of the largest names in the drone industry. Godfrey is also the author of 6 books on mobile development and security, including "Agile Swift" and "Bulletproof Android". He has also been an adjunct professor at University of Detroit Mercy, LTU and SVSU teaching Android and iOS development.
GECDSB
Teacher
GDG Organizer
Enterprise Architect - GDG Organizer
St. Clair College
Professor
Lambton College
Professor
