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Tuesday, June 9, 2015

Guess who's speaking at GHC this year?

This year I am planning to go to Grace Hopper Celebration conference. As I am writing this post, I have confirmed my attendance and registered for the conference as a speaker. Registration is now open and likely to sell out. I had been hoping to attend for many years, ever since I first heard of it at University of Michigan back in 2006, but every year there was either some other pressing priority, or no sponsorship offered to attend the conference. Well, guess what, my proposal has been accepted and I will be co-hosting a workshop session! I am hoping some of the readers of this blog will be able to attend my session called "A fine line - balancing motherhood and career". It will be quite useful for working moms, and especially women planning for motherhood and not knowing what changes to expect in the work front.

I had made another paper submission this year about the cutting edge topic of continuous deployment that tech industry is trending about and every company wants to adopt. My paper illustrated different approaches and what we use at Netflix. Well, that proposal did not pass, and the one about balancing career and motherhood did. I understand that is much more relevant to well almost all the attendees of the conference who are moms or are planning to become moms.

So, wait for me Texas in October 2015! Hope to see you at GHC 2015!

Monday, June 1, 2015

My experience of Google I/O 2015

5/27
Today is the registration for Google I/O, and one the affiliated organizations invited me for dinner, that I am really looking forward to. I am staying in Park 55 Hilton hotel at San Francisco right next to Union Square and about 5-10 minutes walk away from Moscone center. This year keynote access is assigned based on the time of your registration, which opened at 9AM today, so getting to San Francisco early was definitely a good idea. An awesome coworker drove from Los Gatos to Downtown SF and I snitched a ride. We made it in time to sign up for the keynote, and got a few goodies, a water bottle and a shirt. For some reason registration staff really wanted to take our pictures with the little Android guy and I/O sign, so we let them do that. 


Made it to the hotel, and got an awesome upgrade to a view with spectacular view on San Francisco. After a bit of shopping I am back to catch up on some work. Afterwards Women Techmaker's dinner at a great restaruant with amazing company.

5/28
Keynote day... the line has been standing from 7:30. Keynote access was already assigned the day before but a lot of people went and stood in line to get a good seat. I arrived at 9:20 for the 9:30 kickoff of the keynote. It was the right decision, skipped the line yet got in for a seat (towards the back). Everything was visible in all the N screens around. The overall energy in the room was inspiring, with so many Google enthusiasts in the room. I am really excited about photo sharing update and free unlimited photo storage online.

At the end of the day I got the opportunity to meet with Systers - who were the main reason I ended up attending the Google I/O, and who I am very thankful to for the helpful advice and great-great opportunity to meet like-minded women.
Some of the sessions after the keynote were interesting, but most didn't really apply to me. Some sessions were very high level such as "Monetizing your App", "Material Now". For some of the test sessions I was most excited about there was no way to squeeze in, because of overwhelming number of interested people and very few available bean bugs (and the people who occupied those were never leaving there "rooms").

5/29
The day started with receiving the Nexus 9 - giveaway of the year, that my husband is very excited about. I got a chance to check out Android auto which is soo promising, as well as 360 degree camera.