My PhD journey has been great so far, apart from the sleepless nights (totally worth it though!). Last year I attended different events in USA, it was a great exposure, and I enjoyed both the scientific and the social programmes. I was looking forward to find new opportunities and travel elsewhere to learn new experience and extend my existing network.
In June, 2018 I received an invitation to attend the CODATA-RDA Research Data Science Summer School which was held at the Abdus Salam International Centre of Theoretical Physics (ICTP) in Trieste, Italy. The summer school was held from 6th to 17th August, 2018 with the aim on building competence in data analysis and security for participants from all disciplines and backgrounds from Sciences to Humanities.
The level of engagement and interaction between participants and instructors in this summer school was outstanding, helpers were always there to provide technical assistance. I was exposed to useful Machine Learning techniques that I will apply in my ongoing study. The Executive Director of CODATA, Simon Hodson presented to us various opportunities such as CODATA journal and many others.
This summer school gave me an opportunity to extend my networks with other academics and experts in the field of Machine Learning. Additionally, I had a chance to experience new culture and explore new places like Rome, Venice and Ljubljana. Sadly, I was the only participant from Tanzania, so I encourage my fellow Tanzanians to apply for calls and seize opportunities in Data Science workshops and summer schools. Lastly, I would like to thank the organisers of the summer school for making it a great success, and the African Development Bank (AfDB) for the financial support.