Introduction to Python: Part 2

About this course:

Join us for Part 2 of GDI Philly's two-part Introduction to Python series. In this project-based workshop, we'll review the basics we covered in Part 1, then we'll dive into the code for several small Python tools and games. Projects may include a scrabble game, a spellchecker tool, a cascading color wall, and an analysis of your own Twitter history. We'll also spend time working through some of the practice problems we introduced during the Python Part 1 workshop.

This is a team-taught course: Dana Bauer, Maneesha Sane, Sarah Gray, and Alyssa Batula will guide you through several of their favorite projects and help you get started creating your own projects.

You are prepared to take Part 2 if you've successfully completed Part 1 (offered 6/15/13 and 6/29/13). Please contact Dana Bauer if you have questions.

About GDI's Introduction to Python series:

Curious about programming? Want to learn one language that you can use to build websites, program robots, visualize data, run servers, and make art? Then you're ready to get started with Python (http://www.python.org/).

Python powers some of the popular apps we all know and love (or hate), like Pinterest (http://pinterest.com) and Instagram (http://instagram.com/). It's used by tech companies all over the world, including many companies right here in Philadelphia. Monetate (http://monetate.com/), Azavea (http://www.azavea.com/), SunGard (http://www.sungard.com/), SIG (http://www.sig.com/) and Love Park Robotics (http://loveparkrobotics.com/) are all Python shops. Employers love Python programmers.

Girl Develop It Philly is thrilled to offer a two-part Introduction to Python series to help members get started with Python. Part 1 covers the basic components of the Python programming language: data types, functions, conditional statements and loops. Part 2 is a project-driven approach to learning Python, designed for students with some basic programming experience.

About the instructors:

Dana Bauer is an independent developer, mapmaker, and data analyst. As part of the PhillyPUG (https://www.meetup.com/phillypug/) leadership team, Dana organizes and teaches workshops and project nights for new coders, with a focus on bringing more women into the Python community. She regularly gives talks at regional and national conferences. Dana tweets @geography76 (http://twitter.com/geography76).

Maneesha Sane started learning Python and Django a few years ago when a broken leg kept her homebound for a few months. She continued developing programming and database development skills picking up a bit of Javascript, jquery, SQL, and GIS skills along the way. Most recently she worked with the Philadelphia Mural Arts Program doing database development and technology training. Now, as a stay at home mom of a seven month old she tries to find time to continue learning, teaching, developing her own projects, and working on contract jobs.

Sarah Gray is an English Major and general language nerd. After finishing her BA, she fell into a technology job, fell in love, and never looked back. After several years of working in IT, she went back to school and got a computer science degree from UPenn. She is now a polyglot programmer and software engineer at the Neat Company in Philadelphia. You can find out more about her adventures in programming at http://www.devlogged.com (http://www.devlogged.com/).

Alyssa Batula is an electrical engineering Ph.D. candidate at Drexel University working on a project to control a robot using brain signals. She's especially interested in signal processing, machine learning, and robotics. She picked up Python in order to replace MATLAB with another high-level language, and it has been her language of choice ever since.