Women in Scala: From Paradigms to Percussion & Hands On with Creative Scala

🎉 Come along to Women in Scala! 🎉
Please note that you must identify as a woman in order to attend this event.

We're delighted to hear from Priyanka Bose on her beginner's journey with Scala and drums, and then dive into Scala ourselves in a creative hands-on session. Bring your laptops for this event because we'll be getting hands on!

Agenda
6:00pm - 🍕 Socialising: Join us for some free food and drinks! Vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free options are provided. Let us know if you'd like something special - we'd be happy to accommodate.
6:40 pm - 🗣️ Priyanka Bose: From Paradigms to Percussion: A Beginner’s parallel Journey (and struggles) with Scala and Drums
7:30 pm - 💻 Hands-on programming with Creative Scala!
9:00pm - 🍹 Join us at a pub!

🗣️ From Paradigms to Percussion: A Beginner’s parallel Journey (and struggles) with Scala and Drums
Learning a new programming language can feel overwhelming—so can learning to play a musical instrument. Around the same time I picked up Scala at work, I picked up a pair of drumsticks at home. I didn’t expect these experiences to have anything in common, but I was wrong. In both, I struggled to unlearn old habits, to think in new patterns, and to find rhythm—literal and metaphorical.
This talk is a reflection on that dual learning curve. Along the way, I’ll walk through how functional programming in Scala shares some surprising traits with drumming: recursion and rhythm, muscle memory and syntax, constraints as creative tools. I’ll also talk about the differences—where programming relies on precision, music often embraces feel—and how navigating both worlds helped me become more intentional in how I learn anything new.
This is not a talk about mastering Scala or music theory. It’s a talk about being a beginner, being frustrated, making progress, and discovering unexpected joy in the process. I hope to share relatable stories, visual and mental metaphors for programming concepts, and reflections that apply whether you’re learning Scala, drums, or just trying to get better at getting better.

🌟Priyanka Bose 🌟
Hi, I’m Priyanka Bose — software engineer by day, drummer by night, and a full-time pop culture enthusiast. I work at SiriusXM as a Software Engineer III on the API Tooling team, where I build platforms that make other developers’ lives easier.

I first joined SXM as a summer intern in 2024 after graduating from New York University with a Master’s in Computer Engineering, then came on full-time in September — the very same day I picked up my first pair of drumsticks. Four months later, I was playing my first live band gig in NYC. 💥
Outside of tech, I’m obsessed with reading (82 books last year!), competitive pool (yes, I’ve won tournaments), and music (I never skip it — ever). My current fave? Dua Lipa, hands down.
I’m deeply passionate about building a more inclusive tech industry. As a 2023 Quad Fellow, I care about the broader impact STEM can have on society — not just through innovation, but through equity. My long-term goal is to grow into a leadership role where I can actively champion and support women and other underrepresented communities in tech.
Catch me coding, cueing up a playlist, or plotting my next band set — ideally all at once.

Priyanka will be presenting from the US. You'll be able to ask her questions over livestream.

💻 Hands On Session with Creative Scala 💻
Bring your laptops for this event because we'll be getting hands on!
In this session, we'll be programming with Creative Scala - a fun way to explore and practise functional programming with Scala.
Whether you are completely new to Scala or experienced with functional programming, all levels of experience are welcome! Perhaps you're looking for some help getting set up as a beginner. Perhaps you want to practise your programming skills with peers. Perhaps you want to take a break from your day job and flex your curiosity in a fun environment! Sit back, relax, explore, and learn by doing... ✨

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https://www.scala-lang.org/conduct/
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