PyData Southampton - 21st Meetup

Venue: Carnival House, 100 Harbour Parade, Southampton, SO15 1ST
📢 Want to speak 📢: submit your talk proposal

Main Talks
1️⃣ Augment Your Data: Leveraging LLMs for Expanding Training Sets - Ophelie Bleu
The talk will cover practical techniques for leveraging Large Language Models (LLMs) to enhance machine learning training data through augmentation and diversification. The session will demonstrate LLM-driven annotation using methods such as self-consistency and prompt pipelines, and details essential processes for validating the quality of the generated data.

2️⃣ Why Biological Data Breaks Your Favourite ML Algorithms - Emily Miller
Most machine learning practitioners are taught to assume that data is Independent and Identically Distributed (i.i.d.). But in the messy, high-stakes world of biology, those assumptions don't just bend—they break.

In this session, we will explore why biological datasets are a unique "teaching tool" for understanding the limitations of standard ML. From the "Small-N, Large-P" problem (where features vastly outnumber samples) to the inherent noise and experimental biases found in the lab, we will deconstruct the common pitfalls that lead to model failure in the life sciences.

Whether you’re working in biotech or simply want to sharpen your ability to model complex, real-world data, this talk will provide a fresh perspective on the fundamental assumptions of machine learning.

⚡Lightning Talks ⚡
⚡1️⃣ Marimo: Build a python demo like a pro - Austen Wallis
⚡2️⃣ TBA

Please note:

1. 🚨🚨🚨A valid photo ID is required by building security. You MUST use your initial/first name and surname on your meetup profile, otherwise, you will NOT make it on the guest list! 🚨🚨🚨
2. This event follows the NumFOCUS Code of Conduct, please familiarise yourself with it before the event.

If your RSVP status says "You're going" you will be able to get in. No further confirmation required. You will NOT need to show your RSVP confirmation when signing in.
If you can no longer make it, please unRSVP as soon as you know so we can assign your place to someone on the waiting list.

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Code of Conduct:
This event follows the NumFOCUS Code of Conduct, please familiarise yourself with it before the event. Please get in touch with the organisers with any questions or concerns regarding the Code of Conduct.
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There will be pizza & drinks, generously provided by our host, Carnival UK.
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Logistics
Doors open at 6.30 pm, talks start at 7 pm. For those who wish to continue networking and chatting we will move to a nearby pub/bar for drinks from 9 pm.

Please unRSVP in good time if you realise you can't make it. We're limited by building security on the number of attendees, so please free up your place for your fellow community members!

Follow us for updates and early announcements we are on Bluesky/Instagram/Threads as @pydatasoton, and find us on LinkedIn.