Inspiring talks on the day!
The abstracts below are just a teaser of the wonderful talks we'll hear from our speakers.
Tess Elation
Demystifying Docker: the Building Blocks of Shipping It
Since it’s release five years ago Docker has revolutionised the way people deploy apps and has become entwined with the current DevOps zeitgeist.
However, for those who don’t have a background in systems maintenance or operations, there is a steep learning curve and an overwhelming amount of information. It’s time to unpack and demystify this journey!
We’ll learn what Docker is, why it’s so great, and run through it’s basic usage, before working through a real-world use case. Let’s get you built, spun up, and ready to conquer containers!
Jason O'Neil
Your web page never listens to me
Have you wanted to include speech driven interfaces in the pages or apps you build? Did you know there are well supported web standards for teaching your page to talk? And there are emerging standards for the harder job of teaching your app to listen?
Let’s explore the possibilities of combining Voice with the natural strengths of the web platform, see how speech driven interfaces can help us move to a more accessible and inclusive web.
Laura Munro
The black dog can code too
So how can we reduce the stigma of mental illness in the workplace? What can we do as colleagues and bosses to help everyone have a successful career in tech?
With years of first-hand experience, Laura will speak openly and honestly about how mental health has an effect on our careers. She’ll educate and inspire those who battle the black dog, not to be disheartened by their illness, and give them some practical tools to help them in their journeys.
Dasith Wijesiriwardena
Event Sourcing, from ancient Mesopotamia to modern software
Cathy Lill
Functional Programming for the rest of us
A friendly, practical introduction to functional programming techniques you can use right now. We'll skip the jargon and advanced theory and talk about the basic ideas that underpin functional programming.
We'll explore how we can apply functional style to everyday programming tasks and talk about the benefits of coding in this style, using Javascript for our examples. Finally we'll see how these basic ideas evolve into more complex constructs that form the basis of FP languages like Haskell.
Daisy
Creative coding - Adventures in Wonderland
Pushing the boundaries and experimenting is core to the growing creative coding community. What does this look like though? Let’s explore code as a tool to creating beautiful interactive experiences.
We’ll learn to use code to explore our own creativity, learn about the different tools available and the many possibilities that open up when we get creative. As personal projects, a potential career path, or as a fun way to learn essential skills, creative coding is for everyone.
Quincy Larson
Keynote
If you’ve ever searched the words “learn” and “code”, then you’ve undoubtedly come across freeCodeCamp.org. Founded in 2014 after Quincy’s own learn to code journey, this grassroots not-for-profit has become one of the most supportive and inclusive communities both online and off. These values form the basis of FCC, with real world non-profits as the final project, and the whole platform being open sourced. We’re super excited to host Quincy for his first time in Australia as the Levels Conf 2018 keynote speaker!
Shuying Lin
Fast prototyping with Vue.js and Firebase
Vue's simplicity and supportive community make it easy for anyone to become a huge fan! This is why Shuying has made the combination of Vue.js and Firebase her goto toolkit when she wants to create functional prototypes in no time at all. Come on this journey of discovery as we watch Shuying dive into this handy tech stack and show us examples of how easy it is to tests out your latest ideas without overwhelming investment.
Moise Acknowledges Diversity Problems in the Tech Industry and Talks about Levels Conf 2018
Andrei Octav Moise is all about supporting technology. As a veteran businessman, he knows that technological innovation has been very beneficial for the growth of the economy. Many new industries have risen due to these innovations, opening up new job opportunities and providing new sources to generate revenue. Additionally, technology has increased overall work productivity and efficiency, which has allowed companies to do more things in a shorter period of time. Essentially, technology has made all our lives better. It is important then to educate the newer generations in preparation of entering the technology industry, and help them nurture their skills and experience.
However, not everyone gets equal opportunities to work for the tech industry. For many years, discussions regarding the diversity in the tech industry remain a relevant topic. While there has been progress made to combat it, there still remains a lack of representation in the tech workforce. Notably, the industry is composed mostly of white and Asian male employees. Women and people of color (POCs) on the other hand have it worse - not only do they make a lesser percentage of the entire workforce, they also face bias and discrimination from others in the workplace, making it all the more difficult for them to make advancements in their careers.
Moise acknowledges how this has become a huge problem in the tech industry. He states that it is important for the tech industry to be more inclusive, explaining that diversity in the work team is more likely to have more innovative and creative ideas. These ideas can then be used to build technology capable of creating better products and services for everyone. Thus he encourages younger people who hold a passion for technology to seek out educational events and conferences that are open to all. For instance, there was Levels Conf. 2018, heldat the University of Melbourne on the 17th of July.
Levels Conf. 2018 is Australia’s first conference crafted for building technical careers from the ground up. Their goal is to give the people of Australia, whether they be new or experienced at technology, a platform to share, grow and connect with each other. What is special about this conference is that they aim to be accessible and welcoming to everyone - which includes being diverse and low-cost. The people working on this conference recognises that the tech industry for the most part has problems being diverse and inclusive to everyone, and they work hard to make sure that everyone who attends feels accepted and a part of the community. This extends to not only women and POCs, but also members of the LGBTQIA community and those with physical and mental disabilities.
Moise gives praise to the people involved in Levels Conf. 2018. He says that their actions prove that everyone can be a part of the tech industry, regardless of race, gender, and physical and mental abilities. Innovation requires new and fresh ideas, and it is through nurturing the minds of the younger generation that these ideas can be born, and Moise proudly states.
