In the Making
By Zain Raza
Welcome to In the Making, a podcast by Make School students, for Make School students.
In the MakingMar 30, 2020
Adam Braus: Motivation By Design, and World-Class Leadership
Adam Braus is a man of many hats - engineer, entrepreneur, educator, and that's just the beginning. How did he successfully motivate himself to take on skills and achieve in so many areas? His newest book, Motivate: How to Defeat Distraction, Ignite Interest, and Secure Success (2021), is his answer.
In this season finale of In the Making, Braus returns to the show to discuss high-achieving productivity habits with Zain, and the two also delve into more questions such as follows:
- What can we do to create environments that motivate all of those in our organizations to accomplish more, rather than just those with inherent privileges?
- What challenges do leaders often face in motivating others, and what does the future of human organizations look like going forward?
If you want to unlock the achievement of yourself and those around you, then this episode is for you!
SJ Lee: There Is No Secret to Working at The Big 4
Topics SJ Discussed:
- Meet SJ Lee
- SJ on Growing up in South Korea and Canada
- SJ on His College Years and Growing a YouTube Channel
- SJ on His Journey into XR
- ⚡️Lightning Round ⚡️
Intro
Welcome Maker Nation, my name is Zain Raza.
I interview change makers and world shakers in the field of technology.
And in this episode, I want to teach you the ways of the Force :)
But seriously, my guest today is nonetheless very special SJ Lee.
In this episode, I was blown away by the story of how SJ Lee became an SWE, and I hope for students you’ll be able to take a lot of lessons from SJ on how to enter the XR industry and give you a crystal ball of what happens after you get that first job after school.
Connect w/ SJ Lee: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sangjunglee/
Ivan Zou: The Engineer From the Past
- Georgia Tech Computer Engineering and Finance Major
- Back end web development (robotics, web development, IoT)
- “Fastidious” is an understatement (Merriam-Webster)
- First, entered my life at 12 - moved from Shrewsbury → Grafton and joined our 7th-grade biology class?
- This podcast is all about bringing diverse together perspectives on technology, and I’m excited to share with you where Ivan's journey has led, and hope what we can share with the audience in terms of engineering and business is valuable to yours!
- This podcast is all about bringing diverse together perspectives on technology, and I’m excited to share with you where Ivan's journey has led, and hope what we can share with the audience in terms of engineering and business is valuable to yours!
- Where did your interest in technology come from?
- Georgia Tech - how did it change you?
- Why major in Finance?
- How do you like to learn (tons of technologies like Kubernetes, NodeJS, ExpressJS, etc.)?
- How did COVID-19 impact you?
- Why major in Finance?
- How has technology changed the landscape of finance?
- I’d love to hear more about your personal experiences in Motel Management, and applying your technical skills?
Connect with Ivan:
GitHub: https://github.com/izou3
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ivan-zou/
Book Recommendation:
Rich Dad Poor Dad (1997) - overall guide on finance and wealth by Robert Kiyosaki: https://store.richdad.com/products/rich-dad-poor-dad-what-the-rich-teach-their-kids-about-money-that-the-poor-and-middle-class-do-not
Ivan's Question:
Where do you think technology is going in the next few years, and how will you make an impact on that progress?
Mayank Jain: The EXPONENTIAL Developer ⤴️
In this interview we hear from Mayank, a Candian developer who specializes in tools such as the following:
- deep learning,
- augmented reality,
- brain-computer interfaces (BCIs),
- and more!
"He's currently building an EEG system from scratch in the hopes of creating the first wide-spread BCI wearable. He's spoken about his work at multiple conferences, won countless hackathon awards, and used technology to drive innovation at various tech companies." (Mayank's Linkedin)
Not impressed? If it were not enough to be at the very edge of computing as we know it, our friend Mayank also happens to be just like you and me: a college student.
Please enjoy this next installment of In the Making, as Zain and Mayank dive deep into what it takes to accelerate your learning in new technologies, tailor your experiences so you're taken seriously in the job hunt, and much more in terms of making the most out of both your technical skills, and your drive to make a positive change in the world.
Resources:
- Mayank's Medium Blog: https://medium.com/@mayankj2112
- Mayank's Linkedin (same as above): https://www.linkedin.com/in/mayankj2112/detail/contact-info/
- Meet Mayank (intro video from TKS): https://youtu.be/UQiFeqUXx_4?t=543
From Salinas to Android Dev: Nicolas Lara on In the Making
Growing up in Salinas Valley, Nicolas never thought he would become a software engineer. In his first roles as a field worker, baker, and eventually a college student, he learned from his family and community the value of hard work, camaraderie, and education, and took on the ambitious CSin3 program to become a developer.
In this episode, Nicolas speaks with Zain about taking an accelerated program for students to gain a CS degree in 3 years, what's it like to develop on the Android platform, his most valuable teaching experiences, and more. I highly recommend this episode to inspire and level up the creator and educator in you!
Meet Nicolas: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nlarafonseca/
TA Experiences
What's it like to be a TA at Make School? Find out from the seniors in the Class of 2021!
We'll go over:
- How to Become a TA
- What it's Like
- Why You Should Do It
- Why You May Not Want to Do it
And more!
Miriam Haart: From New Jersey to CS @Stanford
From the time she was little, Miriam always felt she was a little out of place. Growing up in an orthodox Jewish community, she wasn't like other girls - she loved to run, to explore, and most of all - to embrace the uncertain.
She began self-teaching herself app development at 13, however things just didn't seem to "click". Miriam struggled to find her path in CS, until she came across what was then an all-new college in San Francisco (albeit not yet accredited) - Make School.
In this episode, Miriam sits down to talk about the challenges new coders faced early on, the rewards and challenges of becoming the teacher she wished she had at Stanford, and various other projects she has begun since leaving Make School.
A Journey in Game Dev, w/ Genji Tapia | In the Making
In this episode, Genji shares his unusual and underprivileged origin story and how he rose above the lure towards a life of crime, and instead found his way into game development, one of the most vibrant areas of software engineering and arguably the most community-driven. Listen in as Genji shares the art of telling stories "through action", his inspirations, and more!
Genji is a senior at Make School, a software engineer with a focus in Back-end web and interests in Machine Learning. He's looking for a 2021 summer internship. If you would like to connect with Genji or learn more about his story, check out his portfolio website: https://www.makeschool.com/portfolio/genji-tapia
Liya Tilahun | From Ethiopia to Make School | In the Making
In this episode we share another profile from Make School's 2021 cohort - get ready to meet Liya Tilahun, an international student and Make School senior. From leaving her family in Ethiopia to rubbing shoulders with Microsoft engineers for a summer passion project, Liya's story is a harrowing journey that shines a light on the loneliness of college, the culture shock of moving to San Francisco, and eventually punctuates with the rewards of hard work and self-organization.
Growing up in Ethiopia, Liya Tilahun never saw herself becoming involved in Computer Science. Upon coming to Augustana University in South Dakota, she originally planned to go into biology. However, thanks to her open mind Liya eventually learned about Make School through MLH - and the rest is history...
Learn More about Liya: https://www.makeschool.com/portfolio/liya-tilahun
Adjusting to New Environments - Tony Cioara | In the Making
A deep dive into the life of Tony, a recent Make School alumni who grew up in Romania, before spending the last part of high school in Oregon, and then in turn arriving in San Francisco to attend Make School.
Tony shares many memories of what it was like to overcome thyself and develop new ways of living on your own - please take a listen! It will provide you with another perspective on the realities of life at Make School>
Connect with Tony on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tony-cioara/
How to Share Ideas - Zain Raza
Episode Outline:
- Examples of Sharing Ideas in Open Source
- Share Early, Share Often
- Share with LOTS of people
- Share without having an opinion
- Find a Format - keep in mind the "problem" you want to solve, as well as mentioning the "existing solutions"
RESOURCES:
YC Lecture referenced in the episode, on Talking to Users: https://youtu.be/MT4Ig2uqjTc
Hope this helps! - Zain Raza
Zain Raza - 3 Struggles to Overcome at Make School
Make School has helped transform me from the inside out, but it did not come with struggle. In this podcast, Zain Raza shares his personal experiences in throughout his junior year at Make School, in which he questioned himself in three of the following areas:
1. Physical Lifestyle
2. Emotional Well-Being, and the Response to Fear
3. Spiritual Conscience
Enjoy! If you find the episode valuable, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts.
Thanks so much Makers, I wish you a blessed week - Zain
Aleia Knight: The Seven Habits of Effective Software Engineers
A deep dive into personal development, based on the renown book 7 Habits of Highly Effective People (1989), by Stephen R. Covey. Guest starring Aleia Knight, a rising senior at Make School in the Data Science concentration.
Connect with Aleia:
Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/aleiaknight/
Personal Website: makeschool.com/portfolio/Aleia-Knight
GitHub: github.com/RobotGyal
Blog: medium.com/@aleia.knight
Email: aleiaknight@gmail.com
Buy the Book (not affiliated): https://www.amazon.com/Habits-Highly-Effective-People-Anniversary/dp/1511317299
Matthew Harrilal: What it Means to Grow Up
iOS engineer Matthew Harrilal was a quiet, unassuming young man when he first heard about Make School from his older brother. The New York City native is now an alumni of the program, and comes on the podcast today to share his reflections on what it was like to grow up in Spanish Harlem, and mistakes that are made by Make School students as they seek jobs, among other things.
If you're interested in how an introverted kid from a multi-cultural background and a big heart becomes a software engineer, then I believe this episode will be of value to you!
Connect with Matthew on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewharrilal/
Ben Lafferty: Hacker with a Cause
Ben Lafferty is one of the most prolific and application-focused engineers at Make School. He is currently a junior in the Back End Web concentration, and in this episode Zain Raza interviews Ben on all things related to his technical education, experience as a debugger, building a community through Discord, and more!
Resources
Build a Discord Bot of your Own: discordapp.com/developers/docs/intro
Want to connect with Ben? Check out the links below:
Ben's Portfolio: www.makeschool.com/portfolio/ben
Ben on Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/benlaugherty/
Ben on GitHub: github.com/tempor1s
Email Ben: benlaugherty@gmail.com
SVM Crash Course: Data Science Rewind #1
Additional Resources on Support Vector Machines
Walkthrough Example by Alice Zhao: https://youtu.be/N1vOgolbjSc
Explanation by Siraj Raval: https://youtu.be/g8D5YL6cOSE
Make School's SVM Lesson, in DS 2.1: https://github.com/Make-School-Courses/DS-2.1-Machine-Learning/blob/master/Lessons/SupportVectorMachine.md
Sklearn Documentation: https://scikit-learn.org/stable/index.html
Make School's Tutorial on Machine Learning Classifiers: https://www.makeschool.com/academy/track/ds-2-1-classification-tutorial
Tensorflow Crash Course by Free Code Camp: https://www.freecodecamp.org/news/massive-tensorflow-2-0-free-course/
Google Machine Learning Crash Course: https://developers.google.com/machine-learning/crash-course/
Traction, What is it? (Startup Series part One)
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES on Traction (2015), by Gabriel Weinberg: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01705KMG4/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_U_C3XIEb3HY92XE
Gabriel Weinberg speaks with Eric Ries, the author of The Lean Startup (2011) and The Startup Way (2017): https://youtu.be/woPMw-mkpDM
Gabriel Weinberg Speaks at Startup Grind: https://youtu.be/8q3F4UT0NSA
Manuel Dolderer: The Invaluable Education in Science, Tech, and Society
Joel Yawili on Product Management and Being Compassionate
SKIP AHEAD to 11:55 for the actual interview with Joel to begin!
QUESTION TO THE AUDIENCE
Listen to the end to hear Joel's Question of the Week. If you would like to reach out to Joel with your answer (or otherwise), please use the following:
Joel's Email: joelyawili@fb.com
Joel's Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/i-am-joel-yawili/
Correction:
In this episode I mention Joel as having a certificate in workplace harassment. Precisely, it is an Emtrain Certificate titled Preventing Workplace Harassment. To check you can see it on his Linkedin profile here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/i-am-joel-yawili/
Avery Durrant: From School to Startup
Avery Durrant on Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/avery-durrant/
QUESTION OF THE DAY (from Avery):
" What do you want after Make School?"
Erick Sanchez: Year One @ Google
Erick Sanchez is a tinkerer at heart. From the time he got his first iPod Touch at age 12, he knew he wanted to be an iOS dev when he grew up. Today, he works at Google on the Google Voice App. On this episode he reflects on his experiences at Make School: with working on different team and solo projects, networking, writing blogs, working part-time at Best Buy, and more on his journey to merge both passion and productivity to his life as well as the lives of others using technology.
Don't Forget to Answer Erick's Question for you: "How do you manage your time?"
Send answers to him on Linkedin!
Erick Sanchez on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/e-sanchez-e/
Erick Sanchez's Blogs on Medium: https://medium.com/@ericksanchez_36220
Have feedback on the show? Please leave a review on Apple Podcasts!
Remember to also share the episodes of In the Making with those whom you think will benefit!
Muhammad Tifak on the Hot Seat: Behavioral Interview Practice #1
https://www.linkedin.com/in/muhammad-tifak-877428168/
What do you want to change in the world, or impact by your own hands?
Adam Braus: Leading Change at Work | In the Making
LINKS/RESOURCES Related to This Episode:
Leading Change at Work: The Secret Structure of Change and How Everyone Can Make it Happen (2019): bit.ly/leading-change-at-work
Learn More About Adam Braus: http://www.adambraus.com/
Braus on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ajbraus/
Braus on Twitter: https://twitter.com/ajbraus
Braus Blog: https://medium.com/braus-blog
HOW TO WIN A SIGNED FREE COPY of Leading Change at Work:
For 1 week from the release of this episode, Zain will take tally of who shares this episode the most on social media. For the top 5 sharers, Braus will give a signed free copy of his new book, Leading Change at Work.
So please, if you would like to participate in this giveaway:
1. Listen to this episode
2. Share on social media!
If on Twitter:
Tweet Zain @ZainRaz14 and @ajbraus in your Tweets when you share
If not on Twitter (i.e. Instagram, Facebook, etc.):
Email your screenshots to me at zain.raza@students.makeschool.com
QUESTION of THE DAY (Make School students and alumni):
Braus asks you: what ice-cream-themed nickname do you have for a Make School staff member? Or another Make School student?
Ben Simpson and Max Finn: How Social is Changing Us
How has the Internet changed the way we interact? Can social save itself, or are we doomed to live in a surveillance state? Listen in to this episode to hear our thoughts! My goal is to have you walk away from this podcast feeling more rational about what social media is, and how it is a tool for both good and evil, to be used responsibly. To help with that, Zain Raza interviews fellow Make School juniors Ben Simpson (iOS Track) and Max Finn (Backend Web).
Curious about Ben? Here is Ben Simpson's Linkedin profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben-simpson-4b896533/
Jayce Azua on How to Be Bold: In the Making Episode
Cargo pants. Missile launchers. Full Metal Jacket.
At first glance, I understood the life of a Marine to be nothing like that of a software engineer - and then I met Jayce Azua.
Azua is many things - a veteran on the battlefield and in business, a dedicated father - and now, he is also a software engineering intern at Facebook.
Why did Jayce choose to work in technology? How did an underdog like Azua go from being a paramedic firefighter, towards competing amongst the best and brightest of Computer Scientists for an internship at Facebook? What advice does he have for current Make School students on being bold, a Facebook core value?
Question of the Day: How Badly Do You Want It?
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jayceazua/
Students Speak on Social Media: IN THE MAKING
RESOURCES:
Make School's Mental Health Resources in San Francisco: docs.google.com/document/d/1ONyKidX-a9HCrGVqA0c7JHMSWb85gUjFJlRx5sb9GFE/edit
Article About Social Media and The Brain (credit Gonzo for finding this): now.northropgrumman.com/this-is-your-brain-on-instagram-effects-of-social-media-on-the-brain
SnapTBH: the social media for positive anonymous messaging (created by Ike): SnapTBH.com
CONNECT W/ THE GUESTS:
Erick (Wesley) Espinoza: www.linkedin.com/in/erick-espinoza-3a724916b/
Isaac (Ike) Holzmann: www.linkedin.com/in/isaac-ike-holzmann-a629ab18a/
Gonzalo "Gonzo" Birrueta: www.linkedin.com/in/gbm7/
Jaeson Booker: How to ROCK 2020
Happy New Year's!
Question: what do Make School students have on their mind for the new decade?
On this episode, Jaeson Booker discusses plans for 2020. As a senior in Make School, Booker shares what kinds of progress he's made over the past year as a software engineer, including some of his personal projects in VR, data science, and mobile applications.
Zain Raza also opens in the end to talk about goals, and the one difference you can make to help improve your goal achieving capability this coming year!
Want to catch up with Jaeson? Check out his LinkedIn profile at https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaeson-booker/.
Jeremy Rossmann: Why Make School Matters to Me
This episode will be helpful to you if you're curious about the following:
Jeremy Rossmann Before Make School
How Make School initially started out
Why Culture and Networks Matter So Much in Success
In this episode, Make School cofounder Jeremy Rossmann opens up about growing up in East Palo Alto, otherwise known as "the richest zip code in the U.S.". The son of two Apple employees who worked on the Macintosh, Rossmann delves into the
culture,
engineering experiences,
and friendships
which led him to cofound Make School (https://www.makeschool.com), a new college that's disrupting CS education and traditional education financing, based in San Francisco at 555 Post St.
After listening to this episode, don't forget to answer the Question of the Day:
Jeremy asks you: "What is the tech trend you feel Make School is behind on?"
Let Jeremy know your thoughts! Email your answers to jeremy@makeschool.com, and CC precious@makeschool.com.
RELATED RESOURCES:
Paul Graham essay, "The Lesson to Unlearn", Dec. 2019 - paulgraham.com/lesson.html
Gabriel Mendez-Francis on Cybersecurity: Everyone is at Risk
Is the Internet a lost cause? On this episode, Gabriel Mendez-Francis comes on to discuss!
A computer science student at the University of Alabama, Francis believes in a free, open web - but he also realizes the world's not all roses and fairies. As a freelance web designer for businesses, Gabriel finds himself increasingly concerned with how to protect his clients' data, as well as prepare himself for the rise of new technologies - i.e. machine learning, blockchain, the dark web, etc. - which some believe are about to change the game like never before.
Curious to hear how you can be a more security-minded dev? Want to hear about Venezuelan cooking? Listen in for more!
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Find Gabe on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gmf/
Noah Woodward: Getting the Most out Of Demo Night @MakeSchool
Make School alumni, now working at Shopify as an iOS developer, speaks out about his personal upbringing, how he found Make School, and what it took to find a job as a software engineer in the Silicon Valley of the now.
Listen to this episode to hear about Noah's upbringing and early interactions with tech, how he chose to go about learning CS in college, and how he built an amazing portfolio. We also talk about Demo Night at Make School, and how Noah used that to his advantage.
Enjoy! Please share and leave a review if you find this useful!
Thomas Suarez on Becoming a Better Software Engineer, XR Apps, and CS Education
What happens when you learn to code? In this episode of In the Making, Zain Raza interviews Thomas Suarez, the passionately driven cofounder and CTO of Teleportal, a startup paving the way for developers to make immersive AR/VR apps like never before.
Listen to this episode to get Tom's thoughts on the different forms of education. In this interview I was blown away at Tom's wide breadth of experience, spanning from teaching himself to code at age 7, all the way up to Georgia Tech, where he spent his first term pulling all-nighters just to work both on his CS classes as well as his startup.
To learn more about Thomas and Teleportal's services: please check out the links below:
Tom's Twitter Handle: @tomthecarrot
Teleportal website: https://teleportal.app/
Article by Tom about Teleportal: https://medium.com/teleportal/announcing-teleportal-the-xr-telepresence-platform-350a710c4c0a
TV interview with Tom on Cheddar (back when Teleportal was named WiTag): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUYMrI0N_Zw
Teleportal Instagram: 0xteleportal
Teleportal Twitter: @0xTELEPORTAL