GSoC 2019 Proposal

1. Contact information. Please provide your email address, GitHub username, and approximate physical location.
Name: Alish Dipani
Email: alish.dipani@gmail.com
Github Username: alishdipani
Physical Location: Nagpur, Maharashtra, India
Website: alishdipani.github.io

2. Why do you like Ruby, and why do you want to work on SciRuby?
I recently started learning Ruby and have limited experience but the thing I loved most about ruby is that it took me very little time to learn and understand how to code in Ruby, I find it very user and developer friendly. I also love how easy the syntax is, it almost feels like writing in english which increases productivity as I can express myself through code. I love science and I want to work with Ruby and hence I want to work with Sciruby. I have used scientific libraries for python and have experienced how easy these libraries make a project. I want to build the same environment for ruby so that users can easily code and use Ruby in their research. I would love to be a part of the journey of creating this environment for ruby as I will get a chance to built the libraries from scratch and learn and gain experience in the process. I also like how welcoming, helpful and friendly the Sciruby community is, I would love to be a part of this community and work on projects with the members.

3. What do you like about science and why? What area do you like best?
I love the fact that science defines and controls how the everything works, it is absolute and forms the foundation of this universe. Science is complex and yet so beautiful. The areas which I like the best are Artificial Intelligence and Neuroscience, I am intrigued by the working of our brain, it makes us who we are, what we think what we do even without us knowing how does the brain work. I am interested in researching on how does the brain work and hence I am interested in Neuroscience and Artificial Intelligence, one gives us an insights on how does the brain actually work through the Biological processes and the second area tries to mimic the working of the brain and tries to find a solution to the question that can a machine learn to think and act like a human.

4. Describe your experience with the following: Ruby, C, C++, other languages.
Ruby: I have recently started coding in Ruby and am comfortable with using it.
C/C++: I was introduced to computer programming through the language C during the first year of my college, I have been coding in C and C++ since then for implementation of Data Structures and Algorithms for courses in my college as well as for Competitive Coding. I have also used C for for coding basic computer networks.
Java: I gained experience of coding in Java through the Object Oriented programming course during the second year of my college.
Python: I have done various projects in Python involving various applications of Machine Learning and Deep Learning like Data analysis, Audio processing, Image segmentation and am very fluent in coding in Python.

5. Describe your educational background (school, degree plan, major, past degrees, research area, publications, etc.).
I am a third year undergraduate student at BITS Pilani, K.K. Birla Goa Campus pursuing Computer Science. I am interested in and working on various projects involving Neuroscience and Deep Learning, I am especially interested in intersection of these fields and am working on projects on the same which are building Spiking Neural Networks for Reinforcement Learning and Data generation and interpretation using EEG signals.

6. Have you offered any pull requests for SciRuby or contributed in other ways? Please provide links, if possible. Past contributions are required, and must be in the form of code. Documentation contributions are also beneficial.
I had documented an earlier version of Rubyplot including working of the library band explaining it with an example which was built by Pranav Garg as a part of GSoC 2018 which can be found here. I also made a small scatter plot example using Magick backend which can be found here.

7. What other commitments do you have this summer aside from GSoC? What obstacles do you foresee this summer as far as contributing the full forty hours per week during the GSoC period?
I will attend a conference organized by Intel from 30th May to 2nd June, apart from this I have no other commitments this summer. I will compensate for my absence by starting early i.e. during the community bonding period itself.

8. Are you planning any fun vacations this summer?
No.

9. How many classes are you taking this summer?
None.

10. Do you have any other employment this summer?
No.

11. Please talk a bit about any past GSoC projects in which you have participated. If you've done GSoC before, how could we reach your mentor(s)?
I have not participated in GSoC before.

12. Please propose a project you would like to work on. Successful proposals will require advanced planning, communication with the project administrators and mentors, and likely a great deal of research on specific methods for achieving your project goals (e.g., what algorithms will you use? What frameworks?). A good place to start is the Ideas Page. You should also consider lurking on our IRC channel (#sciruby on FreeNode), various Gitter channels (check repo pages) and slack (https://sciruby-slack.herokuapp.com/). Participation in listserv discussions is strongly recommended.

13. Please provide a specific timeline for your project from application period until pencils-down. What benchmarks will you set for yourself? The greater the detail on this question and the previous, the better.

14. What is one long-term vision for something you'd like scientific software to be able to do. Think big picture, not necessarily realistic in the short term.
I would like the scientific software to be easy to use, platform independent and it should remove the language barrier i.e. there should be only a single programming language which is just like natural language which combines all the benefits of the programming languages currently present. This language should also have inbuilt algorithms and functions which are used the most. It should also be able more hardware friendly and should be able to use the hardware present efficiently. In the long term this language would allow the users to focus more on their research or development rather than on learning the language itself, this would not only make the work more productive but also shorten the learning curve and would also save the time currently required to shift from one language to another.

15. What are your hobbies, aside from coding? Tell us a little about yourself that isn't reflected in the rest of your application. What do you want to do with your life (if you have any idea)?
I like to read about upcoming technologies like new devices, new applications, etc. In my free time, I like to play computer games and listening to heavy metal music. I would like to pursue research on Artificial Intelligence and Neuroscience.

16. What else do you think we should have asked but didn't? Propose a question of your own and answer it here.

17. Bonus question: One aim of the Ruby Science Foundation (SciRuby) is to increase diversity in open source science software development. How do we get more women interested in open source software development and science? How do we get more people from underrepresented groups involved?
Programs like Google summer of code for women and underrepresented groups would be a very good way to increase diversity in open source science software development. Another good way would be to promote women and people from underrepresented groups who are involved in development to inspire others, creating an interactive application to introduce people to open source science software development would be a very good resource for them to get started with open source development. Support and help from the community is also a crucial aspect to get people to start open source science software development as many people start it but are demotivated soon and discontinue, support and motivation from a friendly community would encourage people to continue open source science software development and even inspire more people to start with it.

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