Newsletter (#437)

* newsletter 2017-11 first draft * fixed views * edited subject * edited roadmap
openSNP · Nov 10, 2017 · 4e5d56d · 4e5d56d
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diff --git a/ROADMAP.md b/ROADMAP.md
@@ -10,11 +10,10 @@ For each task we list the knowledge needed to solve the task at the end in paren
 These are tasks that have no fixed end and that can always be worked on, and should always be somewhat on our mind.
 
 * Getting more contributors (that might be you!)
-* [Fixing our bad spelling and grammar](https://github.com/openSNP/snpr/issues/239)
 
 ## Near future (~1-2 months)
 These are issues that should be done rather soon, either because they are urgent or because they can be solved rather easily.
-- [ ] [Fitbit-API will break](https://github.com/openSNP/snpr/issues/252) **urgent** We've had Fitbit-support for a couple of years now. But they will change their API, breaking our integration. As it's a valuable data source we should make sure we keep it running. (Required Knowledge: Ruby/Rails gems, APIs, OAuth)
+- [ ] [Fitbit-API will break](https://github.com/openSNP/snpr/issues/252) **urgent** We've had Fitbit-support for a couple of years now. But they will changed their API, breaking our integration. To make up for this we want to remove Fitbit and instead [integrate with Open Humans](https://github.com/openSNP/snpr/issues/392)
 - [ ] [Fix Mediawiki integration](https://github.com/openSNP/snpr/issues/258) We're using an outdated Gem for connecting to the Mediawiki of SNPedia, so that may break in the near future. (Required Knowledge: Ruby/Rails gems, APIs)
 - [ ] [Fix broken autocomplete](https://github.com/openSNP/snpr/issues/223) The UI breaks when entering phenotypes. This makes it harder/more frustrating for people to enter new data. (Required Knowledge: JavaScript)
 - [ ] [Fix broken variations not entered](https://github.com/openSNP/snpr/issues/176) Same thing as for the autocomplete. (Required Knowledge: JavaScript)

diff --git a/app/mailers/user_mailer.rb b/app/mailers/user_mailer.rb
@@ -97,8 +97,8 @@ def survey(user)
                          password: ENV.fetch('SURVEY_EMAIL_PASSWORD'),
                          address: ENV.fetch('SURVEY_EMAIL_ADDRESS'),
                          port: ENV.fetch('SURVEY_EMAIL_PORT') }
-    mail(subject: 'openSNP: $5k USD grants, job opportunity, '\
-                  '& Zurich smell/taste genetics workshop Sept 2-3',
+    mail(subject: 'openSNP: Winner of the CrowdAI machine learning competition'\
+                  ' & a survey on genetic raw data usage',
          to: @user.email,
          from: 'survey@opensnp.org',
          delivery_method_options: delivery_options)

diff --git a/app/views/user_mailer/survey.html.erb b/app/views/user_mailer/survey.html.erb
@@ -1,16 +1,34 @@
 <p>
-We have some open science / open genomics related things that might be of interest to you. Our friends at Open Humans are now <a href="https://www.openhumans.org/grants/">offering grants of up to USD 5,000 to projects</a> which want to add new data sources or tools to the Open Humans eco system.
+  the last few months have been a bit more quiet for openSNP. This is partially due some changes in Bastian’s personal life: He submitted his PhD thesis in September and has just moved to the United States to start his new job as the Director of Research for Open Humans. <a href="http://ruleofthirds.de/joining-open-humans/">Read more about this on Bastian’s blog</a>. And with these changes out of the way we do have two updates to share with you:
 </p>
 <p>
-  If you have an idea for a project this might be a great opportunity to work on this. Alternatively, openSNP already has a project idea, but we’re right now lacking the time to work on it ourselves: We would love to connect openSNP with Open Humans, thus allowing all of you to link the whole diversity of non-genomic data that Open Humans supports with your genetic data in openSNP. If you think that this would be something you want to work on, please get in touch with us at info@opensnp.org and we will happily support you in doing the grant application!
+  <b>Results of the CrowdAI openSNP Challenge</b>
 </p>
 <p>
-  Open Humans is also <a href="https://www.openhumans.org/jobs/">looking for a web developer who is interested in open science</a>. So if you are looking for a programming job that helps to make a difference, this one might be for you.
+  The machine learning challenge that we ran together with CrowdAI at the EPFL, Switzerland has come to an end. A total of 132 participants made 751 submissions on how to predict a person’s height from their genotyping data. The best predictions were made by David Baranger, who has <a href="https://medium.com/@dbaranger/on-predicting-traits-with-genetics-b5967cba949">written a great blog post about his contributions</a>. His secret: He did not use any machine learning!</br>
+  As the winner of the competition David will be invited to present his work at the Applied Machine Learning Days in Geneva in January 2018! If you want to meet David: <a href="https://www.appliedmldays.org/#news ">Sign up to hear when tickets to the event are on sale</a>.
 </p>
 <p>
-  And if you happen to be in or near Zurich, Switzerland on the weekend of the 2nd and 3rd of September we have a great participatory genetics event for you: Ernst Hafen and Ulrich Genick of the ETH Zurich are running a workshop on the biology and genetics of smell and taste. In the workshop they will cover the current state of research on smell and taste perception, followed by some practical experiments for you. <a href="http://www.scientifica.ch/events/workshops/Erforschen-Sie-als-Citizen-Scientists-Ihren-Geruchs-und-Geschmackssinn/">More information can be found on their (German language) website</a>.
+  <b>Using genetic raw data</b>
 </p>
 <p>
-  Until next time,<br/>
-  Helge and Bastian, for the openSNP-team
+  Sarah Nelson is a long-time friend of openSNP. She is a doctoral student at the University of Washington in Seattle and does research on how people use their genetic raw data. Given that you are already putting your own data to use on openSNP this might be of interest. Sarah has written a couple of lines about her work and how to get to know her better below:
 </p>
+<blockquote>
+  <i>
+    <p>
+      Dear openSNP users,</br>
+      I am a doctoral student at the University of Washington conducting a research study on consumer genetic testing, and in particular how people use their "raw"/uninterpreted genetic data --- including on platforms such as openSNP. Please consider <a href="https://redcap.iths.org/surveys/?s=84NKNFYXJC&loop=6">taking my online survey if you have done a direct-to-consumer genetic test and are 18 or over</a>.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      The survey takes, on average, 15 minutes or less to complete. Responses are anonymous, unless you volunteer at the end to provide contact info for potential follow-up interviewing. The survey will stay open through November 27th.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Feel free to contact me directly with questions or concerns (sarahcn@uw.edu), and to read more about me and my research interests on my website, http://myopenreadingframe.com.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Many thanks for considering,</br>
+      Sarah
+    </p>
+  </i>
+</blockquote>
diff --git a/app/views/user_mailer/survey.text.erb b/app/views/user_mailer/survey.text.erb
@@ -1,10 +1,18 @@
-We have some open science / open genomics related things that might be of interest to you. Our friends at Open Humans are now offering grants of up to USD 5,000 to projects which want to add new data sources or tools to the Open Humans eco system: https://www.openhumans.org/grants/
+the last few months have been a bit more quiet for openSNP. This is partially due some changes in Bastian’s personal life: He submitted his PhD thesis in September and has just moved to the United States to start his new job as the Director of Research for Open Humans. Read more about this on Bastian’s blog at http://ruleofthirds.de/joining-open-humans/. And with these changes out of the way we do have two updates to share with you:
 
-If you have an idea for a project this might be a great opportunity to work on this. Alternatively, openSNP already has a project idea, but we’re right now lacking the time to work on it ourselves: We would love to connect openSNP with Open Humans, thus allowing all of you to link the whole diversity of non-genomic data that Open Humans supports with your genetic data in openSNP. If you think that this would be something you want to work on, please get in touch with us at info@opensnp.org and we will happily support you in doing the grant application!
+ == Results of the CrowdAI openSNP Challenge ==
+The machine learning challenge that we ran together with CrowdAI at the EPFL, Switzerland has come to an end. A total of 132 participants made 751 submissions on how to predict a person’s height from their genotyping data. The best predictions were made by David Baranger, who has written a great blog post about his contributions at https://medium.com/@dbaranger/on-predicting-traits-with-genetics-b5967cba949. His secret: He did not use any machine learning!
+As the winner of the competition David will be invited to present his work at the Applied Machine Learning Days in Geneva in January 2018! If you want to meet David: Sign up to hear when tickets to the event are on sale at https://www.appliedmldays.org/#news
 
-Open Humans is also looking for a web developer who is interested in open science. So if you are looking for a programming job that helps to make a difference, this one might be for you: https://www.openhumans.org/jobs/
+== Using genetic raw data ==
+Sarah Nelson is a long-time friend of openSNP. She is a doctoral student at the University of Washington in Seattle and does research on how people use their genetic raw data. Given that you are already putting your own data to use on openSNP this might be of interest. Sarah has written a couple of lines about her work and how to get to know her better below:
 
-And if you happen to be in or near Zurich, Switzerland on the weekend of the 2nd and 3rd of September we have a great participatory genetics event for you: Ernst Hafen and Ulrich Genick of the ETH Zurich are running a workshop on the biology and genetics of smell and taste. In the workshop they will cover the current state of research on smell and taste perception, followed by some practical experiments for you. More information can be found on their (German language) website at http://www.scientifica.ch/events/workshops/Erforschen-Sie-als-Citizen-Scientists-Ihren-Geruchs-und-Geschmackssinn/
+Dear openSNP users,
+I am a doctoral student at the University of Washington conducting a research study on consumer genetic testing, and in particular how people use their "raw"/uninterpreted genetic data --- including on platforms such as openSNP. Please consider taking my online survey if you have done a direct-to-consumer genetic test and are 18 or over: https://redcap.iths.org/surveys/?s=84NKNFYXJC&loop=6
 
-Until next time,
-Helge & Bastian, for the openSNP-team
+The survey takes, on average, 15 minutes or less to complete. Responses are anonymous, unless you volunteer at the end to provide contact info for potential follow-up interviewing. The survey will stay open through November 27th.
+
+Feel free to contact me directly with questions or concerns (sarahcn@uw.edu), and to read more about me and my research interests on my website, http://myopenreadingframe.com.
+
+Many thanks for considering,
+Sarah