Techstrong Unplugged

Justin Cappos is an NYU professor and creator of multiple Linux Foundation projects, including CNCF’s TUF and in-toto. Justin shares his journey into security, the critical role of hands-on learning in education, and the collaborative nature of open source. From teaching students to unlock physical security devices to designing secure software systems, Justin emphasizes the importance of curiosity, teamwork, and diversity in solving complex problems.

Emily Fox, TOC Chair of the CNCF, discusses the vital work happening across the cloud-native ecosystem. Emily shares insights into the CNCF's Technical Oversight Committee, their focus on environmental sustainability, and the role of working groups in fostering innovation and inclusivity. She also dives into the importance of partnerships, security in open source projects, and how creating friction-free security practices benefits developers and users alike.

Melissa McKay, head of developer relations at JFrog, shares her inspiring journey into computer science, discussing her transition from electrical engineering to software development and eventually DevRel. She highlights the challenges of being a woman in tech, the importance of mentorship, and how her passion for education continues to shape her career.

Ricardo Aravena, with more than 20 years in technology, leads the tag runtime group and cloud native AI working group. His group emphasizes the machine learning lifecycle and open source solutions, focusing on environmental sustainability. Ricardo invites participation in the working group and shares insights on container runtimes, enjoying the positive discussions around AI at the event.

Jake Reichert, a seasoned software developer and engineering leader with more than 20 years of experience, shares stories from his journey through startups and major tech companies like Amazon, discussing the strategic decisions that drive innovation. From the challenges of building real-time conversational avatars to understanding market timing, Jake dives into the intricacies of launching new products. Tune in to learn about the critical role of iteration, listening to user feedback, and making tough calls in resource allocation for startups.

Jeremy Morgan, senior training architect at KodeKloud, highlights his passion for upskilling developers, emphasizing the challenges of keeping up with rapidly evolving technologies in cloud-based DevOps. Jeremy also reveals insights from his favorite courses, tips for career growth, and the value of engaging with the tech community. Tune in for practical advice and inspiring stories from a veteran educator in the tech world.

Daniele Bernardi, co-founder of Sonans and former head of developer advocacy at Twitter, explores the potential of AI to automate processes, reshape industries, and transform everyday workflows. Join us for a deep dive into how AI is driving innovation and the changing role of developer relations.

Alison Cossette, developer advocate at Neo4j, shares her unique path from healthcare to data science, highlighting her passion for ethical AI and mentoring the next generation of technologists. Listen in as she discusses the challenges of building responsible AI systems, the role of math in data science, and how she integrates graph algorithms to understand complex relationships. This episode also offers a glimpse into Alison’s upcoming podcast and her thoughts on empowering students and professionals alike. 

Silas Marvin, a software engineer at PostgresML, shares his journey into programming, his passion for the Rust language and how he builds machine learning tools that simplify complex SQL tasks for developers. Learn about the power of open source communities, the intricacies of creating language wrappers, and the balance between user control and simplicity in software development. This conversation offers a deep dive into the evolving intersection of Rust, Postgres, and machine learning. 

Justin Schroeder, founder of FormKit, shares his unexpected journey from aeronautics to software engineering, discussing the parallels between coding and music, the evolution of web forms and the creative challenges of software development. He reveals how FormKit is tackling complex form-building issues and reflects on the joy of creating web tools that empower individual developers.