Being an ML Google Developer Expert
Technology, Community and Leadership
Google Developer Experts (GDEs) are individuals who are recognized by Google for our expertise in a particular Google technology or technical domain. In this post I share with you how I became a GDE in machine learning, what makes a great GDE and why, and some cool projects I worked on as part of this amazing community.
How did I become an ML GDE?
I became an ML GDE in 2018. When I first filled out my application for the GDE program, I debated about whether to apply for Android or machine learning. At that time, the ML GDE community was much smaller with only a few of us in North America, so I decided to apply for the ML program in order to make a bigger impact.
To apply for the GDE program, one needs to be referred by either a GDE or a Googler. At the time I already knew quite a few GDEs and Googlers who would refer me, since I was actively sharing my knowledge with the developer community.
I went through two interviews: one focusing on technical knowledge of machine learning and the other one on community. I studied and prepared for the ML interview as if it was a job interview. For the community one, I made sure that I was ready to discuss my community contributions: organizing, speaking, writing tutorials, and contributing to open-source projects.
What makes a great GDE?
I’d say there are 3 important attributes for a GDE: technical, community and leadership:
- First and foremost is having the technical knowledge in the domain.
- Sharing the knowledge with the community. This can be done by public speaking, writing blog posts or books, creating tutorials, or contributing to open source projects.
- We are leaders and early adopters who are not afraid of learning and trying new things.
Why become a GDE?
I feel very fortunate to be part of such an amazing community. Here are some of the perks and privileges of being an GDEs:
- As GDEs, we get to collaborate with experts (other GDEs and Googlers) from around the world. Many of these experts are accomplished and very famous authors, speakers, or top open-source contributors.
- We get to preview Google products and provide feedback. Some examples of products that I provided feedback on are: People + AI Guidebook, ML Kit, TensorFlow Lite, Colab, Explainable AI, MediaPipe, Generative AI, BARD, PaLM API, etc.
- We get a lot of invitations to speak at events and conferences.
- We amplify each other’s voice on social media while sharing our knowledge with the Google developers community.
Cool projects & contributions
What I love the most about being an ML GDE is that I get to collaborate with so many ML GDEs and Googlers around the world. Here are some highlights of cool projects, collaborations, recognitions, and my contributions to the community ever since I became an ML GDE.
2018
I still remember my very first ML blog on Fashion-MNIST with tf.Keras published on the official TensorFlow blog on Medium. I was grateful that I got to work with Josh Gordon from Google TensorFlow team on this.
I also helped write a few tutorials for tensorFlow.org, collaborating with ML GDE Kshitiz Rimal.
Mentoring ML projects at Hack the North in Canada.
2019
TensorFlow Doc Sprint
As part of the TensorFlow 2.0 transition, I helped organize the worldwide TensorFlow Doc Sprint with ML GDE Sergii Khomenko, Googler Paige Bailey, and many other ML GDEs and GDG organizers worldwide. The impact was so huge that it was even mentioned in the 2019 TensorFlow World keynote.
Speaking at TensorFlow Contributor Summit, part of the TensorFlow World conference.
TensorFlow World was an incredible experience.
North America GDE Summit dinner cruise in Toronto was one of the most beautiful moments.
2020
I put together an awesome list for TensorFlow Lite resources.
Selfie2Anime with TensorFlow Lite project, done in collaboration with ML GDE Sayak Paul.
The TensorFlow Community Spotlight award for the project, “Create Artistic Effect by Stylizing the Image Background”, in collaboration with ML GDE Sayak Paul, George Soloupis, and TFUG organizer Patrick Haralabidis.
I was honored to receive the Google Open Source Peer Bonus award because of my contributions!
2021
Launching the ML GDE YouTube channel in collaboration with other ML GDEs: Jerry Kurata, Lesly Zerna, Kshitiz Rimal, Daniel Goncharov.
Mentoring several TensorFlow projects for Google Summer of Code in TF-GAN, TensorFlow model garden / Hub and TensorFlow Lite computer vision.
Speaking at Women in ML Symposium along with ML GDEs
Merve Noyan and Bianca Ximenes.
Very honored to receive the TensorFlow Top Contributor award representing the North America region.
2022
Started recording interviews with ML GDEs for the ML GDE YouTube channel.
Chat with ML GDE Vikram Tiwari.
Chat with ML GDE Aakash Nain.
Invited to the ML Community Summit 2022 in Bangkok Thailand, along with the top contributing ML GDEs. Read my story here for more details on the conference.
It was so great to meet in-person for the first time with the ML GDEs who I’ve collaborated with in the past!
2023
Chat with ML GDE Hannes Hapke.
Hanging out with ML GDEs at Google I/O in Shoreline.
Hanging out with ML GDEs at Google I/O Connect in Miami.
I was featured by Google for Developers in the blog post “Celebrating Google Dev Library’s Women Contributors in AI/ML”.
This year the ML Developer Programs Team started the ML Community Sprint where the ML GDEs and Google teams collaborated to work on ML projects to create ML content that can be used by the other communities such as TensorFlow User Groups, Google Developer Groups, and Google Developer Student Clubs.
I contributed to the MediaPipe Sprint and then the Keras Sprint, in collaboration with Aritra Roy Gosthipaty and Henry Ruiz.
Aside from those mentioned in this article, there are many other ML GDEs and Googlers who I have collaborated with over the years! I’m looking forward to future projects and collaborations in the Google Developer Expert and the broader Google Developers community. I hope my journey gives you a glimpse of what it is like being an ML GDE and inspires you to become part of our community.
