It might not be the first holiday that comes to mind, but third-year Computer Science student Laura Mann made National Learn to Code Day (September 23) a day to remember by hosting her first Ladies Learning Code workshop.

The workshop, titled “Using Data to Solve Problems: An Introduction to Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning for Beginners,” was hosted by the Innovation Cluster in downtown Peterborough and offered nine inquisitive women, most who had little or no background in machine learning, the opportunity to dive into the world of coding.

With the help of three mentors, Ms. Mann’s workshop took attendees through the basics of adding and editing content in a spreadsheet, and by the end of the workshop attendees were able to apply machine learning algorithms to real data and predict results.

Ms. Mann is no stranger to breaking ground for women in the local tech community. Last year she coordinated Trent’s highly successful Women in STEM showcase and, alongside five other Trent students, began Trent’s annual Electric City Hacks hackathon.

"Artificial intelligence and machine learning are starting to be incorporated into many aspects of our daily lives, from using Google maps to determine how long it will take you to get from point A to point B, to self-driving cars,” said Ms. Mann. “It's important for people to become aware of this and understand what it's all about. It was amazing to see women from Peterborough take time out of their weekends to attend this workshop."

Ladies Learning Code is a Canadian not-for-profit organization offering hands-on technology workshops and events for women, men, and kids across Canada. For more information on Ladies Learning Code in Peterborough, contact the LLC Peterborough Chapter Lead, Deborah Leal: deborah.leal@ladieslearningcode.com or visit their website.