Adelaide University Internship Experience and Industry Project - Violet Zewei You
Welcome Violet!
Violet Zewei You joined our SAcommunity Data Analytics Team for her University of Adelaide SET (Sciences, Engineering and Technology) Internship for her Masters of Computing and Innovation Science Trimester 1, 2024: 23 January 2024 - 27 March 2024.
She is completing a 140 hour internship onsite with SAcommunity at the Connecting Up Office, Infoxchange for 2 days (15 hours) a week for ~10 weeks around her classes.
Violet is also completing her industry project onsite with SAcommunity at the Connecting Up Office with her Industry Project Team members: Yong Kheng Beh, Jamie Jiemin Zhang and Clover Xinyue Luo.
Internship: 116
Industry Project: 63
Total Hours 179 Joined 23 January 2024 Last check-in 3 May 2024
Personal Biography
Violet is a second-year student currently studying a Master of Computing and Innovation at the University of Adelaide. With a background in mathematics, Violet is focusing on software development and data analysis. She has pursued projects that range from implementing a complete computer system to utilising data analytics for actionable insights using Python. She was a PASS Leader for Foundations of Computer Science aiming to foster collaborative learning environments and help peers grasp complex computer science concepts.
She is deepening her technical expertise through an internship in Connecting Up, engaging in the analysis of user interaction data. She joins this program to understand the real-world workflow of data analytics, learn new skills like Power BI, and to have the opportunity to apply her academic knowledge to contribute to the society.
Looking forward, Violet seeks a career as a Software Engineer or Data Analyst, developing systems and solutions that use the power of data to drive decisions and innovation. With a dedication to technology that serves the community.
DCN Webinar: Augmented Intelligence; Combining Organisation Data with Large Language Models
The webinar emphasises integrating Large Language Models (LLMs) with organizational data, underlining augmented intelligence's role in enhancing business processes and decision-making. It addresses the ethical considerations and responsible use of AI, stressing the importance of fairness, privacy, and transparency in AI applications. It highlights the dynamic nature of AI and the need for continuous learning and adaptation to keep up with the evolving technology. The webinar provides practical examples and case studies, illustrating how AI can be effectively implemented in real-world scenarios. This webinar is a great introduction for LLM beginners, but I’m more interested in diving deep into the logic behind LLM.
Image: 4-year Comparison for Unley Council
Community Services in Councils Project
Violet has selected The City of Unley for her Power BI council reports, a database of approximately 300 community service records operating in the area for the financial years 2021-2022 and 2022-2023. Her reports will follow previous visualisation report work by Stathis Avramis, and when completed will be found >>here. There are a number of steps involved once community service information data presentations are created, a summary of data trends prepared, work is attributed and published to the website, and then was introduced to council stakeholders by phone and email to be used as a tool to understand community needs in the area.
Council Contact
Violet contacted Unley Council on the 3 March 2024 by phone to raise awareness of the SAcommunity service with potential stakeholders, that is council staff working in community consultation or community development areas, to present her publicly available data reports which can be used as another tool to understand their community needs in the area.
Continuous Improvement through Python scripting
In undertaking this task, Violet created a Python script for automating the retrieval of landing page session data from Google Analytics Universal. She then created a tutorial document for "Automating data retrieval from Google Analytics Universal" making this code and instructions for use available in Teams for the other Data Analytics students. Peer-to-peer training is used extensively in the SAcommunity program as part of volunteer capacity building, and within this the program also strives for continuous improvement. Violet's coding and documentation illustrated both, enabling others to also speed up the data cleaning process to improve their dataset and the directory overall.
Violet's document is designed to guide users on how to use a Python script for automating the retrieval of landing page session data from Google Analytics Universal. Typically, data is retrieved using council codes from "Audience > Custom > Custom Variables: DatasetID". However, this often necessitates a cross-check with data retrieved using the organization ID from "Behavior > Site Content > Landing Page" to ensure that records have been 'tagged' with the relevant council for reports on the dataset. These tasks are undertaken so that all visits to these webpages are captured in the final reports, providing an indication of user need, whilst improving the records themselves by ensuring information within a dataset is complete. Unfortunately, manually retrieving data using organization IDs for each entry is time-consuming and tedious, therefore Violet's python script automates the process, saving time and reducing errors.
Image: Industry Project Team Members
Left to Right: Clover Xinyue Luo, Violet Zewei You, Jamie Jiemin Zhang, Yong Kheng Beh
Industry Project: Development of a Chatbot Using Large Language Models for SAcommunity's Website
Violet along with her team members Yong Kheng Beh, Jamie Jiemin Zhang, and Clover Xinyue Luo, is undertaking an industry project as part of her Masters of Computing and Innovation internship at SAcommunity. The project aims to enhance the user experience on SAcommunity's website by developing an interactive chatbot powered by Large Language Models (LLMs). The primary goal of this project is to create a chatbot that can assist users in navigating the SAcommunity website more efficiently, providing them with quick and accurate responses to their inquiries. The chatbot aims to improve user engagement, reduce the time users spend searching for information, and streamline their experience. More details about this project can be found >>here.
Violet along with her team members Yong Kheng Beh, Jamie Jiemin Zhang, and Clover Xinyue Luo, is undertaking an industry project as part of her Masters of Computing and Innovation internship at SAcommunity. The project aims to enhance the user experience on SAcommunity's website by developing an interactive chatbot powered by Large Language Models (LLMs). The primary goal of this project is to create a chatbot that can assist users in navigating the SAcommunity website more efficiently, providing them with quick and accurate responses to their inquiries. The chatbot aims to improve user engagement, reduce the time users spend searching for information, and streamline their experience. More details about this project can be found >>here.
Image: SAcommunity Volunteers at Connecting Up
Back row: Yi Han, Dexter Tabada, Violet Zewei You, Rasika Nawarathne, Stathis Avramis, Pujan Maharjan, Camille Sze Pui Ko, Rex Porter. Front row: Anju Odedara, Alice Jingyi Zeng, and Harsh Bhatt
Work experience - Internal and External Events, Connections and Networks
Volunteers and interns are encouraged to attend monthly SAcommunity Team meetings, Connecting Up staff meetings, as well as quarterly all-staff Infoxchange Town Hall meetings to understand more about the organisation as a whole.
Organisation-wide news, events and projects are communicated through the staff channels, with weekly CEO Updates from David Spriggs, informal 'Lunch and Learn' educational sessions, and network meetings create connections with staff and other volunteers. Interns are also given opportunities to attend stakeholder and partner events.
Relevant meetings Violet has attended and summarised include:
Connecting Up Monthly Staff Meeting
13 February 2024 Introduction to Jo Davies the COO of Infoxchange
Infoxchange (IX) All Staff Town Hall Meeting 27 February 2024
Updates from the Infoxchange CEO, Operations, Finance, People & Culture, Lightning Talks from IX Teams, and IXcel Awards
IX Lunch & Learn Sessions
Effective Meeting & Communication Skills 5 March 2024
Kate Hickman Chief People Officer Infoxchange & Jo Davies Chief Operating Officer Infoxchange to learn more and how to implement these skills in your day-to-day work activities.
Data Catalyst Network
Volunteers and interns have the opportunity to attend relevant events organized by our key partners.
DCN Webinar: Augmented Intelligence; Combining Organisation Data with Large Language Models
The webinar emphasises integrating Large Language Models (LLMs) with organizational data, underlining augmented intelligence's role in enhancing business processes and decision-making. It addresses the ethical considerations and responsible use of AI, stressing the importance of fairness, privacy, and transparency in AI applications. It highlights the dynamic nature of AI and the need for continuous learning and adaptation to keep up with the evolving technology. The webinar provides practical examples and case studies, illustrating how AI can be effectively implemented in real-world scenarios. This webinar is a great introduction for LLM beginners, but I’m more interested in diving deep into the logic behind LLM.
Mentor Meeting
Connecting Up Volunteers and Interns are provided with the opportunity to select staff members from across the wider Infoxchange organisation for an informational mentor meeting. Here they have the opportunity to ask more about staff members job roles and employment journey, and learn about their career and professional development, to gain insights and guidance that can be applieed towards their own success.
Connecting Up Volunteers and Interns are provided with the opportunity to select staff members from across the wider Infoxchange organisation for an informational mentor meeting. Here they have the opportunity to ask more about staff members job roles and employment journey, and learn about their career and professional development, to gain insights and guidance that can be applieed towards their own success.
Volunteers and interns both prepare 5 questions for their mentors and then are encouraged to record 5 aspects they felt were helpful for them to share on their portfolio for both themselves and other volunteers, and Violet shared her experience in meeting Cameron Brown, Web Developer, Infoxchange.
Cameron’s unique approach to his role, where he juggles multiple responsibilities akin to a full-stack developer, highlighted the versatility and adaptability required in the tech field. Here are my key takeaways:
Cameron’s unique approach to his role, where he juggles multiple responsibilities akin to a full-stack developer, highlighted the versatility and adaptability required in the tech field. Here are my key takeaways:
1. Adaptability in Role Dynamics: In a team like at Connecting Up, the ability to wear multiple hats – from design and development to QA and deployment – is crucial. This flexibility not only broadens one’s skill set but also ensures a comprehensive understanding of project lifecycles.
2. Continuous Learning in the Workplace: Cameron’s experience of learning PHP and Drupal on the job underscores the importance of being open to acquiring new skills. The concept of applying for a job when you meet 60% of the requirements, then learning the rest on the job, is a practical approach in a field that’s constantly evolving.
3. Work Environment and Career Choices: Choosing a workplace that offers flexibility and a positive environment, as Cameron did, is vital. It contributes significantly to job satisfaction and personal growth.
4. Networking for Career Advancement: The emphasis on expanding one’s network to secure job opportunities resonates with the ever-increasing importance of professional connections in career development.
5. Leveraging AI as a Tool: Cameron’s perspective on AI, viewing it not as a replacement for human roles but as a useful tool, aligns with the growing trend of integrating AI into various aspects of work. His advice on utilizing AI effectively in projects is particularly relevant given the rapid advancement in this area.
This meeting not only provided Violet with valuable knowledge but also reaffirmed the dynamic and evolving nature of careers in technology.
Digital Training & Development
Violet has been provided with access to the Connecting Up Digital Learning platform, a training and development online learning platform. She has the opportunity to understand more about data analytics or a range of other technology topics in the not-for-profit sector, through training sessions presented by subject-matter experts in a selection of relevant live webinars and recorded webinars, workshops and webcons.
Relevant weekly webinars, workshops and webcons selected, attended and summarised below by Violet to enhance her internship experience include:
Relevant weekly webinars, workshops and webcons selected, attended and summarised below by Violet to enhance her internship experience include:
1. Getting started with Microsoft Power BI for data analysis & visualisation
Power BI's ability to connect with various data sources and its data transformation features are extremely powerful. The ease of creating visually appealing and interactive reports is impressive. It lowers the barrier for users to present data in a meaningful way. The integration with Microsoft's ecosystem, particularly for collaboration, enhances its utility in team environments. The advanced features like AI-driven insights, natural language queries, and custom dashboards indicate that Power BI is not just a basic visualization tool but a comprehensive business intelligence solution. The introduction of Power BI Copilot, which allows creating reports and dashboards from natural language prompts, showcases the tool's advancement towards more user-friendly, AI-assisted analytics.
Power BI's ability to connect with various data sources and its data transformation features are extremely powerful. The ease of creating visually appealing and interactive reports is impressive. It lowers the barrier for users to present data in a meaningful way. The integration with Microsoft's ecosystem, particularly for collaboration, enhances its utility in team environments. The advanced features like AI-driven insights, natural language queries, and custom dashboards indicate that Power BI is not just a basic visualization tool but a comprehensive business intelligence solution. The introduction of Power BI Copilot, which allows creating reports and dashboards from natural language prompts, showcases the tool's advancement towards more user-friendly, AI-assisted analytics.
2. AI opportunities, risks and benefits for NFP's
The use of generative AI in not-for-profit sectors can significantly enhance content creation, impact evaluation, and volunteer management, streamlining various operations. Automating routine tasks using AI can free up valuable time for nonprofits, allowing them to focus more on strategic initiatives. There's a significant gap in AI skills among professionals, indicating a need for organizations to prioritize employee training in AI technologies.
3. Cyber Security Essentials for NFP staff
The course emphasises the "seven tips to catch a phish," providing practical, actionable skills to identify phishing attempts effectively. It covers key challenges in cybersecurity, which is crucial for understanding the broader context of why such measures are necessary.
4. Google Cloud Skills Boost Introduction to Generative AI Learning Path
The course provides an in-depth introduction to Generative AI, a rapidly evolving field in artificial intelligence that creates new content from existing data. It covers the fundamentals of large language models (LLMs), which are crucial in understanding how Generative AI operates and its applications. Emphasizing responsible AI use, the course likely includes best practices and ethical considerations essential for applying AI principles responsibly in various domains. The course offers hands-on experience with Google Cloud tools, which is invaluable for learners to apply their knowledge in real-world scenarios. The self-paced nature of the course allows for flexible learning, catering to professionals who need to balance training with other commitments. Completing the course and passing the final quiz offers a tangible recognition of the skills acquired, which can be valuable for professional development.
