I applied to PSI:ML coming from a linguistics background which I felt was like landing in from another planet at the time. I had experience with Python and natural language processing beforehand, but I would never have referred to myself as a programmer and my knowledge of machine learning was more theoretical than practical in nature.
I'd like to describe to you how I went from not being accepted to PSIML to actually becoming a lecturer there! Career wise – applying for the Summer Institute turned out to be one of the best decisions I've made – it jump-started me into neural networks.
There’s a lot of content to go through and always something to discuss, but don’t fret, it all starts from the very basics of ML. So, even if you don’t have any idea about anything, the seminar will pick you up at whatever skill level you’re at.
Now I am a part of Evoke team in Microsoft Development Center Serbia, where I am seeing first hand how ML is used every day for improving products and user experience.
The most important part of the seminar is the people. There, you have a great opportunity to grow your professional network and make new friends by meeting a handful of hardworking and talented participants and lecturers. The two of us achieved collaboration and a great friendship after the seminar, while living in different cities, 200 kilometers apart.
I've heard of the seminar from my university professor, Mladen Nikolić, who is a lecturer at PSI:ML. A few of my friends went the year before and they told me about the fun time they had there and the many people they met.