• Speaker: Sowmya Vajjala, Research Officer, National Research Council, Canada
• Topic: An Interview with a Computational Linguist
• Register via Zoom: https://unt.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZMkcuutrzItGNIUnDXfFN0C4Piy7sp9u5JU

Abstract: Computational Linguistics is an inter-disciplinary field focused on developing computational models of human language processing, comprehension, and production. In some variation or the other, it is a part of our day-to-day life, in the form of email and office software, our smart phones etc. In this interview, we will discuss what a career path in computational linguistics looks like, focusing on its relevance in the age of data science. She will also share her personal journey in computational linguistics, as a student, software engineer, researcher, academic and a data scientist. Finally, we will share a brief overview of how to get into computational linguistics before even getting into a college degree in the field!

Bio: Sowmya Vajjala currently works as a researcher in Digital Technologies at National Research Council, Canada’s largest federal research and development organization. She has worked in the area of Natural Language Processing (NLP) over the past decade in various roles – as a software developer, researcher, educator, and a senior data scientist. She recently co-authored a book: “Practical Natural Language Processing: A Comprehensive Guide to Building Real World NLP Systems”, published by O’Reilly Media (June, 2020), which was also translated into Chinese. Her research interests lie in multilingual computing and the relevance of NLP beyond research both in industry practice as well as in other disciplines, through inter-disciplinary research.