Meet The Herders’: Pooja Ranjan
The Herder-In-Chief at Ethereum Cat Herders
Meet The Herders’ is a series of interviews with past and present Ethereum Cat Herders (ECH) members. ECH helps coordinate upgrades and process improvements to Ethereum by aligning multiple devs from protocol clients to application teams such as wallets; assisting individuals/teams to write EIP/ERC and informing the community as the landscape changes.
This interview is paraphrased and skips some questions. Please follow the video recording or the podcast to watch/listen to the complete interview.
Pooja Ranjan is the Herder-in-chief who helps lead and coordinate the efforts of ECH.
Haresh: Could you please give us a background about yourself and how you got started in Ethereum?
Pooja: I have a background in computer science and post-graduation in commerce and business management. I focussed on project management at Accenture. After my maternity break, I was searching for a remote job in project management or a similar field, and Ethereum Cat Herders aligned with this vision. My journey began in 2016 when I started learning about mining machines and followed Ethereum developments. I documented meeting notes on a website called EtherWorld. When people expressed interest in organizing an Ethereum Project Management team, it led to the formation of Ethereum Cat Herders. I joined the group as an initial contributor and have been part of the Ethereum community since then.
Haresh: What is the mission of Ethereum Cat Herders?
Pooja: Our mission was initially to support Ethereum protocol development and the upgrade process. However, we expanded our scope to encompass various aspects of the Ethereum ecosystem. We began by documenting post-upgrade evaluations, identifying what worked well and what needed improvement. We also took notes during bi-weekly meetings with the Ethereum client development team to track their plans and potential Ethereum Improvement Proposals (EIPs) for upcoming upgrades.
Recognizing the need for individual visibility and discussion for each EIP, we started sharing information about them. This led to the establishment of a structured process for EIPs, outlining how they could progress from draft to final status. We also focused on engaging authors and the community to gather feedback, and we ensured the early involvement of the client teams to avoid upgrade delays.
In addition to this, we initiated a survey process to collect community feedback, becoming a central point of contact for those seeking assistance, even if they were unsure whom to approach for specific tasks or activities. Over time, Ethereum Cat Herders evolved into a community group comprising volunteers from various projects and processes, all contributing to the development and support of the Ethereum protocol and ecosystem.
Haresh: Why is this work done in public?
Pooja: Our primary motivation was “ethics”. We aimed to establish a transparent and trustless framework. We believed that transparency could be achieved by making everything publicly accessible, which not only increased visibility but also enhanced accountability. This approach prevented anyone from engaging in detrimental actions and then escaping the consequences. This commitment to transparency facilitated the collaboration required for the Ethereum community’s growth.
Furthermore, our efforts in knowledge sharing were significant. We published meeting notes, making it clear which EIPs were under consideration and their respective pros and cons. This transparency allowed projects potentially affected by upcoming EIPs to communicate with us and highlight any concerns or issues. As part of the Ethereum ecosystem, we were keen to assist and address these concerns, fostering a spirit of collaboration.
Overall, it helped us build a strong and engaged community around Ethereum and its ecosystem.
Haresh: How is ECH funded?
Pooja: Ethereum Cat Herders (ECH) primarily consists of volunteers, with only a few full-time or part-time members. We welcome anyone interested in joining us, and we provide bounties for some tasks. We secure funding through grants and participate in various programs for funding public goods.
We aim to support application development projects by assisting them with Ethereum Improvement Proposals (EIPs) standardization, and in return, they often provide us with grants to sustain our efforts.
Haresh: Which causes are you passionate about outside of Ethereum?
Pooja: I have a deep passion for education, particularly because I come from India, where education is highly valued. However, not everyone has access to the right information needed to make meaningful contributions, such as in the world of Ethereum. Therefore, I am dedicated to assisting schools, colleges, hackathon groups, and smaller communities in educating people about Ethereum-related topics.
Moreover, I am particularly passionate about supporting women who aim to re-enter the workforce after taking a maternity break. I understand the challenges personally, having faced difficulties securing a job in my previous field after a lengthy hiatus. I am committed to offering opportunities for women seeking to rejoin the workforce after a career pause.
The full interview discusses more about how communities can get involved, conflict resolution, and more. Please follow these links to listen to or view it.
Show notes:
EtherWorld : Ethereum Blockchain News, Projects and Technical articles aggregated.
PEEPanEIP : EIP discussions with authors.
Follow at Twitter
- Share your ❤️ with EthCatHerders.eth.
- Join the decentralized project management team by submitting the ECH onboarding form and at ECH Discord.
- Follow the Ethereum Cat Herders on Website, GitHub, Twitter, Medium, and YouTube.
Thank you for reading 🙏.
— The Ethereum Cat Herders
