Meet Verena, one of the dream team members of our WAI Crew for #enerthon20!
Meet Verena Gorris, one of the dream team members of our WAI Crew for #enerthon20! Verena likes developing and scaling up Smart Green Solutions and has been working in the renewable energies field for 10+ years. She also combines expertise in communications, marketing, business/financing, and product management with skills in data science/machine learning and facilitation.
- What did motivate you to apply to #enerthon2020?
I am about to complete data science and machine learning programs by Women in AI Academy and Udacity, and I am eager to apply my new skills to a real-life case. With my domain knowledge and passion for renewable energies, the #enerthon is a perfect match for me.
I have been looking into smart green solutions like smart grids and demand-response for more than 10 years, and now that I finally have the skillset, I can make a difference in this field. Furthermore, in the #enerthon2020, with the WAIcrew, I get the chance to work in a team with 4 amazing data scientists! This is a great learning and networking opportunity for me.
What also really resonated with me — compared to the typical 48-hour hackathons — is having enough time and a real-life challenge, so that we can develop a real prototype with a decent chance of our product eventually being realised.
2. What skills are you bringing on the table?
I want to support our team with my domain knowledge and expert network in renewable energies and energy markets from working with heat pumps, smart community energy solutions, and wind parks. Besides my data/machine learning skills, I also contribute skills in marketing/communications, business model and product development, and in facilitating remote workshops to develop innovative, customer-focused prototypes and products (e.g. with design sprints and Liberating Structures).
3. What are you looking forward to getting from this experience?
I am deeply humbled to be selected for this amazing team. I am sure I will be learning a lot from the other seasoned data scientists on the WAIcrew, just as I am looking forward to collaborating on a real-life data product prototype in my passion field, the energy transition!
Given that there is a need for more women in AI, I wish we can also serve as role models for other women who want to work in data science and machine learning.
Last, but not least, I am looking forward to having a lot of fun while developing a product idea together as an innovation team.
#enerthon20 will take place for the first time from 19.10.-17.11.2020 in Paris (start) and Berlin (final parallel to the Dena Energy system transformation congress). For more information, visit the #enerthon20 website here: https://www.enerthon.com/.
