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91 changes: 44 additions & 47 deletions pages/blog/osl-2-0/index.md
Original file line number Diff line number Diff line change
Expand Up @@ -12,25 +12,24 @@ thumbnail: "/header.png"

## OSL 2.0

Open Science Labs (OSL) was born in 2015, when I was working at a
transportation engineering lab. The idea was simple: help researchers bring
open science into their daily work.
Open Science Labs (OSL) was born in 2015, when I was working at a transportation
engineering lab. The idea was simple: help researchers bring open science into
their daily work.

After a few months, life took me in other directions, and OSL went on pause.

In 2018, a few friends were looking for their first jobs in tech. I decided to
reactivate OSL (back then called *Open Data Science Labs*) to support them
with mentoring and internships, and to connect them to open source projects in
reactivate OSL (back then called _Open Data Science Labs_) to support them with
mentoring and internships, and to connect them to open source projects in
research settings.

Through this initiative, my friends **Sandro Loch** and **Elton Santana**
started contributing to a scientific project I had previously worked on:
**Alerta Dengue**, led by professor **Flavio Coelho**.
A few months later, both of them were hired.
**Alerta Dengue**, led by professor **Flavio Coelho**. A few months later, both
of them were hired.

That was the real beginning of OSL.
It matched what moves me most: helping people grow while helping open source
projects move forward.
That was the real beginning of OSL. It matched what moves me most: helping
people grow while helping open source projects move forward.

---

Expand All @@ -43,10 +42,9 @@ We received support from wonderful people and friends like **Francisco Palm**,
**Mariangela Petrizzo**, **Ever Vino**, **Eunice Rodas**, **Luis Gago**,
**Agustina Pesce**, **Sandro Loch**, and many others.

New interns joined too, such as **Luã Bida**, **Anaveliz Perez**, and
**Yurely Camacho**, who helped keep many internal projects moving.
Later, Anaveliz also helped coordinate our activities related to
**Google Summer of Code (GSoC)**.
New interns joined too, such as **Luã Bida**, **Anaveliz Perez**, and **Yurely
Camacho**, who helped keep many internal projects moving. Later, Anaveliz also
helped coordinate our activities related to **Google Summer of Code (GSoC)**.

And speaking of GSoC, we are deeply grateful to **Gagandeep Singh** for his
guidance and support over the years.
Expand All @@ -62,9 +60,9 @@ OSL also received direct and indirect support from several partners, including:
A big thank you to **Olivia Keiser**, **Sara Botero**, **Flavio Coelho**,
**Aziza**, **Erol Orel**, and many others for the opportunities and trust.

We are also very grateful to the **Python Software Foundation**, which
supported us with three grants to help maintain three affiliated projects:
**SciCookie**, **Makim**, and **ASTx**.
We are also very grateful to the **Python Software Foundation**, which supported
us with three grants to help maintain three affiliated projects: **SciCookie**,
**Makim**, and **ASTx**.

These grants allowed us to hire amazing former interns like **Anaveliz**,
**Yurely**, **Abhijeet**, and **Ana Paula**.
Expand All @@ -77,19 +75,19 @@ A big turning point for our community was joining the **Google Summer of Code**
program.

In the first two years, we joined GSoC under the umbrella of **NumFOCUS**, who
opened the doors for us. Later, in 2025, OSL was accepted as an official
**GSoC Mentoring Organization**.
opened the doors for us. Later, in 2025, OSL was accepted as an official **GSoC
Mentoring Organization**.

GSoC put us “on the map” for newcomers, which has always been one of our main
audiences. Many new people started reaching out to participate in GSoC with
OSL. This was beautiful—but also challenging.
audiences. Many new people started reaching out to participate in GSoC with OSL.
This was beautiful—but also challenging.

We were not fully prepared for such a large number of candidates. It was hard
to manage, and we learned a lot in the process.
We were not fully prepared for such a large number of candidates. It was hard to
manage, and we learned a lot in the process.

GSoC 2026 has not yet been announced, and we are already receiving messages
from new candidates. This is one of the reasons we felt the need to pause,
look at ourselves, and clarify our mission, motivation, and purpose.
GSoC 2026 has not yet been announced, and we are already receiving messages from
new candidates. This is one of the reasons we felt the need to pause, look at
ourselves, and clarify our mission, motivation, and purpose.

We want to make these clear and public so that people join us because they
connect with our values, not only because of GSoC. Otherwise, many might feel
Expand All @@ -104,16 +102,15 @@ Below is a short summary.

The three core values that represent our community are:

* **Growth**
* **Collaboration**
* **Impact**
- **Growth**
- **Collaboration**
- **Impact**

We are building a community where anyone who shares these values has a space
to:
We are building a community where anyone who shares these values has a space to:

* Learn and grow
* Contribute to real projects
* Create a positive impact in the world
- Learn and grow
- Contribute to real projects
- Create a positive impact in the world

We truly believe that open source is a powerful way to connect people who want
experience with maintainers who need contributors.
Expand All @@ -131,32 +128,32 @@ The focus of OSL is not to create followers, but to help people become
We want people in our community who feel our projects as **their** projects,
with the same love and passion that we put into them.

Of course, each person grows at their own pace. It can take time to
understand the architecture, roadmap, and purpose of a project. It can also
take time before you feel confident to contribute independently or receive an
invitation to become a maintainer.
Of course, each person grows at their own pace. It can take time to understand
the architecture, roadmap, and purpose of a project. It can also take time
before you feel confident to contribute independently or receive an invitation
to become a maintainer.

That's normal. Don't give up.

Keep moving forward. Ask for feedback. Use every step to grow.

As **Jim Kwik** says in his *Super Brain* course:
As **Jim Kwik** says in his _Super Brain_ course:

> “Practice doesn't make perfect. Practice makes progress.”

---

### Thank you 💚

Before closing, I want to say a special thank you to some amazing
collaborators who have helped us more actively in different projects and
initiatives: **Sandro Loch**, **Ever Vino**, **Satarupa Deb**, **Yuvi Mittal**,
Before closing, I want to say a special thank you to some amazing collaborators
who have helped us more actively in different projects and initiatives: **Sandro
Loch**, **Ever Vino**, **Felipe Paes**, **Satarupa Deb**, **Yuvi Mittal**,
**Aniket Kumar**, **Abhijeet**, and all our interns, mentors, former steering
council members, and partners.

Thank you all for being part of our lives and our journey.
Together, we are building a welcoming place where people can grow, contribute,
and make a real difference.
Thank you all for being part of our lives and our journey. Together, we are
building a welcoming place where people can grow, contribute, and make a real
difference.

OSL 2.0 is not just a new phase of a project.
It is a new chapter in a community of people who care.
OSL 2.0 is not just a new phase of a project. It is a new chapter in a community
of people who care.
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