In a time where the world is becoming more divided than ever, it's important
for those in a position of influence to ensure it doesn't go unchallenged.
Therefore, we were delighted when we were approached about whether we would
be willing to take on a cohort of ambitious interns & mentors from the
University of Jos (UoJ) and ElevateHer,
a foundation committed to empowering Nigerian women in STEM, to play a part
in their STEM journey.
From Classroom to Cloud
The Computer Science undergraduates from the University of Jos, Cynthia Odinkan Alibidi &
Eli Tabitha Ankala, alongside Hilda, Mariam & Naja’atu Kabir, computer engineers with
ElevateHer, undertook a 7 week internship with the goal of better understanding OpenStack
& Magnum, the upstream contribution process and how their knowledge translates into real-world
industrial practice.
With the help of their supervisors, Professor Godwin Thomas, Joel Gogwim, Gideon Oki
& Kunkur Jemkur, from UoJ; Mani Kitgwim from Cloudsync Enterprise, and Aisha Kwaku &
Haneef, from ElevateHer; the interns, with access to virtual machines hosted by our
own OpenStack server, started by learning how to deploy Magnum
and then by the end were running tempest test and testing patches!
At this point it's about time I hand the metaphorical microphone to the teams from
UoJ and ElevateHer to share their experience and what they took from this internship.
STEM Through Their Eyes
My Internship at StackHPC - Cynthia Odinkan Alibidi
My internship at StackHPC was both practical and rewarding. I worked
on real cloud projects using OpenStack Magnum, where I managed code
branches, ran tests, and applied software updates. I learned how to
use important tools like Git and Python in a real development
environment.
Being part of the StackHPC team was a major highlight for me. We
shared ideas, collaborated on tasks, and supported each other every
step of the way. I contributed to release notes, created test
reports, and used SSH for secure cloud access. Teamwork and clear
communication made our progress possible and enjoyable, and I always
felt included and encouraged.
One of my proudest achievements was seeing my work included in our
shared documentation. This gave me confidence in my ability to make
a real impact in a technical team. I am now much more comfortable
with version control, technical reporting, adapting to new tools and
skills quickly and group problem-solving.
This experience has prepared me for future roles in cloud engineering,
software testing, and collaborative development. I now feel ready to
take on new challenges in technology, and I know I can contribute
positively to any team.
I am truly grateful to StackHPC and my supervisors for their support,
guidance, and encouragement throughout my internship. Thank you for
providing such a valuable learning experience and for making me feel
like a real part of the team.
My StackHPC Internship - Eli Tabitha Ankala
The internship at StackHPC provided an excellent opportunity to gain
practical exposure to cloud computing and open-source software
development.
The focus was on OpenStack Magnum, where tasks included
exploring multiple branches, running unit and Tempest tests, and
applying upstream patches. Through these activities, I developed a
stronger understanding of software stability, integration testing,
and collaborative development practices.
The structured approach to documentation and troubleshooting also
reinforced the importance of reproducibility and teamwork. Overall,
the internship has been an invaluable experience, offering both
technical growth and professional development within a dynamic
open-source environment.
Cynthia & Tabitha on their time with StackHPC
Our Magnum & GitHub Journey - Hilda, Mariam & Naja’atu
Over the past few Months, we’ve been deep in code, testing
frameworks, and GitHub workflows. Our mission? To run unit tests on
OpenStack Magnum and refine our repositories through bug fixes and
documentation updates. It’s been a journey of trial, error, and triumph,
and we’re proud of how far we’ve come.
We kicked off by forking the Magnum repository and setting up our
local environments. Installing Tox was our first hurdle, Python
version mismatches and missing modules made it clear that testing
isn’t just about running commands; it’s about understanding the
environment.
While testing, we also tackled bugs and improved our repositories,
an example of this is the use of collaborative pull requests and
code reviews.
This experience has been more than a technical exercise; it’s been a
course in open-source contribution, teamwork, and building good habits.
We’ve learned to troubleshoot, document, and support each other
through every challenge. And we’re just getting started.
More Than an Internship
From a personal perspective, this was an amazing opportunity for which
I am immensely greatful for. It provided the opportunity to put into
action what OpenStack is all about - by the community, for the community.
Working alongside incredibly hardworking and talented individuals, all while
being able to directly contribute to the empowerment of women in STEM,
has truly been inspiring and a great honour. And if everyone who took part
gained even a fraction of what I did from this experience, I can rest easy
knowing I’ve played a small part in helping build a world of research without
barriers.
At the end of the internship, a virtual call with everyone involved
highlighted not only the successes of this endeavour but also the
importance of the responsibility we all carry; to ensure that we
aren't solely focused on the next patch or release, but also
providing the tools, confidence, and opportunities for more people
to engage with OpenStack, helping create a more united world.
Acknowledgements
The passion and effort put in by everyone taking part was brilliant to see, and this
wouldn't have been possible without the coordination and organisation of Mary-Jane Sule,
thank you!
A heartfelt thank you is also extended to the tutors, the team from ElevateHer and, of course,
the students that took part for their enthusiasm, collaboration and hard work throughout.
I must also personally thank Stig Telfer, CTO at StackHPC, not only for the opportunity
but also for placing his trust in me to lead this wonderful venture... I'd better stop there
as this is dangerously close to turning into a LinkedIn flattery post.
However, I would be doing Mary-Jane, Stig & the team at ElevateHer a disservice
if I didn't also highlight the positive impact their daily efforts have on making
the world a better and more inclusive place. So, once again, thank you!