August Meetup Event | Python for All: Democratizing Coding Mastery with AI Chatbot Support

Explore AI as an invaluable resource for understanding, writing, and refining code

Pydata Pittsburgh is excited to announce our next event: Python for All: Democratizing Coding Mastery with AI Chatbot Support. Bring your laptops! And join us on Thursday, August 28th at CoLab18, as Kristen Scotti, CMU/STEM librarian, guides us through this valuable hands-on learning experience.

🧠 About the Workshop:

We will utilize AI chatbots like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Copilot to support the process of learning to code. Using Python as our teaching tool, participants will acquire skills that are transferable to other programming languages. We will explore how AI chatbots can be invaluable resources for understanding, writing, and refining code, as well as for facilitating transitions between different coding languages.

Details:

Building on years of coding workshops in Python and R, STEM Librarian Kristen Scotti developed Python for All: Democratizing Coding Mastery with AI Chatbot Support, a hands-on program showing participants how to use tools like ChatGPT to debug, optimize, and better understand their code. By integrating AI literacy into the learning process, the workshop empowers participants not just to rely on AI, but to critically evaluate its output, troubleshoot errors, and strengthen their own coding skills.

The approach is designed to reduce the intimidation factor many feel when learning to program, offering on-demand AI “tutor” support while emphasizing responsible and effective use. This model has been adopted in multiple settings, from library workshops to graduate engineering seminars.

👤 About the speaker:

Kristen Scotti is a STEM Librarian at Carnegie Mellon University Libraries, supporting the Departments of Mathematics, Physics, and Statistics & Data Science. She completed her postdoctoral training at CMU Libraries, where she integrated AI literacy into coding and machine learning workshops and conducted research on open science practices and machine learning-assisted evidence synthesis. Kristen holds a Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering from Northwestern University, where she led interdisciplinary research on microgravity materials processing. Her work bridges computational research, educational outreach, and public engagement, with a focus on accessibility, equity, and the responsible use of emerging technologies in science and scholarship.

💻 About the venue:

Special thanks to CoLab18, our generous venue sponsor! CoLab18 is a vibrant digital-literacy lab and collaboration space nestled within Nova Place on Pittsburgh’s North Side. CoLab18 is designed to foster inclusive innovation, education, and workforce development, and serves as a hub for community groups, nonprofits, and educational workshops, offering access to technology, training, and public programming.