Free Boba Tea and Technical R Topics Lure Young Learners to New Brunei R User Group

Haziq Jamil, the founder and organizer of the Brunei R User Group, recently spoke with the R Consortium. Haziq established the first R User Group in Brunei to promote R programming and create collaborative learning environments. Under his leadership, the group hosts monthly meetups and events to advance R skills across various sectors in Brunei. Through these efforts, Haziq aims to build a supportive and inclusive R community, encouraging both personal growth and data-driven innovation in the region.

Please share your background and involvement with the RUGS group.

My name is Haziq Jamil, and I am an Assistant Professor in Statistics at Universiti Brunei Darussalam, the leading higher education institution in Brunei. I have used R for almost ten years during my studies and on many personal and professional projects. 

The Brunei R User Group was founded in February 2024, and I serve as its chair and founder. My role is to lead the group’s administration, oversee its overall direction and strategy, and ensure that its initiatives align with its mission of promoting R programming and fostering a supportive learning environment, focusing on community engagement and collaboration.

Can you share what the R community is like in Brunei? 

The R community in Brunei may be small, but it is growing thanks to the efforts of the Brunei R User Group. The group organizes monthly meetups and events to promote learning and development in R programming and advance its use across various fields in Brunei. These gatherings provide opportunities to expand the community by enhancing participants’ skills, offering a platform for networking with like-minded individuals, and engaging in practical applications such as data analysis, visualization, and spatial data techniques. By creating an inclusive R community, the group aims to support individual growth in Brunei and foster collaboration on data-driven R projects. Whether for students, professionals, or hobbyists, the group strives to provide a supportive space for learning, sharing insights, and driving innovation within the local R community.

You hosted a Meetup, “R>aya with R,” in April. Can you share more about the topic? Why this topic? 

The R User Group’s “R>aya with R” Meetup in Brunei was a lively event that combined Hari Raya Aidilfitri’s (Eid-ul-Fitr) festive spirit with the exploration of R programming. To engage younger audiences, we offered free boba tea as a beverage during the session. The event featured informative sessions led by expert community members, each focusing on advanced topics relevant to different fields.

One of the critical presentations was on “Survival Analysis” by Dr. Elvynna Leong. She explained statistical techniques to predict the time until an event of interest, such as guests’ arrival at a Hari Raya open house. This topic is directly related to fields that depend on time-to-event data, such as healthcare or actuarial science.

One of the highlights was Wafid Sophian’s session on “Simulation Methods for Economic Analysis.” In this presentation, Wafid demonstrated how R can be used to simulate and analyze complex economic scenarios. The topic focused on modeling outcomes and making data-driven predictions. It was chosen due to its significance in finance and business analytics.

Dr. Eden Ng presented on “Mathematical Modeling of Evolutionary Biology,” showcasing how R can be used to model biological evolutionary processes. This session visualized the intersection of R programming and biology, thus emphasizing R’s utility in research areas such as genetics and evolutionary studies.

The event covered three topics in the areas of mathematics, economics, and biology. It was open to all individuals interested in learning about the capabilities and usage of the R language, regardless of whether they were beginners or experts.

Do you recommend any techniques for planning for or during the event? (Github, Zoom, other.) Can these techniques be used to make your group more inclusive to people who cannot attend physical events in the future? 

For planning and executing events like the “Analysing Spatial Data with R” event, the R>aya Meetup, and the “Introduction to R” sessions, we utilized Github. To host R scripts, datasets, and event materials. Our participants can access and review the code before and after the event. It also provides a platform for issue tracking and version control to facilitate feedback and group collaboration. It helps those who can’t attend in person to engage and contribute to our Quarto Blog. To publish event summaries, key takeaways, and additional resources on the official Brunei R User Group blog. We hope to provide a centralized location for information and help remote participants catch up. 

Please share any additional details you would like to include in the blog. 

As the first R user group in Brunei, we are excited to promote the adoption and growth of R across various industries. Our mission goes beyond just hosting events—we are dedicated to creating and nurturing an inclusive R community and showcasing the power of R in numerous fields.

How do I Join?

R Consortium’s R User Group and Small Conference Support Program (RUGS) provides grants to help R groups organize, share information, and support each other worldwide. We have given grants over the past four years, encompassing over 68,000 members in 33 countries. We would like to include you! Cash grants and meetup.com accounts are awarded based on the intended use of the funds and the amount of money available to distribute.

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