We designed the rOpenSci Champions Program with a mentorship aspect. Mentoring plays a significant role in the growth and development of both mentors and mentees alike. In our program, each Champion has a mentor who accompanies them during their training and development of their project.

In this series of blog posts, we introduce you to the ten teams of this first cohort and what they will be working on in the program.

Meet Cheryl Isabella Lim from Singapore and Mauro Lepore from Argentina!

Cheryl Isabella Lim – Champion

Hi! I’m Cheryl Isabella, an R enthusiast from Singapore.

As the first female Asian POC to be inducted into this program, I’ll be trained as a Software Reviewer for rOpenSci’s peer review process. This means combining elements from academic peer review and production code review to apply GitHub features to packages from a range of broadly-defined categories.

Through my role as an rOpenSci Champion, I expect to gain transferable skills and advocate for greater visibility of previously marginalised communities in STEM.

Hopefully, this inaugural programme will be followed by collaborations and meaningful conversations between all individuals beyond their conventional camps.

Mauro Lepore – Mentor

I’m Mauro Lepore. I grew up in Argentina, studied biology at the University of Buenos Aires, then did a PhD in coral reefs ecology at the University of Queensland, Australia.

I’m now a research software developer at 2 Degrees Investing Initiative, and an editor for rOpenSci. I’m excited to join the rOpenSci Champions Program as a mentor.

This program should help more people experience the great support that our community provides.

We are grateful that Cheryl and Mauro are part of our program. We look forward to seeing the results of their work together.