Posit PBC, 250 Northern Avenue, Boston, MA (2026)

04/21/2026

There's a moment in this episode of The Test Set where Benn Stancil names the cultural shift that's been happening under everyone's noses: We stopped wanting to be Nate Silver and started wanting to be Rick Rubin. The whole data-driven era — the A/B tests, the dashboards, the "well actually" energy — that was a status thing. It signaled you were serious, rigorous, With It. But now? The leading AI companies are running on vibes. Cursor tests its agent stuff with vibes. And taste, not metrics, is what Silicon Valley wants to hire for. But Benn's point isn't that data is dead. It's that the culture shifted, and we haven't fully reckoned with what that means for people who built careers on being the numbers person.

Listen on Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/episode/3Of7iZQfixdjZy1uIhyNvC?si=08f30bf92b7142f5) and Apple Podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-test-set-by-posit/id1823736938?i=1000762407294).

03/24/2026

"Are you gonna do your best work if no one's watching?"

Nell Thomas (VP of Data at Shopify) leads a 400-person data org. And she makes a point we don't hear enough: the quality of your audience matters as much as the quality of your work.

She compares data teams to theatre. It's about people actually engaging with the material, pushing back, asking hard questions, contributing ideas. That feedback loop is what makes the work get better over time.

And here's the flip side: If your data team is producing analysis that nobody's really scrutinizing? That's not a team problem. That's a culture problem. The work can only be as good as the attention it receives.

It's a simple idea that changes how you think about building data culture.

Listen on Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/episode/7KNHwSMJHLIEvi1UDnUY7C?si=6c8d90c77de944ce) and Apple Podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/your-vp-is-doing-a-rogue-analysis-in-cursor-right/id1823736938?i=1000756750527).

03/10/2026

When Phillip Cloud talks to a coding agent, he doesn't want small talk. He doesn't want "great job!" and he definitely doesn't want to go surfing on a metaphorical lake. He wants the robot to do the thing and deliver.
In this clip from The Test Set, Phillip — principal engineer at NVIDIA and lead of the Ibis project — explains why he actually prefers Cursor Agent's stripped-down, emotionless default mode over Claude Code's chattier vibe (when you're deep in a coding session, you don't need a cheerleader). You need a machine that doesn't flinch. The full conversation digs into Phillip's AI skepticism arc and what it would actually take to impress him.

Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sleeping-rats-and-sociopathic-agents-with-phillip-cloud/id1823736938?i=1000753993750 and Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/26TrCZXpJaTUQahbtCUURm?si=vLB0SiLtT1eT4x4KDFO5Bg

02/24/2026

"I feel like working with agents is a lot more productive, but a lot less fun." Charlie Marsh tweeted this and people won't stop quoting it back at him. On The Test Set, he gets into why — and it's not really about fun. It's about the vibe being off. We're in this weird in-between where engineers are stitching together agent outputs, copy-pasting PR comments into Claude Code, and reviewing code they didn't write but are somehow responsible for. It's giving duct tape. Charlie says he's hopeful we'll figure out what building software actually looks like in this new era — but right now? We're not there. He also drops that his opinions on literally all of this are radically different from four months ago, which honestly says everything about how fast this is moving. Full conversation now live.

02/20/2026

Data science is better when more voices are heard. We are excited to announce that applications are now open for the posit::conf(2026) Opportunity Scholarship!

We are providing 40 full-support scholarships for members of underrepresented groups to join us this September in Houston, TX. Our goal is to remove the financial barriers to attending posit::conf, so you can focus on building skills, making connections, and being part of the global open-source community.

The scholarship package includes:
✅ Full conference & workshop registration
✅ Hotel accommodations
✅ Travel reimbursement (Domestic & International)
✅ Exclusive conference swag

Whether you're a student, a career-changer, or a professional looking to grow, your perspective is valuable.

📅 Deadline to apply: March 13, 2026 📍 Conference: Sept 14–16 | Houston, TX

Learn more and apply today: https://posit.co/blog/apply-to-be-an-opportunity-scholar-at-posit-conf-2026/

02/12/2026

Registration for posit::conf(2026) is officially open!!

We are heading to Houston, TX, from September 14–16 for three days of deep-dive workshops, 100+ talks, and the best community in data science. Whether you're a seasoned pro or just starting your journey with R and Python, this is the place to be.

Why register now? This is the lowest rate available for in-person tickets! Lock in our Super Early Bird pricing by April 10 🎟️

Choose your experience for the main conference (Sept 15-16)!

📍 In-Person (Houston): Experience the full energy of the 100+ talks, the "hallway track," evening networking events, and hands-on demos + sticker drops in The Lounge.

💻 Virtual (Global): Includes a dedicated virtual day on Sept 14 featuring exclusive remote-only talks, plus livestreams of the main conference keynotes and sessions.

🔥 Level Up with a Workshop (Sept 14): Whether you’re joining us in Houston or online, you can add an expert-led, hands-on workshop to your pass! These seats fill up fast and are the perfect way to deep-dive into R and Python.

Ready to join us? Register here: https://pos.it/conf

01/15/2026

The call for talks for posit::conf(2026) is officially open! This September, we’re bringing the data science community together in Texas to showcase the best in R, Python, and open-source innovation.

Do you have a workflow that saved the day? A new package the world needs to see? Or a perspective on data science that needs to be shared? We want to hear from you.

Why speak at posit::conf?
We believe in supporting our speakers every step of the way. If your talk is accepted, you’ll receive:
• Travel assistance & lodging to get you to Houston.
• A free conference pass to enjoy the full event.
• Professional speaker coaching to help you nail your delivery.

Whether you're a seasoned pro or a first-time speaker, this is your chance to contribute to the global data science conversation.
📅 When: September 14–16, 2026
📍 Where: Houston, TX
⏰ Deadline: February 6, 2026

Submit your talk here: posit.co/blog/posit-conf-2026-call-for-talks

12/16/2025

Get to know Marco Gorelli, Celtic folk shredder, Narwhals mastermind, and software engineer at QuanSight Labs. In this episode of the Test Set, Marco joins Michael and Wes to unpack the Narwhals origin story, plus trust in open source, and finding leverage in boring problems.

Listen on Spotify, or Apple Podcasts. Watch on YouTube or at thetestset.co.

Remember to subscribe for more insightful conversations with great thinkers and tinkerers in data science.

08/26/2025

Did you know the data science field didn't always have a name?

Roger Peng, professor and co-host of the podcast Not So Standard Deviations, joins us on this episode of The Test Set to talk about how the field of data science "happened to" him and his colleagues. He shares his journey from using a very early version of R to co-creating a podcast with over 180 episodes. We also dive into how academia has evolved to recognize the value of developing software, the power of in-person collaboration, and why he believes the language wars are over.

Don't miss "Impact takes time, and it’s totally worth it" now at thetestset.co, on Spotify, or Apple Podcasts.

08/19/2025

How does a career in actuarial science lead to becoming a professor and developer educator? Find out in the latest episode of The Test Set!

We're thrilled to welcome Mine Çetinkaya-Rundel, Professor of the Practice of Statistical Science at Duke University and Professional Educator at Posit. She shares her journey from getting a business degree to realizing her enjoyment of working with data as an actuary. Hear how her passion for teaching, an undergraduate tutoring side gig, and a dislike for manual data entry and report generation led her to a fulfilling career in data science education. The episode offers a unique perspective on the motivations and "aha" moments that can shape a career path.

Listen to "Teaching in the AI era — and keeping students engaged" now at thetestset.co, on Spotify, or Apple Podcasts.

08/12/2025

Can LLMs really grade student work?

On this episode of The Test Set, we're joined by Mine Çetinkaya-Rundel! As a professor at Duke University and a professional educator at Posit, Mine shares her unique journey from actuarial science to data science, the evolution of R and Python communities, and her fascinating work using LLMs to provide immediate feedback on student assignments. This episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in the intersection of education, data science, and technology.

Listen to "From actuarial science to data science with Mine Çetinkaya-Rundel" now at thetestset.co, on Spotify, or Apple Podcasts.

Link to the episode: https://posit.co/thetestset/episode/mine-cetinkaya-rundel-teaching-in-the-ai-era-and-keeping-students-engaged/

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