Vincent Guyader talked to the R Consortium about his background with the R language, describing his acquisition of experience and skills in developing solutions to scientific and industrial problems. He also spoke about the founding of his company, ThinkR, and his role as organizer of R Addicts Paris.
Vincent Guyader is the President and CTO of ThinkR, a company founded in 2015 dedicated to the development of tools and solutions based on the R language to solve different scientific and industrial problems.
Vincent is a specialist in applied statistics and also has skills in system administration, which allows him to intervene on the IS (Information systems) side for the implementation of Compute Server, the deployment of Shiny applications, and the installation of Posit workbench and Posit Connect. Vincent is the organizer of the R Addicts Paris group, the first R group of its kind in France and currently the largest with over 1,800 members. The group offers training in the use of R software for business professionals, which allows him to develop his Data Science skills. In his spare time, he enjoys cycling in Paris and practicing karate.
Please share your background and your involvement in the RUGS group or in the R Community.
It all started during my scholarship at Agrocampus Ouest, located in Rennes, France, a distinguished institute known for its exceptional curriculum focused on statistics and agronomy, where I gained proficiency in the R programming language.
Subsequently, I ventured into the consulting field immediately after my graduation without any previous experience in running a business. At first, I brought my expertise in statistical analysis, but thanks to my rapid progress in R, I soon became an outstanding R specialist. As a result, my clients did not only approach me for my statistical competence but also for my exceptional command of the R programming language.
📸 Credits: Diane B., 2016
Please share about a project you are currently working on or have worked on in the past using the R language. Goal/reason, result, anything interesting, especially related to the industry you work in?
The main project I have been involved in is the Golem package, which allows the creation of dynamic and interactive Shiny applications. Along with my colleagues, we have written a book entitled Engineering Production-Grade Shiny Apps, which has become one of our most significant contributions to the community. This project is ongoing and has been continuously growing since its inception four years ago.
In our line of work, we collaborate with various industries, such as pharmacology, energy and banking, among others. Our main goal is to demonstrate the usefulness of R as a language that is not limited to trivial applications but can also be used to address complex business challenges. We offer this orientation to all sectors, regardless of their nature.
What is your level of experience with the R language?
Although R was not the programming language I initially started with, I have consistently used it since 2008 and have developed a good level of proficiency in the language. I am able to complete any required task with relative ease, and my experience goes beyond personal use.
I am confident in my ability to share my knowledge with others and help them improve their R programming skills. I believe that with my experience and knowledge of R, I can offer some value to any project or initiative. While I have developed some mastery of R, I still see myself as a learner and continuously seek to improve.
What resources or techniques do you use?
At ThinkR, we leverage a wide range of technologies to achieve our goals. While we do not use Spark extensively for big data, we do use other powerful tools such as Docker, the Posit products, GitHub, GitLab, the Tidyverse, and the data table. With our team of 13 people at ThinkR, we are very fluent in all aspects of our language. It is worth noting that not all team members rely on RStudio as their IDE, as some prefer VS Code, either locally or on a remote desktop. As a result, we have a wealth of options to carry out our work effectively.
Do you have an ongoing project? Please share any details or CTA for who should get involved!
We have an imminent appointment in Avignon, a picturesque city in the south of France. The event, known as Rencontres R, will be held in a few weeks and promises to be a great event, with an expected attendance of 250 people. The two- to three-day event is dedicated exclusively to all things R in France and marks an important moment for the French R community. Excitement is growing as the date approaches and we expect it to be a success!
How do I Join?
R Consortium’s R User Group and Small Conference Support Program (RUGS) provides grants to help R groups around the world organize, share information and support each other. We have given grants over the past four years, encompassing over 65,000 members in 35 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. We are now accepting applications!