Codemania v6.0 | Workshop 02 - Introduction to Machine Learning & Data-Driven Thinking
February 18, 2026 · 1:30 PM - 3:30 PM @ Online event
Description
The Codemania v6.0 | Workshop 02 – Introduction to Machine Learning & Data-Driven Thinking was successfully conducted on 18th February 2026 from 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM as an online technical session via Zoom. Organized by the IEEE Computer Society Student Branch Chapter of SLTC, the workshop served as a key knowledge-sharing phase aligned with Codemania v6.0’s transition into a data-driven datathon format. The session commenced with a welcome address by the Co-Chairperson of Codemania v6.0, Sandeepa Wimalasiri, who highlighted the importance of adopting a data-driven mindset in solving real-world problems. The program was moderated by Naveen Kariyawasam, ensuring smooth coordination and active participant engagement throughout the session. The guest speaker, Mr. Roy Ian, Principal Data Scientist at PickMe, delivered an in-depth and industry-oriented presentation introducing the core principles of machine learning and structured data-driven thinking. The session covered fundamental concepts such as supervised and unsupervised learning, model training workflows, validation techniques, and evaluation metrics. Real-world industry applications were discussed to illustrate how machine learning models are deployed in practical environments. A major focus of the workshop was data pre-processing, emphasizing its critical role in determining model performance. Participants were guided through key techniques including handling missing values, outlier detection, encoding categorical variables, normalization, feature scaling, and feature engineering. The standard machine learning pipeline, from raw data preparation to model selection and optimization was clearly explained, reinforcing that high-quality data preparation is often more impactful than complex algorithm selection. The workshop concluded with an interactive Q&A session where participants clarified practical concerns related to workflow structuring and dataset optimization under time-bound competition settings. The Vote of Thanks was delivered by Afham Faiz, acknowledging the contributions of the guest speaker, organizing committee, and participants. Workshop 02 successfully strengthened participants’ conceptual understanding of machine learning while equipping them with practical data-handling skills essential for the upcoming stages of the Codemania v6.0 datathon.
Agenda
7:00 PM – 7:05 PM - Initiation of the Session 7:05 PM – 7:10 PM - Welcome Speech 7:10 PM – 8:40 PM - Main Session 8:40 PM – 8:50 PM - Q & A Session 8:50 PM – 8:55 PM - Token of Appreciation 8:55 PM – 9:00 PM - Vote of Thanks