TDS #50 -- Standardizing on a single N-dimensional array API for Python

Subject: Standardizing on a single N-dimensional array API for Python

Abstract:

In this talk, we will start with an overview of array API standard goals, benefits and API surface, and then focus on some of the key technical issues, such as reconciling in-place operations with immutable/mutable array data models, dtype casting rules, and zero-copy exchange protocols. Finally we will look at initial implementations in NumPy and PyTorch, and plans for use in downstream libraries like SciPy and scikit-learn.

Bio:
Ralf has been deeply involved in the SciPy and PyData communities for over a decade. He is a maintainer of NumPy and SciPy, and has contributed widely throughout the PyData ecosystem.

Ralf is currently the SciPy Steering Council Chair, and he served on the NumFOCUS Board of Directors from 2012-2018.

Ralf directs Quansight Labs, which consists of developers, community managers, designers, and documentation writers who build open-source technology and grow open-source communities around data science and scientific computing projects. Previously Ralf has worked in industrial R&D, on topics as diverse as MRI, lithography and forestry.