We R Together. How to learn, use and improve a programming language as a community.

Communities of practice are powerful spaces for learning, collaboration, and innovation—especially in the context of coding and data science. In this talk, I’ll share what I’ve learned from leading and supporting R communities, with concrete examples of strategies, content, and programs that encourage participation and skill-sharing. Informed by a range of approaches to community building, I’ll explore how collective efforts can strengthen not only technical skills, but also support long-term career growth and visibility. This talk will be relevant to anyone interested in creating more inclusive, sustainable, and impactful technical communities—across research, education, and open source.