This article has interesting points made by a theoretical chemist turned software engineer. “The answer to this question has many facets, but I can almost guarantee that at least one of them will appeal to you. One of the best reasons to contribute to an open source project is that it will almost certainly expose you to new facets of programming you haven’t been exposed to. Another reason why contributing to open source projects is dope: the people. When you contribute to an open source project, you’re getting the opportunity to work with people that are sometimes on the other side of the world. Being exposed to other rhythms can teach you a lot of really useful interpersonal skills while also teaching you how to work remotely.” Link1 Link2