Hi, I’m Abbie, a recently promoted Senior Software Engineer, working at Ipsos.
Just a few years ago, a career in software engineering was unimaginable to me. Today, I’m a recently promoted Senior Software Engineer at Ipsos.
I began my journey in software engineering after graduating from university. I had a Chemistry degree, and a love of science as strong as ever, but absolutely no interest in working in a chemistry lab. I figured that, as a scientist, with an interest in problem solving, getting stuck in to challenges, and a love of learning, teaching myself to code would be an interesting project.
I discovered a free online computer science course offered by Harvard University and immersed myself in writing low-level algorithms in C, learning about memory management, and exploring data structures. This newfound passion led me to an outreach program at StarLeaf, a video conferencing software company, where I learned about networking fundamentals and TCP/IP. Despite my initial imposter syndrome, I was hired as a Graduate Software Developer. Working at StarLeaf during the peak of the pandemic underscored the importance of staying connected and removing barriers to effective communication.
While working full-time, I continued the Harvard course in the evenings and tutored on weekends, striving to enhance my skills. Today, I work at Ipsos, a market research company, where I develop the backend of a system that passively monitors panellists’ audio exposure. This technology allows us to provide valuable insights into population behaviour across different demographics. Our algorithms process vast amounts of data with incredible accuracy, and our work in the Netherlands has even become the standard for radio broadcasters, earning us the 2024 Amma Award for ‘Best Research’ in the Masters of Data category.
In my role, I refine core algorithms and contribute to various projects using languages and technologies such as Python and C++. Committed to continuous learning, I have completed additional Harvard courses in Python and Python for AI, and I explore new languages like Rust through small applications. Recently, I have focused on enhancing collaboration both within my team and with colleagues in other departments, believing that technological advancements thrive on effective communication.
In October 2024, I presented at the Women of Silicon Roundabout Conference, a conference attended by 4000+ industry professionals. I gave a talk on how to navigate career uncertainty, aimed at inspiring others, like me, navigate their first steps into a tech career. This talk was oversubscribed by 50%.
I was recently promoted to Senior Software Engineer. In this role, I spearheaded the R&D of a new product, implementing highly complex data processing algorithms, architected, designed, and engineered a cloud ETL application, and have further taken on responsibility of a hardware project.
In February, I won an Ipsos Mori I’M Valued award for entrepreneurial spirit, for identifying the lack of a structured task management system when working with a new team, and designing a people-first process, which improved visibility and timely delivery of features.
My journey has been driven by curiosity, resilience, and a passion for learning.
