My career has been one of adapting rapidly to constant change through ongoing learning as new technologies emerge.
As a child in Africa, I created model aeroplanes. Starting with cardboard and winning prizes with my designs, I moved to plastic models, obsessively making those tiny copies look as real as is possible.
Keen to build mental models of the world around me, I studied physics and computer science at university. Physicists were in low demand, so I became a software developer where my ability to build and communicate conceptual models was very valuable.
From embedded software development I progressed to payment systems, and was privileged to work on a biometric based pension payment system. It was the most rewarding project of my career to date, dramatically improving the lives of impoverished pensioners.
Moving to Wellington, New Zealand, I worked on business management systems. There I came to believe that Sun was correct: Write Once, Run Anywhere, anytime applications were going to be the future.
Declining an offer of a transfer to Auckland: I chose to explore the greater western island: Australia!
Here I continued to work on business systems. Seeking greater challenges, I spent a decade supporting University researchers. The Australian tertiary sector greatly extended my skills. The work was worthwhile, my colleagues and the researchers were smart and got things done: but the constant scrabbling for resources and funding was extremely frustrating.
An ex-colleague invited me to join her at a large agile consultancy. Keen to continue my learning, I found myself in the world of consulting, switching between technology stacks and projects.
Believing that Artificial Intelligence is a data field that will transform the world I grew frustrated, as the consultancy had strong strictures against the use of Artificial Intelligence in software development.
To better understand Artificial Intelligence I gained a Graduate Certificate of Artificial Intelligence from Deakin University. This understanding has enhanced my modelling and problem-solving skills. During my studies I worked part-time.
In my working life I use my modelling and advanced problem-solving skills to build and maintain software systems, adapting rapidly to change through ongoing learning as new technologies emerge into use.
I am driven by work that improves the lives of others: I very much want to continue on the path of learning and empowering others.