8 Questions with Rachel Slater
Software Engineer, Microsoft
Rachel Slater (she/her) is a Software Engineer at Microsoft. She has a Master’s in Computer Science from University College London. She grew up in Ireland and currently lives in Vancouver, Canada. Years after studying Medicinal Chemistry at Trinity College Dublin, she went through many twists and turns that led her to discover Computer Science. When she’s not coding, she’s hiking Canada’s incredible mountains and/or drinking too much red wine. She posts about everything in between at @secretlifeofcode.
1. Where’s your hometown?
County Donegal, Ireland.
2. How did you get into STEM?
Science and Math have always been my thing. Growing up, my dad (i.e. hero) was a marine biologist, and he embodied everything I looked up to and wanted to be. I loved everything logical that my perfectionist, OCD brain could derive from first principles.
When it was time to apply to schools, I chose to study Medicinal Chemistry, as I thought it would be cool to learn how drugs and medications are developed. I didn’t know what Computer Science was back then and had zero exposure to programming. This is one contributing reason why seeing coding classes being taught in elementary and middle schools now makes my heart happy.
3. What is a piece of advice that you have found especially useful?
Know when to quit, life is too short. A wrong turn/screw-up won’t define you, it’ll just make your story more interesting.
4. What’s a challenge you’ve faced, and how did you deal with it?
Going back to “square one” in my mid-20's wasn’t the plan I’d made for myself. And every aspect of it was a challenge. At 23, I started working for a small tech company in Ireland as a Product Manager (for which I had none of the required skills), because my coffee shop job wasn’t paying the bills. It was there that I first observed people (guys) coding, and I was intrigued. I started investigating and was soon trying to teach myself to code at night, after my 9–5.
I left that job after 2 years, when I got the chance to attend a coding bootcamp in San Francisco. I jumped in head-first with zero preparation. After getting pretty much straight A’s my whole life, it was my first experience of being bottom of the class and struggling desperately. I’d given up all I knew in order to be there (quit my job, moved out of my apartment, left Ireland and all of my family and friends), so it was not an option to not “get it”. I worked my ass off and had amazing friends who helped me immensely. After failing to get a visa to stay in the US, I moved back home, into my Dad’s place, to figure out what to do next.
5. What’s something you’ve done that you’re really proud of?
It’s weird, but my “proud moment” is the same as my challenge — being unafraid to start all over again. I rejected the traditional notions of age, stability, linear growth, and comfort, and I just kept trying new things on for size until I found what I love.
What genuinely scares me is time passing and me not noticing or making anything of it. Figuring out that programming was my thing when I was 25 and not knowing if I would be good or successful at it, or even be “accepted” given the non-traditional path I took, was scary. Taking out loans to pay for going back to school was scary. I’m proud that I felt the fear and did everything despite it. Getting a job at Microsoft was beyond even my expectations. I love the work that I do here, and being able to code makes me feel powerful, in control, in the zone, lost in the problem.
I’m tired of being told that all female engineers experience “imposter syndrome”. Despite having an atypical path into engineering, I think all of my past experiences have shaped the way that I think about problems, the way I communicate my ideas, and the way that I write code. I’ve already proved myself.
6. What are you most excited about right now, in or outside of STEM?
STEM-related — the application of AI/ML to healthcare & medicine.
Personal excitement — I’m starting a podcast with my sister (@sammysueslater) — everything career, feminism, sex and relationships…and lots of self-deprecating lol’s.
7. What is your favorite source of inspiration?
Nature and solitude. I get my energy from quiet reflection. During those times, I read, listen to music and podcasts, tune into my environment, and think about the problems that I care about and want to solve.
8. What is your favorite book or movie?
When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanith is my long-term fave, and, most recently, Lifespan by David A. Sinclair.
