Laura Pashley

Kathryn Rohlfing ~ Software Engineer


Can you tell us a bit about your background and what you do now?

I went to school at Iowa State to study computer science. In high school I was involved in FIRST robotics, and from that I was pretty sure that I wanted to go into STEM, but had a really tough time figuring out exactly what I wanted to do. I ended up choosing computer science because it's such a broad field and there are needs in just about every field, whether it's academic or corporate, big or small, and I liked that it's also developing so fast with new technologies and new jobs all the time. I've been working full time as a software engineer for two years now, and absolutely love it!

What do you most enjoy about your current position?
One of my favorite things is the trial and error that we do every day, and the way that even the mistakes then the fixes keep building on each other until it eventually turns out. The great thing about software is how accessible it is - you don't need a huge workshop to try it out, and you don't have to get everything right on the first try. Way before anyone gets to see or use the code that I write, we go through plenty of tests, and rewrites, and often many versions that don't work at all, but it's part of the process and it's a great way to learn every day.
Did you have a favorite mentor and how did they inspire you? 

I've been lucky enough to have great mentors at many different times in my life, so it's hard to pick a favorite. But, one thing they've all had in common is the way they aren't afraid to ask for help or to offer it, and always make other people a priority even when they're busy themselves. It's a great inspiration to know that no matter how experienced you are or how new you are to something, there will always be questions you don't know the answers to, and that's not a bad thing!

What is one piece of advice you wish you had received when you were just starting out?
The best advice that I did get, but I wish I had taken to heart earlier was to not hold myself back from opportunities or take myself out of the running before I even join the race. It's very easy to come up with reasons why we're not qualified or not as good as we may want to be, but that doesn't mean we're not the right person for the job, and even though it doesn't always feel that way, we may be exactly the right person.

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