Heading To GHC 2019: Get To Know Software Engineer Rebecca Kern

Attending this year’s Grace Hopper Celebration? As an attendee (and past speaker) I know from experience this conference is an extraordinary (and at times, overwhelming) opportunity to connect with other women in tech. GHC is the world’s largest gathering of women technologists and with 25,000 attendees descending on the Orange County convention center in Orlando, Florida this year, I thought I’d give you a jumpstart on making those vital career connections by highlighting a few of the women in tech speaking at this year’s event – along with their tips on how to get the most out of GHC 2019

In this first profile, get to know: Software Engineer, Rebecca Kern. Rebecca is a Carnegie Mellon University graduate, a software engineer at Capital One and a speaker at GHC 2019.

JKH: What did you study before starting your tech career?

Rebecca: Information Systems at Carnegie Mellon

JKH: What is the one piece of technology you wish you had invented?

Rebecca: The Tile - ‘cause I’m always losing my keys!

JKH: What is the innovation you need in your life right now?

Rebecca: A time turner necklace (like Hermione’s in Harry Potter) so that I can be in multiple places at once.

JKH: Your top suggestion for making the most out of Grace Hopper Celebration 2019?

Rebecca: Attend a variety of events to learn about topics you’re unfamiliar with, connect with new people, maintain those connections, and take time for yourself if you need a break or feel overwhelmed!

JKH: Best way to connect with you at GHC 2019 and beyond?

Rebecca: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/rebeccarkern

JKH: What’s one insight that you would want audiences to take away from your session?

Rebecca: I hope audience members learn how to integrate real-time communication into their applications and that this concept applies to more than games!

JKH: One last question. There is a huge demand for soft skills in tech. What is your guidance on developing these essential workplace skills?

Rebecca: Acting as a teaching assistant in college was probably the number one thing that prepared me for the workplace. I helped teach and head-teach a variety of computer science classes which gave me a deeper understanding of concepts and hugely improved my self-confidence as I realized I was able to share my knowledge with others. I gained public speaking skills by teaching weekly recitations to 30 students and leading review sessions for 200+ students in lecture halls. I learned how to communicate well with co-workers and managers in meetings with professors and other TAs. I gained responsibility and time management skills by grading exams and working with a tight calendar. And now I have built great relationships with a lot of students and professors!

Don’t miss Rebecca’s #GHC2019 session --- Building a Multiplayer Game with Web Sockets.

What makes it possible for multiple computers to communicate in real time over a web browser? WebSockets! This talk will demonstrate building a multiplayer game by leveraging the socket.io library in a Node.js web application. Using key takeaways, attendees will learn how they can utilize web sockets in their own applications for real time communication.

Date: Thursday, October 3, 2019 | Start Time: 3:00 PM | End Time: 3:30 PM | Location: OCCC W415D | 

My career thrives on collaboration, so I’m thrilled to partner once again with Capital One at GHC.

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