April Talks - hosted and sponsored by Viator
Details
‼️‼️IMPORTANT: To guarantee your space at this event, please complete registration via Eventbrite, linked here. Your RSVP on this page will not be valid for entry into the event‼️‼️
18:00 - Arrival with refreshments and networking
18:40 - Introductions from Humand Talent and Viator
18:45 - Talk #1 from Marta Verdugo
19:15 - Break
19:30 - Talk #2 with Bogdana Avadanei
20:00 - Continued conversation and close
Talk #1 from Marta Verdugo: "From Skeletons to Software: Reinventing Myself from Academia to Tech."
In this talk, I’ll share my journey of transitioning from academia to industry—the highs, the lows, and everything in between. I’ll explore the challenges and rewards of being a woman in both fields, as well as the constant drive to push myself beyond my comfort zone. Through personal stories, I’ll reflect on the moments that shaped me, the habits I had to unlearn from academia, and the emotional process of letting go of my identity as a biologist. I’ll also discuss how many skills I developed in academia continue to shape my work as a software developer. And how having been a customer myself, I can relate to their pain points and expectations, which allows me to build more intuitive, user-centered solutions. I’ll dive into my path to becoming a software developer and share my vision for the future.
Marta, currently a software developer at the biotech company Oxford Nanopore Technologies, is a former geneticist with a unique fascination for the Y chromosome.
She earned her PhD in Ancient Genomics and Bioinformatics from Trinity College Dublin, where her research explored the domestication of cattle across time and geography. Her work has been featured in high-impact journals such as Science.
Driven by a growing passion for programming, Marta transitioned from a customer-focused role into software development. She is deeply committed to career advocacy, especially for young people and women, striving to break down barriers and inspire the next generation.
Talk #2 from Bogdana Avadanei: "From Code to Leadership: My Journey to Engineering Manager"
Nine years ago, I started my engineering career as an intern, eager to learn and grow. Since then, each role has brought new challenges, responsibilities, and lessons - some learned the hard way. I’ve worked in both small start-ups and large companies, shared knowledge to help others grow, and steadily progressed toward my dream role: Engineering Manager.
In this talk, I’ll share key lessons from my journey, the opportunities that shaped my path, and how transitioning from an individual contributor to a team leader has changed my perspective, responsibilities, and daily work.
In terms of info about myself: I'm Bogdana, engineering manager at Zoopla. I'm originally from Romania (moved to the UK 11 years ago for university - wow time flies) and I love painting, hiking and being outdoors in sunny weather, and dogs even if I don't have one myself yet. I've had roles as a software engineer in a few small and larger companies and I've been a coach teaching for a software engineering bootcamp.
This event is organised by Humand Talent, and sponsored and hosted by Viator.
April Talks - hosted and sponsored by Viator