Feb 26
Bits & Bytes hosts Justin Thomson ‘01 on "Software Engineering Then and Now: My 25-Year Tour from Assembly to AI"
Bits & Bytes hosts Justin Thomson ‘01 on "Software Engineering Then and Now: My 25-Year Tour from Assembly to AI"
Abstract: Over the past 25+ years, software engineering has transformed dramatically, from manual memory management and low-level debugging to cloud-native platforms, modern DevOps, and today’s rapidly evolving world of AI-assisted development. In this talk, I’ll walk through my personal career journey, from studying computer science at Carleton and doing early work closer to the hardware, to building and scaling real-world systems in industry, and eventually leading engineering and data science teams in regulated life-science environments. Along the way, I’ll highlight how the tools, expectations, and career paths of software engineers have changed, and what has stayed consistent. We’ll close with a practical look at where the field is heading next: AI agents, automation, and the skills that will matter most for students starting their careers today.
Justin co-founded Owlyn.
Join us for treats, beverages, community and conversation.
Note: To maintain a safe and open environment for our attendees, this event is strictly limited to the Carleton campus community.
from Computer Science