The Once and Future Software Engineer
The Once and Future Software Engineer
Wednesday, Sept. 30, 5 pm – 7 pm
Location: 32-124
Register for This Workshop – TBD
This workshop counts toward the requirements for GradEL’s Graduate Certificate in Technical Leadership.
Description
Technologies change. Tools change. Industries change. Careers change. The engineers who thrive are the ones who learn how to change with them.
Software engineering has never stood still. From desktop applications to cloud computing, from mobile platforms to AI-assisted development, every generation of engineers has experienced technologies that transformed how software is built—and what it means to be a software engineer.
Join a panel of early-, mid-, and late-career software engineers as they reflect on how the profession has evolved, the skills that have remained timeless, and what they believe comes next. Through a moderated discussion, interactive audience activities, and open Q&A, you’ll explore how careers adapt alongside changing technologies, what employers continue to value regardless of technical trends, and how to prepare for a future that is certain to look different than today.
Together, we’ll examine not only how software engineering is changing, but how engineers can build resilient, fulfilling careers by embracing continuous learning, recognizing opportunity, and adapting when plans inevitably change.
Capabilities taught in this workshop: Exercising Resourcefulness, Flexibility, and Resilience; Tracking and Assessing New Technology; Exercising Systems Thinking
Panelists
Ed Keisling is Chief AI Officer at Progress Software, bringing more than 30 years of experience leading software engineering and technology organizations. Ed leads Progress’s AI strategy and is a vocal advocate for approaching AI not simply as a replacement for existing work, but as a tool that can empower engineers—while emphasizing that human judgment, intentionality, and the realities of building secure, scalable software remain critical..
Anthony Adams is a software engineer and MIT alum with more than a decade of experience spanning full-stack engineering, technical leadership, and startups. He earned his B.S. in Computer Science from MIT, where he also completed the Gordon-MIT Engineering Leadership (GEL) Program. Anthony brings a mid-career perspective on how software engineering has evolved—and how the technical and leadership skills he began developing at MIT have carried across different roles and organizations.
Natalia Maxham is an early-career software engineer with an M.S. in Computer Science from the University of Michigan. She currently works as a Software Engineer at Google. Natalia brings the perspective of a new generation entering software engineering as AI and other emerging technologies rapidly reshape the tools, expectations, and opportunities within the field.
Tim Dai is an early-career software engineer and recent graduate of Stanford University, where he earned his M.S. in Computer Science. He is currently an ML Foundation Engineer at NVIDIA, working on AI infrastructure for autonomous vehicles. Tim brings the perspective of a new generation entering software engineering at a moment of rapid technological change and navigating what it means to build a career as the field evolves.
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