Field Notes: Austin

When I traveled to Austin for the Render conference, I thought I was there to become a better software engineer.

I had received a scholarship to attend after making the transition into tech, and like many people early in their careers, I believed the next step was becoming better at writing code.

But somewhere between the conference sessions, the conversations, and the visits to companies like Google and Tesla, something began to shift.

For the first time, I met people who looked like me working across every part of the technology industry—not only as engineers, but as researchers, designers, product managers, strategists, communicators, and leaders.

Until then, I had quietly assumed that software engineering was the path.

Austin made me realize it was only one path.

Technology wasn't a profession.

It was an ecosystem.

That realization stayed with me long after the conference ended.

Shortly afterward, I accepted a software engineering role with the Miami Heat. The experience taught me a great deal, but it also clarified something I hadn't yet been able to articulate.

The part of technology that fascinated me wasn't frameworks or programming languages.

It was the systems behind them.

Why people use certain products.

How environments influence behavior.

How thoughtful design shapes decision-making.

How technology can help people live better lives.

Looking back, Austin wasn't important because of the companies I visited.

It was important because it expanded my imagination.

It was the first place I understood that I didn't have to choose between public health, technology, design, or communication.

The more interesting question was how they might work together.

Looking back, I thought I had traveled to Austin to learn how to build software.

Instead, I left wondering what else could be built.