Leah Boyd | About

About

My passion for software began in elementary school after experimenting with a simplistic drag-and-drop programming tool. I continued to develop my skill and knowledge of software development throughout middle and high school through a variety of challenging projects, both collaborative and individual.

Working as a student engineer in internship positions at several leading engineering companies has allowed me to learn, observe, apply, and design production software and take lead roles in its development. As a student pursuing a bachelor's degree in software engineering at Mississippi State University, I continue to expand my abilities through coursework and involvement in cutting-edge design projects.

I believe that crafting an effective user interface (UI) can enhance or even define the overall user experience of an application, and thus ultimately determine the product's perceived value. User interface development poses unique and evolving challenges because its design resides in the intersection between technology, art, and psychology. Nevertheless, implementing modern design patterns, considering dynamic screen dimensions, engaging in user experience research, and performing a suite of usability tests improves the experience of even a simple user interface by shifting the project's focus to its end-users.

Software engineering is the application of a systematic and quantifiable approach to the software lifecycle. In applying software engineering principles such as test-driven development and continuous integration, I have become intrigued by the techniques and approaches that can lead to the highest quality software.

I regularly seek ways to make an impact in my community, locally and globally, by utilizing my existing skills and learning new ones. By uniting software with design experience, I have been able to take imaginative approaches to several exciting and diverse projects.