What led you to software development?
“I’ve always had an interest in math and science-related fields and also enjoy problem-solving. In college I found that computer science is a bit of a combination of these things, and I also found I really enjoy building software, which led me to the career of software development.”
What is your favorite thing about being a software developer?
“I like seeing other people find value in the software and products I, as a software developer, get to be a part of creating.”
What is one thing that would surprise people about your field of work in software development?
“I’d say that it’s the effort and thought that goes into nearly every feature of a product under development. There are many standard features that go into almost every software product, such as accepting payments, but despite how common they are, it many times still takes a lot of work to provide a great customer experience. In the payments example, for instance, there are many paths a user can take through the payment process, and all those paths have to be thought through with well-behaved responses from the product at each step.”
What kinds of things do you think we should be doing to encourage more people to pursue a career in computer science?
“For me, it would be encouraging more exposure at earlier ages. I have two kids, and I’ve thought a bit about how to get them excited about computers and technology. There are a lot of toys now that emphasize coding and building with electronics, which can cultivate an interest in technology and could lead to a career in software development.”
What brought you to CIBO?
“I was looking for and have always been interested in joining a company with an emphasis on science and technology. When I heard about the opportunity at CIBO and what they were working on in agriculture, it piqued my interest.”
What are your primary responsibilities at CIBO?
“I work on the backend of our product. My work spans search infrastructure, APIs, authentication API, and general backend work.”
What do you find the most rewarding about your work here?
“For me, it’s the colleagues I work with every day. I also enjoy working on CIBO’s product, as I believe it will provide a lot of value to its users.”
About Garrett Kolpin
Garrett Kolpin is a Lead Software Engineer at CIBO, a science-driven software startup. Prior to CIBO, he worked for Virgin Pulse, RedBrick Health, and Thomson Reuters. He holds a Bachelors in Mathematics and Computer Science from Gustavus Adolphus College and a Master of Science in Computer Science from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.