Lia Palosanu came to the UK from Romania 14 years ago, unable to speak any English. She became the first in her family to go to university, where she was one of the few females on the computer science course. Now she’s using her coding skills to develop tools that are helping organisations decarbonise more quickly and effectively…
What is your position at City Science?
I’m a software developer. Here at City Science, we write and maintain good quality code. We solve problems, especially decarbonisation problems, and work on various projects, from web applications to transport and energy projects. Our team also helps out with any tooling colleagues might need for bids or projects they’ve won.
For the past few months, I have been focusing primarily on transport and energy projects. It’s great to be in an organisation where, even if you change discipline, what you’re doing is still having a positive impact on the world
How did you come to be working at CS?
I guess the story starts when I moved to the UK with my family from Romania about 14 years ago. My parents wanted my sister and me to have a better future. They believed the UK offered a better school system and overall environment for us to grow up in. It was a big change, especially coming here as a teenager.
The first year was tough; I didn’t speak much English at all. I learned by listening and observing. My school was very supportive and provided me with extra help to catch up. There weren’t many immigrants in my school at the time, and I was the first Romanian. It felt isolating at times, even when placed with classmates to help me integrate.
They paved the way for me to be where I am today; I’m the first person in my family to go to university and did a degree in computer science at Essex University.
University was my first exposure to coding, and again I felt somewhat of a minority because it was a heavily male-dominated course. It was challenging to make friends and find a support network.
Things are slowly improving, but there’s still a long way to go. When I joined City Science, I was happy to see other female developers, and it’s great to have a more balanced team.
Can you tell us more about a specific project you’ve been involved in?
One of our biggest projects is Cadence 360, software for visualising geospatial data.
Essentially, it helps people understand data on a whole new level by allowing them to see policies and information on a map. I’ve worked on bug fixes, new functionalities, and improvements for Cadence 360, ensuring it meets the needs of our clients.
In particular, I look at how the Cadence 360 is actually being used – which areas and functionalities are subject to the most stress – so we can ensure they work as effectively as possible. This is all part of constantly improving the user experience.
What motivates you most about your work at City Science?
There aren’t many places where software development and sustainability come together in a tangible way. City Science is one of those rare places.
We collaborate with local governments and Innovate UK to deliver engineering projects that make a real difference.
It’s incredibly rewarding to know that my work contributes to decarbonisation efforts in transport.
When you do get time off, what do you enjoy doing?
I’m a walker! I love exploring new places on foot, and I also enjoy traveling, although I try to be mindful of the environment and opt for sustainable options like trains whenever possible. When I’m not exploring, I like to express myself creatively through painting and pottery classes.
If you could wave a magic wand and change something about policy or legislation, what would it be?
Software development and AI don’t get enough scrutiny for their environmental impact.
These processes require a lot of resources, and while innovation is crucial, we don’t pay enough attention to its effect on our planet. I would like to see more accountability from companies in this regard.
There should be stricter regulations or standards to ensure they minimise their environmental footprint. Offsetting the carbon emissions generated by software development isn’t enough; we need to find ways to make the entire process more sustainable.