Silvana Togneri MacMahon

Assistant Professor at DCU School of Computing

When Silvana Togneri MacMahon took her first role in computing as a software tester at a contact centre of a retail bank, she had no formal background in computing let alone what software testing was. The three-week project turned into a year as a tester, followed by two years as a test lead, leading to a higher diploma and Ph.D. in computer science. Now, Dr. Silvana MacMahon is an assistant professor at the Dublin City University School of Computing and is passionate about highlighting alternative pathways into computing, like her own.

Career Trajectory

Upon graduating from UCD with a B.A. in French and Italian, Silvana found herself with no fixed career path, but with a strong desire to continue exploring her interests. After working in retail shops, Silvana took a job at a call centre in Dublin, providing her with essential background and experience in communication and customer service. Later, Silvana decided to return to her home county, Louth, and took on multiple roles including another local shop and a receptionist at a wedding hotel. Her career trajectory took a turn when a retail bank opened in her hometown and with her call centre experience, Silvana secured a job and later trained to be a mortgage advisor.

During her time at the bank, Silvana was asked to join a software testing project. Intrigued by the opportunity, she immediately agreed without knowing what exactly software testing entailed. What was meant to be a 3-week project turned into a year as a tester followed by two years as a test lead during which she oversaw two teams of testers based in Ireland as well as developers in different countries. Silvana loved the role, as it allowed her to interact with all areas of the organisation and enhanced her understanding of the business as a whole.

Back to Education

Despite facing the unfortunate circumstance of the retail bank closing operations, leaving Silvana redundant, she was presented with a unique opportunity to pursue a Level 8 Honours Conversion Higher Diploma Degree in computing from the Dundalk Institute of Technology. Silvana excelled as a full-time student, having previously studied part time to become a qualified financial advisor and for a qualification in software testing.

As she finished her higher diploma, Silvana’s passion for education and academia began to emerge. Recognizing this, she applied and was accepted to a Ph.D. program, and submitted her thesis in an impressive three years and four months. Her Ph.D. research revolved around risk management of medical IT networks including aiming to better facilitate conversations across hospital departments. After successfully submitting her thesis, she assumed a postdoctoral position. Building off her extensive academic achievements, Silvana will soon complete her fourth year as an Assistant Professor at the DCU School of Computing.

The Importance of Communication and Asking Questions

As Silvana embarked on her journey as a software tester, she recalls being in professional settings where individuals spoke a seemingly different language, leaving her feeling lost and unsure of what was happening. Now, as an educator, she is an advocate for equipping students entering industry with softer skills, such as communication and the courage to ask questions.

Silvana’s research focuses primarily on the crucial aspect of communication among various stakeholder groups, representing the culmination of all her diverse experiences.“In retrospect, I think that every role that I’ve done, whether it’s in the shop, whether it was in the hotel working with brides, in the call centre, it’s around that communication piece.” How do you explain expectations? How do you get people together to have a conversation with common terminology? These questions form the core of her research, as she seeks to find answers and bridge the gaps that hinder effective communication in professional environments.

Silvana’s perspective as both a researcher and an educator underscores the significance of addressing communication barriers in professional settings. She says, “When we’re thinking about students and the experience of going out into industry and sitting in a room with somebody talking about something that is very important to a project and you don’t know what’s going on, we need to empower people to actually stop a conversation and say, ‘You’re going to have to explain that.’ That’s a really difficult thing to do…but it’s so necessary.”

A Different Perspective

Silvana recognizes that misconceptions surrounding the so-called traditional pathways into CS often deter people from pursuing a career in computing. She too has encountered these misconceptions but she reaffirms her position in the field.

“I struggled with that a bit in my past thinking that I don’t have a primary computing degree, that means I shouldn’t be somebody who is working in the school of computing. And it’s not the case. I bring something that’s a little different to some of the other people working in the department and I come at it from a different perspective and it doesn’t mean that that perspective is any less or any worse. It’s just different.”

Computer science was not something Silvana was formally trained in, nor was it a career path she had ever considered for herself. “There are lots of people out there, I’m sure, who would be really beneficial to the industry but we need to figure out better ways of engaging them.” Silvana attributes her success in the field of computing to her life and work experiences, recognizing the value of every job she has undertaken. “Every single job that I’ve done, and I firmly believe this, has taught me something that’s valuable to today.”