Staff Spotlight – Rebecca Tuxworth
Rebecca's journey takes her from a maths enthusiast in high school to living in Italy and now working for Polymathian as a Software Engineer and Project Consultant. When she’s not working, Rebecca might be training for a triathlon or whipping up her signature slow-roasted pork tacos. Read more as we explore Rebecca's professional insights and personal passions.
Let’s get to know Rebecca!
- Can you describe your background and career path that led you to Polymathian?
- I really enjoyed maths in high school, but when it came to Uni, I wanted to try a degree in Nutrition and Dietetics. I quickly learnt that Nutrition wasn’t for me, so I decided to study maths instead.
During my studies, I was introduced to Polymathian through a university event they sponsored. This led to a summer internship between my second and third years, which transitioned into working as a software developer. My role has evolved from primarily coding to mainly consulting in the BOLT team.
- How would you describe what you do to a child?
- I help people use computers for Mining.
- Could you describe a typical day and a challenge you've faced at Polymathian?
- My day generally involves client meetings to discuss support issues or new feature requests. I also spend time analysing client data, using BOLT to run scenarios for deployments, or preparing proposals for upcoming development phases. A significant challenge is aligning our technical capabilities with client expectations, which often requires creative problem-solving to effectively meet their needs.
- What skills are essential for success in your position?
- Strong people skills are essential for working with clients. It’s also important to have a high level of technical understanding, so I can answer client questions accurately and communicate effectively with our technical teams to make sure we're all on the same page.
- What has been your most rewarding project at Polymathian and why?
- It would have to be with an Iron Ore mine in Brazil. It's great to see them use Bolt so extensively in their day-to-day operations. Knowing that our work significantly boosts their efficiency and effectiveness makes the whole experience really rewarding.
- How do you see your role evolving in the next few years?
- I’m keen to continue down the consulting pathway. I'm also looking forward to opportunities for closer integration with Deswik products and working more collaboratively with Deswik consultants. Their extensive mining experience has already been super helpful.
- What advice would you give to someone starting their career in this industry?
- Start networking early, especially during university. Remember, if a company is sponsoring a uni event, they're likely on the lookout for interns or graduates. So it's a great place to kickstart your career.
Let's talk a bit about your life outside of work
- What hobbies or activities do you enjoy outside of work?
- I'm passionate about food and fitness. I recently completed a sprint triathlon and am training for the Byron Bay sprint, aiming for a full triathlon eventually. Foodwise, I love exploring new restaurants and cooking at home, with slow-roasted shredded pork tacos being my speciality when hosting friends. But Italian is my favourite, especially Burrata cheese.
- Do you have a favourite book or movie that has significantly influenced you?
- My favourite book is "Shantaram" by Gregory Roberts. It's loosely based on the author's own experiences, including escaping from prison and moving to India. What stands out to me most is his incredibly positive outlook on life, despite facing such tough challenges. I’m due for a re-read!
- Do you have a memorable travel story or a destination you would like to visit?
- I lived in Udine, Italy for a year before starting my maths degree. I worked as a nanny and taught English online. It was a great experience and I went back to visit last year. I would also like to visit South America. I'd explore all over, but I would be most excited to visit Mexico, Colombia, Peru and the Amazon!
- Do you have a life philosophy you live by?
- Be kind to people.
- If you could meet anyone, past or present, who would it be and why?
- It would be cool to meet some of my older relatives from the past. I'm curious to see if we share any similarities and to hear firsthand about their life experiences.
- What's a fun fact not many people know about you?
- I can speak Italian. I picked it up while living in Italy. I'm also learning Auslan, which is Australian sign language, so I can communicate with family.
- If you weren’t working in your current field, what other profession would you like to try?
- I'd love to work as a food recipe creator or even a celebrity chef. I'm really enjoying the content from an Instagram influencer, Recipe Tin Eats. I've tried a bunch of her recipes, and they've all turned out fantastic.
- If you could instantly master one skill, what would it be and why?
- I would love to be great at surfing, it'd be fun to carve up the waves. Mastering card counting wouldn't hurt either to make bank!
- If you could solve one world problem, what would it be and why?
- Putting an end to war because of the devastating impacts it has on people and societies. It's a huge challenge, but imagine the difference it would make.
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