It came as a surprise to Andrea (but not to anybody else) that she wanted to work as an executive assistant. She should have anticipated it; she did write her master’s thesis in rhetoric on how to lay the foundation for a great partnership between the rhetorical adviser and the director that needs assistance!
As in any great story, the goal wasn’t achieved from the beginning. Instead, Andrea spent four years as an external consultant in rhetoric, working her way through the Danish public and private sector. She travelled extensively, and learned how to write speeches, lead workshops, teach rhetoric, and sell consultancy services. It didn’t matter whether the client was top management, a union representative, or a specialised worker – everybody needs to be able to speak well and engage a crowd.
However, Andrea knew that working from the outside wasn’t what she desired. She wanted to be part of the organisation that she was helping, getting to know its members, its strategy, and its challenges and strength in depth. She also wanted to work closely with one or two members of management so that she could refine her ability to anticipate their needs and really be of assistance. This was a discussion that she often had with Stine, whenever the two of them and their partners met up to drink port and catch up. After two years of listening to this, Stine asked her if she wanted to try working with her and Dyalog Ltd. Andrea was sceptical at first as programming had never caught her interest, but her three-week internship passed very quickly. For a person interested in communication, behavioural design, and people, Dyalog Ltd was a wonderful source of learning and development. Advising on communication, helping with administration, and partaking in leadership discussions gave Andrea a new sense of fulfilment; here she got to stay and actually do the work instead of always leaving for the next client. After her internship she submitted a formal application and soon found herself thrown headfirst into a whole new world of programming and APL. Besides tackling administration and communicational tasks, Andrea is also trying to increase the number of memes being circulated in Dyalog Ltd!
When she is not at work, Andrea can be found in her garden, her kitchen, or in bed with the newspaper and a pot of coffee! If she must be honest, most of the time she will be found at her own computer, staying in touch with friends and planning the next gathering!
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He found his way to APL due to a fascination with programming languages – not so much programming language development, but more the affordances that different languages provide and reasons why you’d choose one over another in various circumstances. His interest in APL remained for many years after his initial discovery of the language, nurtured by watching presentations and reading articles. Eventually, he found himself talking for two hours about APL with experienced APLer 
Martina started studying physics with the intention of specialising in Astrophysics. However, after her first linear algebra and analysis classes, she discovered that she found most enjoyment in the mathematical and theoretical aspects of physics. Following this discovery, she started a Master’s degree in statistical mechanics and computational physics, ultimately pursuing a PhD in computational materials science with a focus on the physics of complex systems.
Karl was one of the few computer science students who actually enjoyed the courses on project management; he was also part of an even smaller minority who enjoyed writing mathematical proofs! He not only brings his mathematics and coding abilities with him, but also a fresh energy to the team.
After graduating from the University of Portsmouth with a bachelor’s degree in software engineering, Abs started investigating IT roles. He wanted something that provided a challenge, working for a team that was passionate about what they do, and in which he could contribute to that effort through the software and IT abilities that he has accumulated; with Dyalog Ltd he found it! Abs was hurled into the world of APL, which was very different to the Python that he was used to. Although his role doesn’t involve much APL, he appreciates how compact APL solutions can be when wielded correctly. Armed with a fresh perspective and a helpful attitude, he joins our IT department hoping to maintain and improve the current IT infrastructure and provide technical solutions to anyone that needs it.