Her Story
About Layla
Layla Liu is a junior at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, where she is pursuing a bachelor's degree in computer science. She began her professional journey in the tech industry two and a half years ago with a summer internship at a tech startup and has since continued working closely in the field. Liu is now pivoting toward the robotics industry, focusing on robotics technology, and is conducting research in a Cornell lab. Originally from China, she is an international student who values being open-minded to new ideas and voices, a perspective shaped by her move to the United States seven years ago. Her career advice emphasizes thinking about the bigger picture rather than short-term comparisons and encourages young women entering tech to remain open-minded, try new things, and avoid comparing themselves to others on social media.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Layla
01What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
My brother advised me not to think too short-term but to consider the bigger picture. At Cornell, I often compared myself to others with big tech internships, but he reminded me that everyone has different paths and that following the crowd won't make me stand out. Instead, pursuing what I actually want, like startups, gives me the chance to be different and make something meaningful.
02What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Don't limit yourself to one particular area and always be open-minded to try new things because you never know until you try it. Also, don't compare yourself to others on social media; you are on your own path and don't need to feel pressure to meet some standard.
03What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
In robotics tech, AI is pushing things faster with agents writing code, but verifying results for quality is a challenge. There's concern that AI-generated content reduces innovation since it builds on previous stuff, making it harder to create truly new and useful things.
04What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Being very open-minded and accepting of new ideas or new voices is key. As an international student from China, coming to the U.S. required being open-minded to different things, which helps in making friends without bias and verifying ideas for myself rather than shutting them down.
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