Computer Science

Inside the Internship: Fernando Picoral, Google

Michelle Wiese — Wed, 14 Jan 2026 16:37:05 +0000

Inside the Internship: Fernando Picoral, Google Michelle Wiese Wed, 01/14/2026 - 09:37

Fernando Picoral, CompSci'26
Google, Software Engineering Intern

Designing for Scale at Google

In summer 2025, Fernando Picoral (CompSci'26) wrapped up his third internship at Google, where he learned that great engineering is as much about “designing for others” as it is about writing code. Over the years, he’s discovered that the best software doesn’t just work well — it scales, evolves and empowers others to build on top of it.

“Treat every internship like an opportunity to learn how the industry really works, both technically and collaboratively.” Fernando shared. “Focus on writing clear design documents and asking thoughtful questions early, even before you start coding.” – Picoral

At Google, Picoral found himself doing far more than debugging or implementing features. He spent time drafting technical design documents, weighing trade-offs and defending his decisions in design reviews, all while learning to communicate ideas clearly across teams.

“Designing reliable systems isn’t just about efficiency, it’s about creating solutions that can evolve over time and communicating clearly so others can build on them” – Picoral

Taking Ownership and Growing Through Feedback

Picoral encourages other students to embrace challenging projects and approach them with curiosity. In addition, Picoral has pushed himself by taking ownership of big projects, as he believes that this is where the best learning occurs — by stepping outside of your comfort zone.

“Seek feedback, iterate often, and remember that great engineers combine technical depth with strong communication and teamwork.” – Picoral

Having that mindset paid off. After three summers at Google, Picoral received a full-time offer to return as a software engineer after graduation.

Landing Your Dream Internship

Picoral’s journey with Google began before he ever set foot on the �� Boulder campus. He had dreamed of working there since high school — he was drawn to technology and, he admits, inspired by the movie The Internship.

During his first year at �� Boulder, he applied early to a handful of big tech companies, determined to make that dream a reality.

“For my first Google internship in 2023, I applied as soon as applications opened,” Picoral said. “I interviewed in January and received my offer at the end of the month.”

That first role came through the Student Training in Engineering Program (STEP), a Google initiative designed for first- and second-year students. The experience became the foundation for his future internships, giving him the chance to grow both technically and professionally.

Finding Mentorship and Support

Picoral credits his preparation and success to both mentorship and consistent practice.

“One of my freshman-year roommate’s dads worked at Google for many years,” he said. “He gave me valuable tips and even did a mock interview with me, which really helped me understand what to expect.”

Beyond that, Picoral focused on building a strong resume through meaningful projects and experiences that demonstrated his skills in action.

Get Involved

Fernando’s story highlights the importance of taking initiative, communicating clearly, and learning from every challenge. The Engineering Career Hub is here to support students every step of the way. From resume reviews and mock interviews to internship connections and career fairs.

Learn more about how the Engineering Career Hub can support your journey.

Read more Inside the Internship stories.

In his third Google internship, Fernando Picoral (CompSci'26) learned that great engineering goes beyond coding—it’s about designing systems that scale, evolve, and empower others.

Off

Traditional

White

New open-source software allows for efficient 3D printing with multiple materials

Alexander James Servantez — Mon, 13 Oct 2025 22:48:57 +0000

New open-source software allows for efficient 3D printing with multiple materials Alexander Jame… Mon, 10/13/2025 - 16:48

Assistant Professor Robert MacCurdy and fourth-year PhD student Charles Wade have created an open-source design system software package that uses functions and code to map not just shapes, but where different materials belong in a 3D object. The project, called OpenVCAD, has the potential to transform 3D printing by enabling engineers to design multi-material objects smarter and more efficiently.

Off

Traditional

White

Achey earns Department of Defense NDSEG fellowship

Charles Ferrer — Tue, 26 Aug 2025 19:14:38 +0000

Achey earns Department of Defense NDSEG fellowship Charles Ferrer Tue, 08/26/2025 - 13:14

Lorin Achey, a second-year computer science PhD student, has earned the prestigious 2025 National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate Fellowship for her promising research in robotic perception systems. The Department of Defense fellowship was established to recognize and support science and engineering PhD students in disciplines of military importance.

Off

Traditional

White

Computer science PhD student is making waves in research and the open water

Alexander James Servantez — Wed, 09 Jul 2025 16:27:34 +0000

Computer science PhD student is making waves in research and the open water Alexander Jame… Wed, 07/09/2025 - 10:27

Corey Murphey is working to understand the spread of pathogens through these aerosols and limit the transmission of airborne, infectious diseases. But she's also an accomplished marathon open-water swimmer who recently took first place in the SCAR Swim Challenge.

Off

Traditional

White

�� Boulder students win big at collegiate hydropower competition

Alexander James Servantez — Wed, 18 Jun 2025 23:11:36 +0000

�� Boulder students win big at collegiate hydropower competition Alexander Jame… Wed, 06/18/2025 - 17:11

The �� Hydropower Team had a strong showing in this year's Hydropower Collegiate Competition, bringing home multiple awards including the best design award, the cybersecurity award, the best quick pitch award and the highly coveted first-place honor in the overall competition.

Off

Traditional

White

Lifelong learner

Hanna Nordwall — Fri, 06 Jun 2025 21:49:20 +0000

Lifelong learner Hanna Nordwall Fri, 06/06/2025 - 15:49

Grace Wilson

"Computers are at the base of almost everything."

Lloyd Botway (MCompSci’70)

Donor pays it forward by supporting master’s students in computer science

Lloyd Botway’s (MCompSci’70) degree was the second master’s ever granted by the Department of Computer Science at �� Boulder.

He’s so grateful for how it helped to shape his life that he decided to pay it forward. Botway and his wife created the Lloyd and Yaemi Botway Computer Science Endowed Scholarship Fund, which has already supported 20 master’s students since its inception in 2021. In addition, in 2024 they endowed a fellowship fund to support faculty research.

From creating one of the first computerized library systems to being chief data architect at Quest Diagnostics, Botway has had a remarkable career. He has also led a rich life that includes music, Japanese language studies and writing. In fact, he’s working on a mystery novel right now from his new home in Japan.

How did �� Boulder prepare you for your career and your life?

The grounding in how computer logic works and the practice that I got at �� Boulder enabled me to have a very successful career. I loved the creation of intricate software systems. I give a lot of credit to a professor emeritus, William Waite, my thesis advisor. That 30-year career and the success I had were made possible by the grounding I got at ��.

You’re a lifelong learner — what skills help you do that?

Curiosity. It’s driven me to delve into many different hobbies. Some friends accuse me of being a faddist, getting into something and then dropping it, but part of what keeps me alive is continuing to expand my interests. For example, I’m teaching piano in Japan, which means I’m learning all of the Japanese music vocabulary, and a couple of months ago I started learning the shakuhachi, a bamboo flute that’s immensely difficult. I just keep looking for new things to do.

Why did you decide to support graduate students in computer science at �� Boulder?

I’m so grateful for the grounding that I got in making my career possible. I also remember how difficult it was when I was in graduate school learning how computers work; it takes so much time and study. I would like to make it easier for other people to do the same thing so they don’t have to worry about their next meal or if they can afford a room. I would also like the recipients of the awards to, when they become successful, remember what �� Boulder meant to them and see if they can in turn give back. Maybe it’s not through money, either. Consider volunteering or tutoring.

What is the utility of a computer science degree?

Flexibility and purpose. Computers are at the base of almost everything. I had so many different jobs in my career, from helping diagnosticians read X-rays to cleaning imperfections in images from the Hubble space telescope. You might start writing some software in one subject and then do something completely different with the same ideas.

Humans are tool creators and tool users, and the purpose of a program is to make someone’s job more pleasant. We program because we are creating wonderful tools.

Donor pays it forward by supporting master’s students in computer science

Off

Traditional

White

Shaping the future of quantum systems

Susan Glairon — Fri, 09 May 2025 11:53:41 +0000

Shaping the future of quantum systems Susan Glairon Fri, 05/09/2025 - 05:53

Susan Glairon

Ramin Ayanzadeh's research focuses on trustworthy quantum computing to enhance the reliability and security of quantum systems.

Off

Traditional

White

Engineering double major and student leader of the year

Jeff Zehnder — Tue, 06 May 2025 15:20:36 +0000

Engineering double major and student leader of the year Jeff Zehnder Tue, 05/06/2025 - 09:20

Jeff Zehnder

Pore (right) being recognized as the Boettcher Student Leader of the Year.

Aaditya Pore is an engineering senior double majoring in aerospace and computer science. He is an extremely active student, serving as senior class president, competing in the Daniels Fund National Ethics Case Competition and earning the 2025 Boettcher Student Leader of the Year award.

As he prepares to graduate, he reflects on his time at �� Boulder and how he juggles all of his classes and extracurricular activities:

What does it mean to you to be recognized as Boettcher Student Leader of the Year?

Gaining this recognition is such an amazing culminating achievement for my time at ��. Majoring in engineering, leadership isn’t always directed as a focus, and there’s not as much representation of engineers in campus wide leadership. Having had the chance to not participate in shared governance at �� but also make a meaningful contribution to bettering campus has been an opportunity I will cherish for the rest of my life.

Most importantly, being able to have gained support from my community, inside and outside of the College of Engineering, has enabled me to reach this point. I see this accomplishment as a tribute to those who contributed so much to me during my journey – advisors, professors, mentors, friends, and family.

You are a double major in aerospace and computer science and are the Senior Class Council President. When do you sleep?

Whether it was being involved in �� Student Government as the Legislative Council President, the President’s Leadership Class as their Professional Development Coordinator, �� Milana as a member of the dance team, or the Senior Class Council as President, my involvements have indubitably been the most important part of my time in Boulder.

I’ve found that when you value something, you can find time to prioritize it, regardless of how busy your schedule gets. Of course, this comes with sacrifices. There were many days where I stay up far too late to do homework, missing out on fun memories with friends or adequate sleep to prepare myself for the next day. But, those were all costs I was willing to take, and steps towards the balance I desired in my life.

My goal with an optimal balance was always one of playing roughly just as hard as I worked. Sleep wasn’t always on that priority list, and often got overlooked. Thought, I look back at my time over the last four years and feel content: with the memories I made, the impact I had, and the great experiences I’ll remember moving forward.

What drew you to engineering as opposed to another field of study?

For as long as I can remember, I wanted to work on rocket ships. Something about the mystery of the night sky always drew my interest. When I was in kindergarten, we had an assignment to make a poster about ourselves – our family, our hobbies, etc. There was a section about what we wanted to be when we grew up, and I still remember writing ‘NASA Scientist’ in the box.

Thankfully, through the Pathways program at NASA, that dream has come true, and it is in large part because of the Aero program at ��. The quality and ranking of Smead Aerospace brought me here from Kansas, and wanting to be at the forefront of integrating software and hardware development led me to take on CS as well.

I’ve dabbled in other programs in my time at ��: Political Science, Leadership Studies, and more; but engineering has always felt like home. Being able to solve the complex problems we do in the manner we’re enabled to is an experience that’s hard to get anywhere else, and I’m forever grateful for my decision to follow this path.

As class president, you will be speaking at commencement. Few students have the opportunity to address the entire student body. What do you hope to share?

I hope my speech is a source of motivation for those that come after me. In today’s political climate, effective leadership is more important than ever. Not just in a political space, necessarily, but even in our day-to-day: in our workplaces, our communities, even our homes.

Being a leader isn’t just about making large scale change and solving world peace; rather, being a good leader can just mean being the person that puts a smile on everyone’s face every day; being a source of support for a community; or, just doing the right thing whenever you can.

I aspire for my success and words to show other students on campus that anyone can be a leader, and in the face of the division and polarization that we see in our society today, it is imperative that we all – regardless of background - step up and play a role in leading our community to prosperity. Moreover, coming from an engineering background, I hope it serves as a sign to those who may also be in STEM but aspire to do more on the leadership front. We are all equally equipped to be change makers, it’s just a matter of acting on that potential.

Anyone can make an impact on the world, and the skills that engineering gives you makes that an easier feat to accomplish."

When did you feel like you hit your stride or felt like you were "officially" an engineer.

Two moments stand out to me. The first was actually before I even came to ��. I graduated in 2020, right when COVID started to shut down our communities. A friend and I quickly acted to try and see how we could help our local area, even if we were just high school kids. We quickly made a nonprofit that 3D printed personal protective equipment for healthcare facilities that needed them, and quickly patched a gap in supply chains that would otherwise cripple their services.

Over about two and a half years, we produced and delivered over 8,000 units of PPE to hospitals nationwide, from California to New York. In that moment, even though I hadn’t even started an engineering degree yet, I learned that anyone can make an impact on the world, and the skills that engineering gives you makes that an easier feat to accomplish. It validated that engineering was the right path for me, and I’ve been on it ever since.

The second would be when I started working at NASA. I’ve done two rotations there now, and each and every one has been one of the most professionally motivating experiences I’ve ever had. Being able to see the knowledge I’ve gained from my classes being put to work to pushing society’s frontier in space has been eye opening, and I can’t wait to continue to grow on my journey in my further work.

A project I worked on during my first internship at NASA is going to the ISS soon, and I’m so excited to see what accomplishments come next.

What accomplishment are you most proud of, either academically or personally?

By far my most proud accomplishment so far has been helping three other students, two from ��, get into the NASA Pathways program. I’m a firm believer that our legacy is defined not by what we accomplish, but rather, by what we helps others achieve.

My mom always instilled in me the value of giving back to your community, even when it may feel inconvenient, and I’m glad to have acted to have acted on that advice.

My greatest memories at �� will not be tied to things I did, but those that I worked with, made smile, helped succeed, and built long lasting relationships with.

I look forward to continuing to help facilitate the growth of those that come after me in any way possible as I progress through my professional and personal journey. I implore others to try it out, as well. Mentorship is an unbelievably rewarding journey, for yourself, and for those that you help.

Aaditya Pore is an engineering senior double majoring in aerospace and computer science. He is an extremely active student, serving as senior class president, competing in the...

Off

Traditional

Aaditya Pore at Machu Picchu.

White

�� Boulder launching master’s degrees in artificial intelligence

Emily Adams — Wed, 23 Apr 2025 13:00:00 +0000

�� Boulder launching master’s degrees in artificial intelligence Emily Adams Wed, 04/23/2025 - 07:00

To meet increased workforce demand, the Department of Computer Science is introducing a Master of Science degree in AI that will be available both in-person and online through Coursera.

Off

Traditional

White

Engineering Projects Expo 2025: Explore new inventions and technologies created by �� Engineering students

Michelle Wiese — Mon, 21 Apr 2025 15:45:18 +0000

Engineering Projects Expo 2025: Explore new inventions and technologies created by �� Engineering students Michelle Wiese Mon, 04/21/2025 - 09:45

On Friday, April 25 at the University of Colorado Boulder, engineering students will present their capstone design projects at the annual Engineering Projects Expo. This year's event will feature projects from mechanical engineering; computer science; electrical, computer and energy engineering; biomedical engineering; and civil, environmental and architectural engineering.

Off

Traditional

White

Computer Science

Inside the Internship: Fernando Picoral, Google

Designing for Scale at Google

Taking Ownership and Growing Through Feedback

Landing Your Dream Internship

Finding Mentorship and Support

Off

New open-source software allows for efficient 3D printing with multiple materials

Off

Achey earns Department of Defense NDSEG fellowship

Off

Computer science PhD student is making waves in research and the open water

Off

���������� Boulder students win big at collegiate hydropower competition

Off

Lifelong learner

"Computers are at the base of almost everything."

How did ���������� Boulder prepare you for your career and your life?

You’re a lifelong learner — what skills help you do that?

Why did you decide to support graduate students in computer science at ���������� Boulder?

What is the utility of a computer science degree?

Off

Shaping the future of quantum systems

Off

Engineering double major and student leader of the year

What does it mean to you to be recognized as Boettcher Student Leader of the Year?

You are a double major in aerospace and computer science and are the Senior Class Council President. When do you sleep?

What drew you to engineering as opposed to another field of study?

As class president, you will be speaking at commencement. Few students have the opportunity to address the entire student body. What do you hope to share?

When did you feel like you hit your stride or felt like you were "officially" an engineer.

What accomplishment are you most proud of, either academically or personally?

Off

���������� Boulder launching master’s degrees in artificial intelligence

Off

Engineering Projects Expo 2025: Explore new inventions and technologies created by ���������� Engineering students

Off

�� Boulder students win big at collegiate hydropower competition

How did �� Boulder prepare you for your career and your life?

Why did you decide to support graduate students in computer science at �� Boulder?

�� Boulder launching master’s degrees in artificial intelligence

Engineering Projects Expo 2025: Explore new inventions and technologies created by �� Engineering students