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My name is Rae Jillian Rivera and I am a first generation Filipina-American, and first generation STEM college graduate. I’ve graduated from California State University, Long Beach with my Bachelors of Science in Electronics Engineering Technology in 2019 and now a graduate student at Georgia Institute of Technology for my Masters in Computer Science with a specialization in Computational Perception and Robotics.

I have been working as a Software Developer & Creative Technologist for Walt Disney Imagineering since 2017 and was part of the team that brought both attractions at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge to life at both coasts, as well as the new Spider-Man attraction at Avengers Campus in both Disney California Adventure and Disneyland Paris. My current work is with the Interactive team where I merge my experiences across all disciplines to bring the impossible to life.

Prior to Imagineering, I’ve worked as an undergraduate biotechnology researcher for 3-years, then worked in a start-up known as AstroLabs LLC. There I worked on interplanetary space missions and flight systems design.

I’ve practiced growth-mindset and overcame many obstacles that came my way continuously in my life. I am extremely grateful for the opportunities in my life and have been volunteering and giving back to my community since I was 12-years-old. Every summer I have always volunteered for STEM summer camps, worked in my free time as a tutor, mentor, workshop lead, teacher, judge, keynote speaker, panelist, you name it! (Outreach is my passion and is a section on my website I am working on since I have to dig through YEARS of any photos or events I’ve been a part of). I have been crowned Miss Long Beach 2020 where I focus on promoting STEAM to underrepresented and underserved communities in my community and across the nation.

my professional career

my personal life

After 9 years of being on the registry I finally matched with an individual diagnosed with leukemia. • As someone who overcame depression last year, I am extremely grateful for each day and in love with life! So having this opportunity to give
Crochet the cold away❄️🌨️ • I made this scarf for my trip and it was worth every stitch🧶
I’m back from my travels and I’ve fallen in love again. I’m in love with who I’m becoming, living life each and every day, and life itself. When I was younger, I thought by 26 I’d be adventurous and seeing the world. S
I’ve mostly been away from social media but I’m doing okay! I’ve been working for months on myself, this TEDx talk, and my next moves in life. • 200+ applicants, 12 amazing speakers, and an incredible team who made another chi
It’s not just a boulder, it’s a rock🪨🤠
The Avengers Campus in Paris is finally open! Working with this team was incredible and I definitely learned so much while working internationally. Thank you to everyone who touched this project and made it possible for someone to feel like a super h
Weightlessness & happiness☀️ • #mindfulness #selflove #gratefulness
Happy International Women’s Engineering Day!👷🏻‍♀️👩🏻‍💻 Working with the teams from both continents to bring the Interactive technology for the WEB-SLINGERS attraction to life (Worldwide Engineering Brigade) was definitely one of the
Fun with the family and wishing my Tita Edith a happy 80th! 🥳

Outreach

I always make time for any outreach. I’ve volunteered every year and every season ever since I was 12 years old to provide my peers and community the same opportunities I had to reach my dreams. In fact, I’ve been working towards a Masters for a dream job larger than Disney & NASA, which is teaching. I want to make a direct positive impact to help the next generation make the world and our shared future amazing.

Because I’ve been doing this for so long, I’ve been working on a separate page on my website to try and gather everything to one place.

 
 

"Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world."

-Albert Einstein