Summary
Eli Thorkelson is a Senior Software Development Engineer with 13 years of experience building web and back-end systems, currently crafting solutions at Workday. He brings an uncommon blend of rigorous academic training—a PhD in cultural anthropology—and hands-on engineering, having transitioned from research and lecturing roles into software development. His background includes web applications work at the University of Chicago, back-end engineering for agencies, and research fellowships that honed skills in complex problem framing and interdisciplinary collaboration. Based in Georgia, Eli combines analytical depth with practical engineering practices to deliver thoughtful, user-aware systems.
13 years of coding experience
5 years of employment as a software developer
Bachelor of Arts - BA, Anthropology, Bachelor of Arts - BA, Anthropology at Cornell University
Doctor of Philosophy - PhD, Anthropology, Doctor of Philosophy - PhD, Anthropology at University of Chicago