If there is one thing Angelik Laboy wants to make clear from the beginning, it’s that she knows her story sounds like a fairytale. But like most stories, there have been plenty of setbacks and days she has felt like throwing in the towel. She believes that it’s in those moments that a person has to choose to see the opportunity to grow rather than giving up.

“I think a reoccurring theme in my life is that I don’t get handed opportunities easily. I have to make them happen,” Laboy said.

A second-year computer science major and film studies minor, Laboy is from a small, rural town about an hour outside of San Juan, Puerto Rico. Her dad works in real estate and social work, while her mom is a cashier at the local superstore, and neither is very interested in technology. ­­­

Laboy’s passion for robotics was sparked as a young child when she walked into a plaza in her hometown and saw some boys showing off robots they had built. As she stood watching, she noticed that there were no girls showing off any robots. So, Laboy decided that if the boys could do it, she definitely could too. Shortly after that, she fixed her TV’s remote control and realized that fixing things in tech was like doing magic. She was hooked.

From there, Laboy was selected for a charter school in Puerto Rico that specializes in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM), an opportunity that she realizes was imperative to her entire future. During her time there, she won several awards including an outstanding exhibit award from the Yale Science and Engineering Association, and a Specialized School in Science, Mathematics, and Technology (CIMATEC) award.

She also was a National Center for Women & Information Technology (NCWIT) Aspirations in Computing national winner, and was an Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) finalist. Her experience with Intel allowed her to meet other aspiring scientists from around the world and motivated her to work hard on her projects. Laboy was also the captain of her robotics team when they went to the national championship competition during her sophomore year.

Her high school years not only aided Laboy in her journey to becoming a world-class scientist but also fueled her passion for storytelling. She created two film productions in Puerto Rico dedicated to exploring hidden talent and giving voice to those who don’t have one, especially those who are misrepresented by the media. One of the productions was a PSA for Love Is Louder, an organization that works to combat online bullying with love and kindness. The PSA was accepted to several film festivals all over the world including New York and Brazil.

In ninth-grade, Laboy met a few employees from the Georgia Tech College of Computing’s Office of Outreach, Enrollment, and Community at a conference for girls in technology. They kept in touch over the years and when it came time for Laboy to choose a college, Georgia Tech was a clear choice.

“I loved the community that I could build at Georgia Tech, especially being a student whose family would be staying in Puerto Rico. I also loved that I could build a curriculum that fit me and my interests because of Tech’s THREADS program,” said Laboy.

Now the founder and vice president of Georgia Tech’s film club, Filmmakers@GT, Laboy is continuing to serve both her passion for film and for technology.

“Technology will always be the basis for my passion for film. I love watching movies and figuring out how they made that shot or what could make shots like that better in the future. I also love film because it gives everyone a chance to share their story and what their interests are. Being able to combine these two loves is important to me,” she said.

Laboy was able to see that combination come to life this past summer as a production technology motion picture intern at The Walt Disney Studios in Burbank, Calif.

She added, “The internship was the perfect position for me. I always thought that if you wanted to combine film and technology then you had to end up in animation or editing. Those areas are intriguing, but they are not the goal. It reaffirmed that I don’t have to do just one thing in my career. I want to explore every realm of technology and be able to implement them in my films and in my projects in ways that will make the world better.”

“No matter what I do, I want every girl out there to know that her dream is possible. I want them to see themselves reflected on screen and feel like their story is not only heard, but valued. I want to utilize all of the opportunities in my life so that people can see the potential that Puerto Rico has or what a girl from a small town, with little resources can do.”