Official Canada Blog
News and notes from Google Canada
Celebrating Black History Month at Google Canada: Meet Roger McFarlane
Wednesday, February 24, 2021
Editor's Note: For Black History Month, we're profiling some of the inspiring, dynamic and creative Canadian Black+ men and women at Google.
As a lifelong learner, Roger McFarlane’s curiosity introduced him to the world of computer science and fostered his passion for tech. Over the past 10 years, he’s brought his love for problem solving (or as he calls them ‘puzzles’) to Google — as a software developer for Chrome. And there’s a good chance you’ve used a feature or two that Roger helped bring to life — notably the handy feature that allows Chrome to automatically fill out forms with saved information, like your address or payment details, also known as autofill.
Born in Kingston, Jamaica, Roger immigrated to Winnipeg at the age of four and later moved to Montreal to continue his studies at McGill University. Throughout his life, he’s drawn inspiration from other successful people, always seeking lessons to learn and ways to draw from their success as he paved his own path. Today, he says pursuing an education in something you’re passionate about and making choices that open the most doors is something he hopes to instill in his two kids and others around him.
How would you describe your job at a dinner party to people who don't work in tech?
I solve puzzles. As a Senior Software Developer on the Chrome team (based in the Montreal office), I need to get the computer to do something or react to something in a certain way. As a part of my job, I have a wide array of tools at my disposal, but I need to arrange them in a certain way, similar to a puzzle, to make that action happen.
What’s your one secret power that makes you successful?
Curiosity. As a kid, I was curious about everything — science, physics, people etc. and my curiosity pushed me to discover the world of computers and continues to fuel what I do today.
So you mentioned curiosity led you to discover computers. Was there something or someone that pushed you toward a career in tech?
Absolutely! When I was around 12, I discovered computers and while I didn’t have a computer of my own, my cousin had a Commodore 64. I was fascinated. I quickly realized that I could control how they worked through programming and so I’d go to the library and get books with programs in them, then head over to my cousin’s to use his computer. As I continued to learn, I realized I could write and create my own video games.
From there, I knew I wanted to study computers. When I was in high school in Winnipeg, I was fortunate to have had an amazing science teacher, who also ran the newly created computer lab. He recognized my passion in computer science and gave me the materials, including software licenses to use with my home computer and to complete the Advanced Placement Computer Science curriculum on my own. And so when I went to McGill University in Montréal, I already had some credits completed.
What advice would you give to Black+ people pursuing a career in technology?
Continue learning and stay curious! Being a lifelong learner I constantly approach challenges as opportunities that can open new doors. Take advantage of these opportunities as they arise; they will broaden your knowledge, skillset and professional network.
Secondly, be open to taking risks. This will help you grow and learn from your mistakes.
And lastly, surround yourself with people who are similarly driven to be successful. You can learn a lot from your colleagues. Seeing someone's passion is a very cool thing and inspires me everyday.
What's the most challenging part of your job?
No matter what I’m working on, the biggest challenge is understanding the various needs and wants from our Chrome community. There’s a tendency for engineers, like myself, to think about the products we use in a certain way or to want products to do different things, but that’s not necessarily how our wider audience thinks. And so I’m often thinking about this.
What's the most rewarding part of your job?
It’s really simple! It’s knowing that every day there are billions of people who are using the features I created — including family and friends.
How do you hope to inspire the next generation of Black+ boys and girls as they start to explore their career interests?
I want them to see that they can not only be successful, but that they can thrive doing something they love. Learning from other people has always been integral to my success. I look around and see what does and doesn’t work for people and then apply those learnings to my own life.
As a Black person, you don’t always see yourself reflected in the industry that you want to join. This was true for me. I didn’t specifically have Black inspiration in software development growing up. I hope to inspire Black students to pursue a career in tech by seeing themselves represented, especially in senior positions.
The past year has shown how resilient we are — how are you continuing to rise?
Being self sufficient and responsible with the things I have is really important to me. The past year has really reinforced this. It’s important to always have a plan and make responsible choices that will keep doors open down the road. As a father, I want to set an example for my two kids and set them on a path to success.
Labels
#AI
2
#AIforsocialgood
1
#Artist
1
#Artistontherise
1
#canada
1
#cbcindigenous
1
#Chrome #GoogleCanada #Google
1
#chromebooks #googleforeducation #googlecanada
1
#Chromecast #ChromecastGames #Christmas #Xmas2015 #AngryBirds #Google #AngryBirdsFriends
1
#COVID-19 response
2
#creators
1
#DFO
1
#digitalskills
2
#EarthDay
1
#EnvironmentalInsights #EIE #ClimateAction
1
#GameOn
1
#GlobalJournalismFund
1
#GNI
1
#Google
3
#Google #GoogleCanada #GooglePlay #PlayPass
1
#Google #Accessibility
1
#Google #ArtsAndCulture #GroupOfSeven #Canada #Arts
1
#Google #GoogleAudio
1
#Google #GoogleCanada #GrowwithGoogle
1
#Google #GoogleCanada #Innovation
6
#Google #GoogleCanada #Arctic #Whistler
1
#Google #GoogleCanada #DecadeinSearch #TorontoRaptors #Toronto #BiancaAndreescu #TragicallyHip #Drake #JustinBieber
1
#Google #GoogleCanada #EIE #EnvironmentalInsightsExplorer #Sustainability
1
#Google #GoogleCanada #EIE #EnvironmentalInsightsExplorer #Sustainability #ClimateAction
1
#Google #GoogleCanada #GNI
2
#Google #GoogleCanada #Google.org #ArcticEiderSociety #Inuit #CanadianArctic
1
#Google #GoogleCanada #GoogleCalendar #Android #iphone
1
#Google #GoogleCanada #GoogleKW #Waterloo #Engineering #Innovation
2
#Google #GoogleCanada #IWD #IWD2020 #InternationalWomensDay #AI
1
#Google #GoogleCanada #IWD #IWD2020 #InternationalWomensDay #Communications
1
#Google #GoogleCanada #Nest #NestHubMax #Duo#GoogleMeet
1
#Google #GoogleCanada #Pixel #Pixel4
1
#Google #GoogleCanada #Pixel #Pixel4a #5G
1
#Google #GoogleCanada #Pixel #Pixel4a #Sustainability
1
#Google #GoogleCanada #PixelBuds #FeatureDrop
1
#Google #GoogleCanada #Stadia
1
#Google #GooglePlay #Family #FamilyLibrary
1
#Google #GooglePlayMusic #Beatles #Music
1
#Google #GooglePlayMusic #GooglePodcasts #GoogleCanada
1
#Google #GoogleTV #Chromecast
2
#Google #Nest #NestAware #Canada #GoogleCanada
1
#Google #Olympics #GoogleOlympics
1
#Google #Olympics #GoogleOlympics #GoogleCanada #Rio #Rio2016
2
#Google #Pixel #Pixel5G
1
#Google #PixelBuds #GoogleCanada
1
#GoogleAI
1
#GoogleCanada
15
#googlecanada # google.org #challenge #GIC #ImpactChallenge #canada
1
#GoogleCanada #Family #Android #YouTube #GooglePlay
1
#GoogleCanada #Google #AI #IWD2020
1
#GoogleCanada #Google #IWD2020 #IWD
1
#GoogleCanada #Google #SmallBusiness #SMBs #ShopHERE
1
#GoogleCanada #GoogleAI #Innovation
1
#GoogleCanada #GooglePlay
1
#googlecanada #pixel3
1
#GoogleCanada #Pixel4 #NestMini #NestWifi #NestHubMax #PixelbookGo #Stadia #PixelBuds #Sustainability
1
#googlecanada #pixelslate
1
#GoogleCanada #Startups #Innovation
4
#GoogleCloud
3
#GoogleExpeditions #SaveThePolarBears #GoogleCanada #PolarBearsInternational
1
#GoogleforEducation
1
#Googleforsmallbusiness
1
#GoogleMaps
3
#googlemaps #indigenous
1
#GoogleMeet
1
#GoogleNest #GoogleAssistant
2
#GoogleNest #Sustainability #GoogleCanada
1
#GoogleNewsInitiative
2
#GoogleNewsInitiative #News
1
#GoogleSearch #Events #MarchBreak
1
#GoogleSearch #GoogleMaps
1
#GoogleStreetView #StreetView
1
#googletranslate
1
#GoogleWaterloo
1
#GrowwithGoogle
3
#GSuite
1
#Indigenous #nationalaboriginalday #indigenousmapping #google #googlemaps #googleearths #canada #canada150
1
#innovation
1
#IWD #InternationalWomensDay
1
#JERF #GNI
1
#JobsOnGoogle #Employment
1
#KW
1
#language
1
#madebygoogle #MadeToHelp #GoogleCanada #Google #Helpfulness #RonaldMcDonaldHouseCharities #RMHC
1
#Mila
1
#MobileMonth
3
#Music
1
#News
4
#News #Search
1
#NewsWise
2
#ParksCanada
1
#ParksDay
1
#photos #food #GoogleCanada
1
#Pixel
2
#PledgeToVote
2
#Pride2020
1
#rainforestconnection
1
#saferinernetday
2
#savethewhales
1
#Search #YearInSearch
1
#SmallBusiness
3
#Stadia
2
#StadiaFreeTrial
1
#StadiaMontréal
1
#StadiaTeam
1
#streetartproject
1
#StreetView
2
#ThinkBrand
3
#toronto
1
#Travel #Search #googlemaps
1
#VectorInstitute
1
#whaletracking
1
#WorldEnvironmentDay #Environment
1
#YearInSearch
2
#YouTube
3
#youtube #creators #canada #montreal #quebec #YouTubeSpace
1
#youtube #creators #nextup #canada
2
#YouTube #GoogleCanada #GoogleAI #Innovation
1
#youtube #Toronto #Google #advertising #ad #pulse #youtubepulse
1
#YouTube #YouTubeFanFest #YTFF #Toronto #Google #iisuperwomanii #unicornisland #molsonamp
1
#youtubemusic
2
2018
1
360
1
Ads
15
Adwords
5
Agency
3
Agency Edge
2
AI
1
Allo
1
Analytics
1
Android
5
Android Apps
4
Arctic
6
art
1
Assistant
2
Availability
1
Award Winners
1
Back to School
7
bestbuy
1
bestbuycanada
1
Big Tent
1
Billboard Charts
1
Brand
4
Buffer Festival
2
Buffer Industry Day
2
Canada
3
Canada 150th
1
Canada NGO
1
Canadian
1
Canadian Innovation
2
Canadian Music
2
Canadiana
1
CBC
2
CBC News
1
CBCMusic
1
CBCNews
1
ChanningTatum
1
Chrome
9
Chrome Experiments
4
Chrome OS
3
Chrome Webstore
1
Chromebooks
5
Chromebox
1
Chromecast
6
chromecastultra
1
ChromeOS
1
Civic Engagement
3
Cloud
1
Cloud Computing
2
Codemakers
4
Comedy Week
1
Community Grants
4
Computational Thinking
1
contest
1
COVID-19
1
CS First
1
CSS3
1
D4G Canada
1
Daydream
1
Digital Economy
6
DIY Videos
2
Doodle
1
Doodle 4 Google Canada
2
Duo
1
Easter
1
Election
1
Elections
5
engineering
1
Enhanced Campaigns
1
EnMasse
1
Enterprise
5
eTowns
1
Francais
1
French
1
French Canadian
1
Full Value of Mobile
1
Geek Street
1
GIC
1
Gmail
4
Gmail App
1
Go North
1
GoneGoogle
4
GoNorth
1
google
4
Google Allo
1
Google App Engine
1
Google Apps
5
Google Apps for Business
2
Google AR & VR
1
Google Art Project
4
Google Assistant
1
Google Books
1
Google Calendar
2
Google Camp
1
Google Canada
4
Google Cloud
2
Google Cloud Platform
1
Google Cloud Storage
1
Google Coder
1
Google Cultural Institute
2
Google Currents
1
Google Developer
1
Google Docs
1
Google Doodle
1
Google Education Team
3
Google Engage
1
Google for Education
1
Google for Entrepreneurs
1
Google for non profits
1
Google for Seniors
1
Google Giving
1
Google Hangouts
3
Google Holiday
3
Google Impact Challenge
1
Google Kitchener-Waterloo
3
Google KW
2
Google Maps
30
Google Montreal
4
Google Music
1
Google My Business
1
Google Partner Serach
1
Google Partners
1
Google Play
10
Google Play Gift Cards
1
Google Play Music
4
Google Retail
2
Google Rise Award
1
Google Sites
1
Google Translate
1
Google TV
1
Google Waterloo
2
Google Wifi
1
Google+
2
GoogleCanada
3
googleshop
1
GoogleWifi
1
Grammys
1
Grow with Google
1
Guest Blog
1
Hackathon
1
Hangouts
3
happy birthday Canada
1
Hardware
1
Holiday
2
Home
1
How-to
2
How-to videos
2
Innovation
6
Innovation Week
5
Insights
1
LilySingh
1
LiveCase
1
Livestream
1
Livestreaming
1
machine learning
1
Made by Google
1
madebygoogle
3
Maps
15
Mobile
12
Montreal
1
Multi-Screen
2
Music
2
MyLiveCase
1
O2S
1
Online Impacting Offline
1
Open Data
2
Passover
1
Peter Mansbridge
1
pixel
5
Play TV
1
playmusiccanada
1
Policy
1
Product
1
Product Launch
1
Products
1
ProudToPlay
1
Public Alerts
1
Quebec
1
Research
1
Retail
3
Search
10
Search Trends
23
security
2
Shopping
1
small business
3
SMB
6
Songza
1
STEM
2
STEM Education
5
Street View
1
StreetView
1
Super Bowl
1
technology
1
Templates
1
The National
1
TheHip
1
TheTragicallyHip
1
Think Insights
3
TouTube FanFest
1
Travel
2
Trends
12
Updates
1
Video
1
Video Trends
6
VideoCalling
1
Videos
1
Vimy150
1
Virtual Reality
1
VR
1
Web Audio API
1
WebGL
1
WebRTC
1
WomenatGoogle
7
World Teacher Day
1
YouTube
52
YouTube 360
1
YouTube Creators
14
YouTube Debates
1
YouTube FanFest
2
YouTube Gaming
1
YouTube Kids
1
YouTube Live
1
YouTube Music
7
YouTube Music Awards
2
YouTube NextLab
1
YouTube Partner Program
3
YouTube Rewind
2
YouTube Space
1
YouTube Space Toronto
1
YouTubeCreators
1
YouTubeRewind
1
YPP
2
Zeitgeist
2
Archive
2021
Oct
Sep
Aug
Jul
Jun
May
Apr
Mar
Feb
Jan
2020
Dec
Nov
Oct
Sep
Aug
Jul
Jun
May
Apr
Mar
Feb
Jan
2019
Dec
Nov
Oct
Sep
Aug
Jul
Jun
May
Apr
Mar
2018
Dec
Nov
Oct
Sep
Aug
Jun
May
Apr
Mar
Feb
2017
Dec
Nov
Oct
Sep
Aug
Jul
Jun
May
Apr
Mar
Feb
Jan
2016
Dec
Nov
Oct
Sep
Aug
Jul
Jun
May
Apr
Mar
Feb
Jan
2015
Dec
Nov
Oct
Sep
Aug
Jul
Jun
May
Apr
Mar
Feb
Jan
2014
Dec
Nov
Oct
Sep
Aug
Jul
Jun
May
Apr
Mar
Feb
Jan
2013
Dec
Nov
Oct
Sep
Aug
Jul
Jun
May
Apr
Mar
Feb
Jan
2012
Dec
Nov
Oct
Sep
Aug
Feed
Follow @googlecanada
Follow
Read this blog in French:
Blogue officiel de Google Canada
Give us feedback in our
Product Forums
.
Follow