Laura Dowell is an AI engineer at Meta in Cambridge, where she works on data pipelines for Ray-Ban Meta AI Smart Glasses. Previously, she interned at Microsoft and Lego, where she built tools and prototypes that made generative AI usable and playful for non-technical audiences — from artists and designers to children.
But there’s another side to her résumé: she’s also a part-time beauty queen. In November, she will represent Spain in the 64th edition of the Miss International beauty pageant in Tokyo.
The pageant champions the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Dowell’s cause is digital inclusion — a catalyst for the SDGs, directly benefiting 70% of them.
For Dowell, the fields of AI engineering and beauty pageantry have turned out to be surprisingly connected. Research, she explains, taught her to stay calm under pressure and communicate clearly — skills that have enhanced her public speaking as a beauty queen. Pageantry, in turn, built the confidence that now shows up in her career in technology. “It’s been a two-way street where each world has strengthened the other,” she says.
Bridging different worlds isn’t new for Dowell. She is the daughter of an English father and an Andalusian mother. Her trajectory and personality mirror that mix: born in El Puerto de Santa María, near Cádiz in southwestern Spain, she studied Computer Science in London, and naturally blends Andalusian warmth with a British sense of humor. “I’ve always felt comfortable adapting to different environments and connecting with people from different backgrounds, which has been a great skill to have when working in international teams.”
Read the full interview below.
TechTalents Insights: How do your colleagues in tech react when they find out that you’re Miss International Spain?
Laura Dowell: I’m lucky to be surrounded by an amazing team; we celebrate each other’s wins, and they were very supportive and happy for me. We often talk on lunch breaks about our lives, and we have a nice environment where we’re open about our hobbies. I would even sometimes practice pageant questions with one of my colleagues who’s become a friend over lunch, and that support really meant the world to me.
TechTalents Insights: You work on audio and video data collection pipelines for Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses, ensuring quality. Can you tell us a bit more about it? What are the biggest technical challenges you are facing?
Laura Dowell: My work focuses on supporting the quality of multimodal AI systems by helping build and improve the audio and video data that these models learn from. While I can’t go into the technical details of my work, I think it’s rewarding to contribute to technology that millions of people may eventually use — and that can help people with disabilities.
AI is only as good as the data it’s trained on, so ensuring that data is diverse, representative, and high quality is essential if we want these technologies to work fairly and reliably for everyone. That idea of making technology work for everyone is actually what inspired my advocacy for digital inclusion through Community TechAid and my work as Miss International Spain.
TechTalents Insights: Has anything from your academic or professional background helped you prepare for or navigate the pageant?
Laura Dowell: Absolutely. Research teaches you to stay calm under pressure, be resilient, think critically, and learn how to communicate complex ideas to researchers from different backgrounds. These skills have been really valuable during my interviews and public speaking. On the other hand, pageantry has helped me become a better communicator and be more confident when public speaking, which has benefited my career as well. It’s been a two-way street where each world has strengthened the other.
Teaching robotics to children has also helped me communicate technical ideas in an accessible way, which is something I really enjoy and has translated surprisingly well into pageantry.
TechTalents Insights: You’re the daughter of an English father and a Spanish mother from Andalusia. How has that dual culture shaped the way you see things, both personally and in your career?
Laura Dowell: I think that growing up between two cultures has given me a broader perspective on the world. I’ve always felt comfortable adapting to different environments and connecting with people from different backgrounds, which has been a great skill to have when working in international teams.
It’s also shaped my identity. I love the creativity, warmth, and traditions of Andalusia, particularly through flamenco fashion, while my British upbringing encouraged curiosity, independence, and a British sense of humor. I don’t see them as separate identities; they complement each other and have made me who I am today.
TechTalents Insights: You will represent Spain in the Miss International competition in Tokyo in November. How are you preparing for that?
Laura Dowell: Preparing for Miss International is about much more than the competition itself. I’m working on my public speaking, learning more about Japanese culture, and making sure I can represent Spain in the best way possible.
One of the things I value most about Miss International is the opportunity it gives women to champion a cause that aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. For me, that’s digital inclusion.
Working in AI has shown me just how quickly technology is transforming our world. While these advances create incredible opportunities, they can also leave people behind if they don’t have the skills or access to engage with them. Through my platform, I want to raise awareness of the importance of digital literacy and help ensure that everyone, regardless of their age or background, has the opportunity to benefit from technology rather than be excluded by it.
TechTalents Insights: With such a busy life between work and pageants, how do you find time or space for your personal life?
Laura Dowell: Balancing everything definitely requires organization and adaptability. I have a demanding career in technology alongside pageantry, so I rely on good planning and making the most of my evenings and weekends. At the same time, I think it’s really important to make time for family, friends, and the things that keep me grounded. I’ve learned that looking after yourself and the people around you isn’t time taken away from your goals; it’s what allows you to show up as your best self in everything you do.
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