When I was growing up, women were not expected to choose a career in mathematics. Since I was always a rather hard-headed, stubborn individual, I rebelled against this notion and decided to do it anyway. And now, as a mathematician, I derive great satisfaction at the surprise in people's faces when they find out what I do for a living.

Mathematics is great. I can sit and think, deduce and reason, be creative all day long—and get paid for it. And what's really interesting is that most of the work I do has no immediate practical value, because mathematicians don't usually attack a problem with an application in mind. We leave it to the scientists to take our results and find some use for them.

As for my history: I majored in mathematics in college and obtained my BA from the University of Florida. Next, I joined the Peace Corps and went to Liberia, West Africa, where I had my first experience as a teacher. I taught mathematics, and my students taught me about their culture and what it meant to be an African. After my tour in Africa, I went to Scotland to teach math, and found that mathematics is important in all cultures.

Upon returning to the United States, I went back to school, earning a BA in art at the University of California, Santa Cruz (UCSC).