How did I get into computer science? I don’t know. I grew up immersed in computers. A preschooler: At the panel interview for my admission to grade school (this additional scrutiny required because my parents want me admitted a year early), the principal is relieved to hear I can’t write my name. She is about to ...
I was born and raised in Silicon Valley, daughter and granddaughter of engineers. I was surrounded by technology from an early age: my dad taught me to solder when I was still little, and I had a computer--an Apple ][--in my room by the time I was 10. Naturally, with this kind of background, everyone ...
As I was a child, I was told that I had a great talent to learn foreign languages easily. I learned English at a very early age. I was the best in the class so I guess my parents and teachers were right. Back then most of the girls wanted to become doctors. But not me, ...
Growing up, I'd say that I was pretty lucky. My parents raised me that I could do whatever I set my mind to, regardless of my gender. Sometimes I wonder how life would be different if my parents had had a son and a daughter instead of daughters, but that's a moot point now. I ...
A while back, I came across a post on Mark Guzdial’s blog about a new blog on women in computing [this one!]. They were looking for stories about how women get into computer science. This post is the second in an autobiographical series about how I got into (and then out of) computer science. I think ...
Since I was a child I've always loved to use MS Paint. No, I did not spent my childhood trying to hack things, I just spent it using Paint. I didn't own a computer but every time I could use one I opened this marvelous program and started drawing Mondrian-like paintings. I never thought about ...
A while back, I came across a post on Mark Guzdial’s blog about a new blog on women in computing [this one!]. Among other things, they were looking for contributions from people in computing that talk about their experiences in IT. I’ve been thinking about putting some of this down ‘on paper’ for a while, so ...
Why I am in the computer field? In some ways this is a long story and you could say I just stumbled along. Somehow for some reason at this moment this is what I am doing but I am unsure of what the future may hold. Life has strange ways of showing you where it ...
Technical professions for women in Russia aren’t a stigma, but not in my family. I was always good in Math, winning all kinds of contests in school. However, my Mom told me, that she does not need another Sofia Kovalevskaya (who was the first Russian female mathematician, wrote several important publications and was first appointed ...
For me, going into Computer Science came as no big surprise either to myself or to my family and friends. I've loved using computers for as long as I can remember – I started using computers at the age of three. We had a 386 at home, complete with beige CRT and a dial-up ...