Nancy K. Roderer

Summary

I majored in mathematics and computer science as an undergraduate because I found them fascinating ways to explore the world of logic; I pictured a future in the ivory towers of academe, thinking about abstract number systems and adding to the body of knowledge in the area. I was diverted from this path by another interest, the more practical world of information systems. There, I found, I could apply the general approaches to problem solving that I had learned in mathematics to real world situations and improve people's access to the information that they need.

My fascination with the way in which people find information began before I started school, at my local public library. I was intrigued by the vast quantity of information there, and sensed that it could give great power to those who used it. As I went through school, I found myself increasingly aware of all of the tools—directories, catalogs, indexes, and databases—that existed to help people find information. My first professional jobs after I received my mathematics degree were as a computer programmer, and there I found myself interested in the question of how the programs that were written could best be shared with others. I also began to see how the power of computers could be used to retrieve information rapidly and efficiently.