My participation in the 8^th RDA plenary meeting was an incredible experience from various aspects.

“We’re at this turning point where archivists are working in the area of research data – it’s just so cool to feel like you’re at the cutting edge of something and you can facilitate that conversation.  Being an archivist and saying I work with research data can help expand people’s expectations of what archivists do and what we’re interested in...

“So when I was a kid, obviously Star Trek was the thing, because it was our better selves in the 23rd century. Civil rights, women’s rights, all those issues that were happening at that time in the 1960s were simplified in that show. But the thing that got me was the computer....

“I find it relaxing to work with data.  I’m a mathematician by training and much more into applied mathematics, so I find recursive formulas very relaxing and linear algebra is like a fun puzzle, like a crossword.  I like problem solving...

“One of the coolest thing is starting out as a student in the research data management field, being early in my career, and then being able to interact with the same people over time. I feel like I’m kind of growing up as an individual. I feel I can say, hey, you guys made an impact on what I do, and now I can give back.”