I was born in Houston, Texas, a city that began as a little cow town. My parents settled down to begin a family in the southwest part of town, when it was still surrounded by fields of grazing cattle, just before it exploded into a big space exploration center for the United States. During President Johnson's time, some land south of Houston owned by Rice University was leased to establish the Johnson Space Center (JSC). It was the newest National Aeronautics and Space Administration site in the country, dedicated to fulfilling President John F. Kennedy's charter of landing a man on the moon before the close of the decade.

Both my parents felt in step with the city's cultural shift towards excellence in science and technology, because each had a background in science. In college, my father had earned a PhD in geology, while my mother had earned a BA in general sciences. They were both lucky enough to live during this dynamic period of U.S. history, influenced, awed, and delighted by the ever-growing importance of scientific knowledge and technological advances.

Motivated and intrigued by their experiences, my parents were also great influences on my and my sisters' appreciation of mathematics and its daily applications in life. Looking back to my childhood, I can remember most vividly the fun, everyday experiences shared with my sisters and parents.