[Systers-dev] GSOC Introduction

[A-M Horcher]

I am a Ph.D student in Information Systems.   While  attending GHC 2009, I
attended the code sprint there.  I have been interested in further pursuing
improvements for the Systers code since.  I have also been a member of
Systers since then, have contributed to the wiki.

My research interests are in human-computer interfaces and mobile security.
I have been working in digital content management and am very skilled at
text-searching applications. My experience in design allows me to set up
text searching that anticipates change over time, is flexible to add new
features, responds quickly, and takes minimal maintenance.

Since trying to sift through the Systers archives for messages I know are
there, I have been interested in improving the searchability.  My previous
experience in project management make me an asset to a larger project that
will require coordination between several students for success.
Furthermore, my experience in designing search interfaces on other platforms
in other languages, and HCI background will makes me an asset in creating
the search interface.

The dean of my graduate school encouraged his students to apply.  The open
source community is more prevalent in the academic arena, and the experience
can help in my future research projects and academic career.  I also want
the experience with open source and GSOC to contribute to my future goal of
mentoring and
advising computer science students.

I am a non-traditional student, quitting an industry job to go back to grad
school.  I have taken a non-traditional career path, by being a woman in
technology when there were few.  I have had a non-traditional homelife.
Systers has shown me I am not alone out there, and that there is a whole new
tradition to form.

I have successfully installed the virtual box and vdi to create the current
Systers environment and am looking over the bugs.  I have also done some
research on some other open source text searching  engines, in addition to
my own experience with FAST, Xindex, and other text searching interfaces.