Joyce Currie Little facts for kids

Joyce Currie Little (January 20, 1934 – October 1, 2023) was an American computer scientist, engineer, and educator. She was a professor and led the Department of Computer and Information Sciences at Towson University in Towson, Maryland. She helped shape how computers are taught and used.

Early Life and Education

Joyce Currie Little was born in 1934. She loved learning and went to college to study mathematics.

• In 1957, she earned her first degree, a bachelor's degree, in Mathematics Education from Northeast Louisiana University. This meant she could teach math.
• Later, in 1963, she got a master's degree in applied mathematics from San Diego State University. Applied mathematics is about using math to solve real-world problems.
• She continued her studies and earned her highest degree, a PhD, in 1984 from the University of Maryland, College Park. Her PhD focused on how to manage computer services in education.

Working with Computers

Joyce Currie Little had an exciting career working with computers and teaching others.

Aerospace Work

While she was studying for her master's degree in San Diego, California, she worked in the aerospace industry. This means she helped with projects related to airplanes and space.

• From 1957 to 1960, she was a computational test engineer. She wrote computer programs to look at data from models being tested in a wind tunnel. A wind tunnel is a special place where engineers test how air flows around things like airplane parts.

Teaching and Leadership

After getting her master's degree, Little moved to Maryland.

• She started teaching statistics at Goucher College and also managed their computer center.
• In 1967, she became the leader (chairperson) of the Computer and Information Systems Department at the Community College of Baltimore.
• In 1981, she moved to Towson University in Towson, Maryland. By 1984, she was named the chairperson of the Department of Computer & Information Sciences there. This meant she was in charge of the computer science programs.

Awards and Recognition

Joyce Currie Little was a very active member of the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM), a big group for computer professionals.

• In 1992, she received their Distinguished Service Award for her many years of hard work.
• The ACM said she made "significant contributions to curriculum development, certification standards, vocational education and professional ethics." This means she helped create what students learn, set rules for computer skills, improved job training, and taught about doing the right thing with computers.
• She also received the SIGCSE Award for Lifetime Service to the Computer Science Education Community. This award recognized her important work in teaching computer science, especially at two-year colleges, and her efforts in helping people get certified in computer skills and grow in their careers.

Interests and Impact

Dr. Little was interested in making sure computer software was high quality. She also cared about how computers affect society and about teaching good online behavior (cyber-ethics).

• She was a strong supporter of women in computing, encouraging more girls and women to join the computer field.
• Later in her career, she worked on projects to evaluate computer ethics courses at Towson University. She also studied how getting certified in computer skills affected people's jobs.

Important Groups She Joined

Joyce Currie Little was a member of several important professional organizations:

• Fellow, Association for Computing Machinery
• Association for Information Technology Professionals
• Fellow, American Association for the Advancement of Science
• Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
• International Society for Technology in Education
• Maryland Association for Educational Uses of Computers, Inc.

Later Life

Joyce Currie Little passed away on October 1, 2023, at the age of 89. She left behind a legacy of important contributions to computer science education.