¹⁹⁹⁶Caroline Wardle

Caroline Wardle is deputy division director of NSF's Computer and Computation Research Division.

Caroline Wardle is deputy division director of NSF’s Computer and Computation Research Division. She is being honored for her guidance, encouragement and support of CRA’s Committee on the Status of Women in Computing Research and the committee’s efforts to recruit, retain and advance women in computer science and engineering.

Dr. Wardle was appointed deputy division director of NSF’s Computer and Computation Research Division in 1995. Dr. Wardle joined NSF in 1990 as a program director in the CISE Office of Cross-Disciplinary Activities, where she managed a number of research and educational programs including Research Infrastructure, Research Instrumentation, Educational Infrastructure and Faculty Awards for Women. She also headed a special CISE effort to increase opportunities for women in computing.

Dr. Wardle received a Ph.D. in mathematical physics in 1970 from the University of London, England. From 1969-75 she was a faculty member at Hunter College of the City University of New York where she was the prime architect of the undergraduate degree program in computer science. From 1975-90 she was a faculty member at Boston University where she founded and chaired the Department of Computer Science. In 1980, while on leave from Boston University, she joined the Wang Institute of Graduate Studies as associate dean, later as dean. At Wang Institute, Dr. Wardle established the School of Information Technology and implemented its first degree program, a master’s degree in software engineering.

Dr. Wardle’s research has spanned theoretical physics, computer graphics, programming languages, software engineering and information systems. Her current research interests are in the area of software quality assurance and total quality management.