Margaret H. Wright is Silver Professor of Computer Science and Mathematics in the Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences, New York University. She received her B.S. (Mathematics) and M.S. and Ph.D. (Computer Science) from Stanford University. Her research interests include optimization, scientific computing, and real-world applications. Prior to joining NYU, she worked at Bell Laboratories. She is a member of the National Academy of Engineering, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and the National Academy of Sciences. During 1995-1996 she served as president of the Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics (SIAM).