I really like seeing mathematics interpreted in a physical way. There are things I learn that in a math course you would learn as some sort of mathematical construct very abstract things that you learn to deal with and prove things about and to see that applied in a physical context is really, really interesting. She is not teaching any courses right now, but wouldn't mind doing so after her National Science Foundation grant runs out in two years. Growing up around a mathematician gave me a better notion of what it means to be an academic, or especially a mathematician. Her greatest challenge right now, though, is not getting discouraged.
String theory is hard and it's frustrating in a way, because it requires so much background.
In order to read an introductory string theory book, you need a really solid base in quantum field theory. Curto said with a laugh. Curto said she sometimes gets discouraged after, for example, spending four hours reading a single chapter, but keeps going simply because she likes it.