I studied under Mason during her time at JWU (which may not be MIT, but is not a technical college, for the record). If you want to speculate as to why her titles were such, JWU has a high faculty turnover rate. To be considered a professor you have to be there full time for a requisite period of time, and I believe she was pursing a degree while working there.

You can doubt her all you'd like based on your "research", but based off of actual interaction and tutelage, she is one of the brightest minds I have ever known and she has a passion for computer science that would put most HN users to shame. I almost wish she was still teaching, because she is as inspiring as she is intelligent.

She isn't in her current position because she's "pulling an act" or "gamed the system." She is completely genuine in her endeavors, and as down to earth as they come. Its a bit heartbreaking to see all this cynicism. Why is it so unbelievable she's a chief scientist at bit.ly? I sincerely hope its not the "she" part.