I liked math - that was my favorite subject - and I was very interested in astronomy and in physical science.

If we want scientists and engineers in the future, we should be cultivating the girls as much as the boys.

Three Secrets to Success: Be willing to learn new things. Be able to assimilate new information quickly. Be able to get along with and work with other people.

All adventures, especially into new territory, are scary.

It takes a couple of years just to get the background and knowledge that you need before you can go into detailed training for your mission.

Then during the mission itself, I used the space shuttle's robot arm to release a satellite into orbit.

There are lots of opportunities out there for women to work in these fields, ... Girls just need support, encouragement and mentoring to follow through with the sciences.

Our future lies with today's kids and tomorrow's space exploration.

The stars don't look bigger, but they do look brighter.

When you're getting ready to launch into space, you're sitting on a big explosion waiting to happen.

We need to make science cool again.

Anyone in this world can have the power of life and death over someone else. It's horrible, but true. All you need to do is take it. And once you have -- there is no going back. (The Killer's Cousin)

One who cannot swim must not blame the water.

Freeing oneself from words is liberation.

Fences can be prisons, in a way. They're necessary for those incapable of learning restraint, but they diminish life.

We ignore the emotional needs of young children at our peril.

It is not gender, nor age, nor race, but your ability to work hard at what you love.

I am not preparing myself or my family for anything but life.

An inherent kindness exists in the process of aging ... we are allowed to move along gradually.

I'm going back to the old Shaq. I was normal last year - I was an earthling last summer. I had to go back to my alien roots.

Joy is never tomorrow it's always now!