Like most kids growing up, I had a very wide interest. I was interested in everything. I tried to take advantage of everything, from the sciences to music to writing to literature.

I went to the University of Washington as a physics and astronomy major. My other interest, of course, was aviation. I always wanted to be a pilot. And if you're going to fly airplanes, the best place to be is the Air Force.

I was always fascinated by science-fiction shows, shows like 'Star Trek' and 'Lost in Space.'

When you launch in a rocket, you're not really flying that rocket. You're just sort of hanging on.

It looks like the future's really bright.

Science was something that really caught my attention. It was something I really could sink my teeth into.

Fortunately, I got called down to NASA for an interview. And one thing led to the next, and one day I got that call. I've been here about seven years now and am really enjoying it.