The most important steps that I followed were studying math and science in school. I was always interested in physics and astronomy and chemistry and I continued to study those subjects through high school and college on into graduate school. That's what prepared me for being an astronaut; it actually gave me the qualifications to be selected to be an astronaut.

So most astronauts are astronauts for a couple of years before they are assigned to a flight.

So I decided on science when I was in college.

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

I have been a bit of a risk-taker all my life.

I do a lot of running and hiking, and I also collect stamps - space stamps and Olympics stamps.

You know, I go around the country a lot.