For whatever reason, I didn't succumb to the stereotype that science wasn't for girls. I got encouragement from my parents. I never ran into a teacher or a counselor who told me that science was for boys. A lot of my friends did.

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

So I decided on science when I was in college.

I was always very interested in science, and I knew that for me, science was a better long-term career than tennis.

Rocket science is tough, and rockets have a way of failing.