We Need To Make Science Cool Again.

I Never Went Into Physics Or The Astronaut Corps To Become A Role Model. But After My First Flight, It Became Clear To Me That I Was One. And I Began To Understand The Importance Of That To People. Young Girls Need To See Role Models In Whatever Careers They May Choose, Just So They Can Picture Themselves Doing Those Jobs Someday. You Can't Be What You Can't See.

It Was Hard To Become An Astronaut. Not Anywhere Near As Much Physical Training As People Imagine, But A Lot Of Mental Training, A Lot Of Learning. You Have To Learn Everything There Is To Know About The Space Shuttle And Everything You Are Going To Be Doing, And Everything You Need To Know If Something Goes Wrong, And Then Once You Have Learned It All, You Have To Practice, Practice, Practice, Practice, Practice, Practice, Practice Until Everything Is Second Nature, So It's A Very, Very Difficult Training, And It Takes Years.

The Experience Of Being In Space Didn't Change My Perspective Of Myself Or Of The Planet Or Of Life. I Had No Spiritual Experience.

I Had Both Male And Female Heroes.

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.