I still remember how my first grade teacher, Mrs. Perkins, let us watch the Apollo rocket launches on television. The powerful technology inspired me to be a good student, so I could be a part of the space program. I enjoyed school and got a lot of encouragement from my family. My mom is an entomologist (a scientist who studies insects), and she has also been an inspiration. I still enjoy visiting her lab and peering through the microscope.

In high school I studied algebra, geometry, trigonometry, and calculus. As I progressed, I gradually decided that even though the language arts, social studies, and French courses I took were easier, I still wanted a career in math or science. Those fields offer challenging jobs that pay well, and I still dreamed of being involved in the U.S. space program. I was also attracted to the mystique surrounding math and science. They were subjects with a certain prestige, ones that not just anyone could master.

Eventually, I realized that math and science weren't that mysterious, and I could successfully pursue them. At the University of Washington, I studied electrical engineering, because I thought it was more versatile than aeronautical/astronautical engineering. When I graduated in 1984, I received eight job offers. I selected the Boeing Company because it gave me a chance to help develop the next generation of space solar power technology.