My parents taught us it's important to give back.

I'm aware that not all kids can pick up and fly to Panama. I'm very lucky.

As a teacher you can see the difference in kids who have parents who were involved. That difference, by the time these kids get to the third grade, is drastic.

Kids are so dynamic; if you're tired and you walk into a roomful of kids, your energy is brought up to their level.

Doctoral training is devoted almost entirely to learning to do research, even though most Ph.Ds who enter academic life spend far more time teaching than they do conducting experiments or writing books.

I did software development for a while, and I also spent several years directing a nonprofit in San Francisco that did computer education for the poor. I also did a lot of work in fast food.

When you've got education, you've got knowledge and power and confidence to go out in the world.

As long as she is talented enough and passionate about doing it herself then I will be happy and support her. I think I will be sensible - my parents said I could only do it if I got my education and so I had something to fall back on.