Bachelor of Science in Physics and Feminist Studies von der Stanford University; Master of Science von der University of California, Santa Cruz (Astronomy and Astrophysics), 1984; Doktortitel von der University of California, Santa Cruz (Astronomy and Astrophysics), 1990; Semifinalistin bei der Astronautenauswahl der NASA-Gruppe 14; derzeit Professorin am Department of Physics and Astronomy, Barnard College, Columbia University.