A Quote by Neil deGrasse Tyson

When I grew up I assembled my role models à la cart. I wanted to be an astrophysicist. If I tried to find a role model who grew up in the Bronx with my skin color who was an astrophysicist, I would never have become an astrophysicist.

Neil deGrasse Tyson

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Quote Author

Neil deGrasse Tyson
American - Scientist
Born: October 5, 1958

A role I grew up with and always loved was James Bond. I'd even say, in some ways, that he served as a creative role model for me as a kid in terms of roles I would want to play. I watched all of the movies growing up with my dad, so to be Bond himself would, without a doubt, be my dream role.

Elliot Knight

I was an aspiring astrophysicist, and that's how I defined myself, not by my skin color. People didn't treat me as someone with science ambitions. They treated me as someone they thought was going to mug them, or who was a shoplifter.

Neil deGrasse Tyson

I was useless at science. I was never going to be an astrophysicist.

Sarah Hall

I don't want to be anyone's role model. My mole models were assholes. My role models are dead. My role models never made it to 30, so I'm a bad person to ask for advice.

Sharon Needles

I've known from long ago that the universe was calling me. If you were one of those annoying adults that said, 'Oh, what are you gonna be when you grow up?' I would say, 'Astrophysicist.' And then they'd walk away real quickly.

Neil deGrasse Tyson

Any astrophysicist does not feel small looking up at the universe; we feel large.

Neil deGrasse Tyson

When you talk to young girls these days about their role modles, very few mention a chemist like Madame Curie or an astrophysicist and astronaut like Sally Ride, or a zoologist like Jane Goodall. Instead, they look to someone like Madonna.

W. Ann Reynolds

In my town, I had only one adult American male role model: my father. I grew up taking it for granted that missionaries were what American boys grew up to be.

Huston Smith

I've done things that can be made fun of. It's not such a bad thing. If I'm going to end up a role model, then I'd rather not end up being the kind of role model that pretends to be perfect, and pretends that she always has the right thing to say. I'm a product of role models that didn't make me feel like I was as good as them.

Fiona Apple

I get letters from kids from all over the country. I always try to answer them because there were people I looked up to in my youth and just wanted to be in contact with. It's also important to realize that you find your role models in a lot of different places. I've never believed that your role models have to look like you. You can find them in all sort of colors, shapes and sizes.

Condoleezza Rice

I loved all the princess films, and I grew up with them, and I think it's really cool how they've changed over the years - how the princesses have become more positive role models right up until 'Frozen.'

Lily James

When I needed to overcome the low expectations of others or the bias that would be expressed in one circumstance or another, I'd keep on keeping on. And I climb over the obstacle, go around it, dig under it, fly over it. That's what kept me going. Otherwise I would have never been an astrophysicist.

Neil deGrasse Tyson

If you only think of me during Black History Month, I must be failing as an educator and as an astrophysicist.

Neil deGrasse Tyson

At one point I wanted to work for NASA and be an astrophysicist, so I did physics, math, and chemistry before realizing I probably wasn't quite smart enough to do that. But I am still hugely interested in cosmology and astrophysics. That is my geeky subject area.