When Kathryn Sullivan was a child in the early 1950s, space was still an untraversed frontier. Only 30 years later, huge advancements in science would allow Sullivan to become the first American woman to walk in space.

Sullivan spoke at the Symposium for Women in Science event at noon on Saturday at The Nittany Lion Inn. Her presentation focused on her experiences in space and her advice to aspiring women in science.

Sullivan kicked off her presentation, which was given to an enthusiastic crowd made up primarily of female students, with a detailed description of how a rocket's components work together to get the shuttle from "zero to 17,500 miles per hour in 8.5 minutes."

She showed pictures of cramped shuttle decks that astronauts call home for up to three weeks.

Sullivan then changed gears to touch upon the lighter side of space flight.

"Zero gravity is outrageously fun," she said, explaining that she learned to walk with her hands. She also showed pictures of her crew's love for "3-D air hockey," a game involving a compressed water droplet which players would blow back and forth.

Sullivan also had a slide show of photographs of Earth showing ocean currents, countries and the atmosphere taken from her position 200 to 300 miles above the Earth.

"It's pretty cool to look down and see Venezuela flying by at 4 miles per second," she said.

When asked by an audience member if her perception of size has changed after being in space, she remarked that it was interesting to see earth at the size of a beach ball.

She ended her presentation by encouraging aspiring women of science and engineering to ask questions.

"Help the world build new answers," she said.

Sullivan stressed the importance of making good decisions about one's health, family and education to be as ready as possible for an ever-changing world.

"These will determine how broadly or narrowly you can adapt" to the many doors that may open in the unpredictable future, she said.

Molly Ann Davis, president of the Association for Women in Science, said planning for the event began in March and this was the busy former astronaut's first available weekend.

Adele Plazak (freshman-premedicine) said she came for the "great opportunity to listen to this pioneer of science."

Regardless of a student's major, Sullivan encouraged her listeners to "take it on as if you're reaching for the stars."