People need to live remarkable lives to blaze a trail, but in order to live remarkable lives, one must do extraordinary feats. It's not easy, but some people make it look that way. Kathryn Sullivan, Ph.D., is among the people who collect achievements like they're souvenirs from the gift shop.
Aside from being a geologist and oceanographer, she is also a renowned astronaut and an explorer of both the sea and space. It's an amazing thing to explore something as vast as the Earth's waters and skies. To attest to the statements, here are facts about Kathryn Sullivan.
Who is Kathryn Sullivan?
She has held many titles and positions over the years, from geologist to distinguished astronaut. Sullivan was born on October 3, 1951, in Paterson, New Jersey. She has won awards like the NASA Outstanding Leadership Medal, NASA Exceptional Service Medal twice, and NASA Space flight Medal thrice.
To Infinity and Beyond
In 1978, Sullivan was one of the six women hired by NASA to join the astronaut corps. She can proudly call herself the first American woman to ever walk in space. In her 15 years of tenure, she managed to fly aboard three shuttle missions, and one of those missions was responsible for deploying the Hubble Space Telescope. Her overall time in space is 22 days, four hours, and 49 minutes.
Overlooking the Waters
In 1993, she was appointed as the Chief Scientist of NOAA. With that position, she oversaw a portfolio that offered several scopes like fisheries biology, climate change, satellite instrumentation, and marine biodiversity.
Moving on to Higher Ranks
Sullivan was then confirmed by the Senate as Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere as well as NOAA Administrator in 2014. As if the responsibility wasn't enough, she took on her old job as Chief Scientist, simply because it was vacant.
It Takes Smarts
She was also a member of the U.S. National Academy of Engineering, American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and National Academy of Public Administration, according to the official White House website.
Here's to Beginnings
Sullivan was also the inaugural Director of the Battelle Center for Math and Science Education Policy in the John Glenn School of Public Affairs at Ohio State University.
At the President's Behest
Seeing her capabilities, Kathryn Sullivan was deservingly appointed by George W. Bush to the National Science Board.
Expertise in Many Things
Weather and water services, climate science and services, integrated mapping services, and Earth-observing capabilities were among the areas she worked on when she played a central role in directing Administration work and NOAA priority work, as mentioned in NatGeo.
Groundbreaking Observations
Sullivan is currently the co-chair of the Group on Earth Observations or GEO. It is an intergovernmental body that is responsible for building a Global Earth Observation System of Systems or GEOSS. The observation system's purpose is to provide environmental intelligence and relevant needs by society.
Wearing Several Uniforms
Sullivan was a member of the US Navy. She became a direct commission officer in the USNR, her rank being Lieutenant Commander. In 2006, She retired from the USNR with the rank of Captain, according to America's Navy.
