Kathy Sullivan Explores

Latest Episodes:

Rejected! Nov 10, 2022

Show notes

Somebody else got the job. You didn’t win the game. The gallery won’t show your art.

We’ve all felt the sting of rejection in our personal and professional lives. And when we watch it happen on TV—when the cameras show the faces of actors who didn’t get the Oscar or Olympians who didn’t take gold—we sympathize with the grim faces on our screens. We know from our own experiences just how painful those moments can be. After getting rejected, it’s easy to fall into regret and negative, counterfactual thinking. How do you propel yourself forward after getting rejected or failing at something important to you?

In this episode, I discuss rejection and how to handle it. You’ll hear about my application to be an astronaut and why the NASA astronaut selection process is like aiming for gold in the Olympics. I explain why getting invited for an interview with NASA is a big deal even if you don’t make the final cut. You’ll also gain some wisdom from Daniel Pink’s book, The Power of Regret,and learn the importance of having a “Well, at least…” mindset.

“The next time you’ve done everything in your power but don’t get the prize you were aiming for, think of those bronze medalists and let ‘Well, at least…’ propel you forward.” - Kathy Sullivan

This week on Kathy Sullivan Explores:

Why aiming to be a NASA astronaut is like aiming to be an Olympic athlete
My application for the NASA astronaut selection in 1977
Moving from an “If Only…” to a “Well, at least…” mindset
Dealing with regret and why the bronze medalist is the happiest winner in the Olympics

Resources Mentioned:

Book: The Power of Regret: How Looking Backward Moves Us Forward by Daniel Pink

Our Favorite Quotes:

“Many successful astronauts suffered multiple rejections—16, in the case of Clayton Anderson— before finally getting that flight suit.” - Kathy Sullivan
“Aiming to become an astronaut is like aiming to become an Olympic athlete. Countless people will reach for the dream, but a much smaller number will make it to their national team; a smaller number still will get a medal hung around their neck.” - Kathy Sullivan

Spaceship Not Required

I’m Kathy Sullivan, the only person to have walked in space and gone to the deepest point in the ocean.

I’m an explorer, and that doesn’t always have to involve going to some remote or exotic place. It simply requires a commitment to put curiosity into action.

In this podcast, you can explore, reflecting on lessons learned from life so far and from my brilliant and ever-inquisitive guests. We explore together in this very moment from right where you are--spaceship not required.

Welcome to Kathy Sullivan Explores.

Visit my website at kathysullivanexplores.com to sign up for seven astronaut tips to improving your life on earth and be the first to discover future episodes and learn about more exciting adventures ahead!

Don’t forget to leave a rating and review wherever you get your podcasts!

Spotify I Stitcher I Apple Podcasts I iHeart Radio I TuneIn I Google I Amazon Music.

The Role of Universities in Creating Social Good with Nancy Zimpher Nov 03, 2022

Show notes

Dr. Nancy Zimpher is an educator, state university leader, and former Chancellor of the State University of New York. Before serving at SUNY, Nancy worked as a dean and professor of education at Ohio State University, where she also earned her undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral degrees. In 1998, Nancy served as the Chancellor of the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee—the first woman to hold the position in the university—until she joined the University of Cincinnati to serve as its President from 2003 to 2009.

Today, Nancy is the Co-founder of StriveTogether, a national movement that uses collective impact to help more than 14 million children succeed from cradle to career. She is also the Director of The Power of Systems, a project dedicated to transforming public university systems in the United States. She is also the co-author of the books, Creating a New Kind of University, University Leadership in Urban School Renewal, and A Time for Boldness.

Nancy joins me today to describe her vision of universities’ roles in communities and society. You’ll hear about her journey to becoming the administrative leader of three universities across the country and her advocacy for ensuring the academic welfare of students and collegiate athletes. She explains what it means to create a new kind of university and why universities need to collaborate with external social institutions. You’ll also learn about the importance of mentorship and representation and hear Nancy’s advice to young women aspiring to become leaders.

“Universities need to leave behind their isolation and build partnerships with communities and social entities. This is our role—our public good.” - Nancy Zimpher

This week on Kathy Sullivan Explores:

Nancy Zimpher’s childhood in Ohio
Her academic path and her journey to joining the faculty of the Ohio State University
The responsibilities of a university provost
Nancy’s sense of leadership and how it emerged and grew in her life
Creating and advocating for an academic enterprise for student-athletes
Her role in the Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics
The history of NIL policies for collegiate athletes and where they’re headed
March Madness and why the NIL rules are a leadership issue like no other
Joe Burrow’s story and the power of successful professional and collegiate athletes to drive social action
The crisis of confidence in higher education and the role of universities in the larger social sphere
How universities drive upward social mobility
Creating a new kind of university
Why universities need to focus on cooperating
The responsibilities of women leaders and Nancy’s advice to women who aspire to become leaders

Our Favorite Quotes:

“Many of our public social institutions are being questioned in terms of their ability to serve the needs of our society. The wrong thing to do is to be defensive about those critiques.” - Nancy Zimpher
“Be aware of what your knowledge base is and be an expert in your discipline. Be good at what you do and who you say you are.” - Nancy Zimpher

Connect with Nancy Zimpher:

Spaceship Not Required

I’m Kathy Sullivan, the only person to have walked in space and gone to the deepest point in the ocean.

I’m an explorer, and that doesn’t always have to involve going to some remote or exotic place. It simply requires a commitment to put curiosity into action.

Welcome to Kathy Sullivan Explores.

Don’t forget to leave a rating and review wherever you get your podcasts!

Spotify I Stitcher I Apple Podcasts I iHeart Radio I TuneIn I Google I Amazon Music.

Approaching a New Career Path Oct 27, 2022

Show notes

How often have you had to explain to a potential employer or partner that your earlier jobs and experiences equipped you to work in an organization? One might think that this is a challenge only college graduates face but in today’s world, many of us find ourselves constantly shifting from one line of work to another. And unless we’re starting our business alone, we have to figure out how we can take our previous skills, experiences, and education and translate them into something relevant for the next chapter of our career.

In this episode, you’ll hear about the time I convinced the trustees of a science museum that I was the best candidate for the CEO post—even if I didn’t have prior experience in marketing, fundraising, or executive functions. I describe how studying foreign languages before switching to the sciences helped immensely in my graduate oceanography program and throughout my NASA career. You’ll also learn why there are no worthless degrees and why leadership is never a cookie-cutter experience.

“In today’s era of having multiple careers over a lifetime, we’ll have to wrestle with translating what we’ve done before into the skills and abilities needed for what’s next.” - Kathy Sullivan

This week on Kathy Sullivan Explores:

Getting interviewed for my first job in the private sector after working at NASA and NOAA
Translating seemingly unrelated job skills and experiences for your next line of work
What selling NASA to members of congress taught me about rallying support
Why I don’t believe in the “worthless degree” argument
How studying foreign languages helped me in my career at NASA and NOAA

Our Favorite Quotes:

“I had never directly solicited someone for money, but I had needed to sell NASA to skeptical members of congress on many occasions, which taught me to think clearly about the purpose behind the agency’s programs and what that would mean to the congress members, and to lay out a compelling argument to gain their support.” - Kathy Sullivan
“You might get to stretch the truth to sell your product or make someone write a check, but you’ll get some people killed if you try that in the space biz.” - Kathy Sullivan

Spaceship Not Required

I’m Kathy Sullivan, the only person to have walked in space and gone to the deepest point in the ocean.

I’m an explorer, and that doesn’t always have to involve going to some remote or exotic place. It simply requires a commitment to put curiosity into action.

Welcome to Kathy Sullivan Explores.

Don’t forget to leave a rating and review wherever you get your podcasts!

Spotify I Stitcher I Apple Podcasts | iHeart Radio I TuneIn | Google I Amazon Music.

Pivoting Careers: From Litigation to Nonprofit with Mimi Dane Oct 20, 2022

Show notes

Mimi Dane is the CEO of the Belford Family Charitable Fund and former CEO of Flying Horse Farms. Mimi completed her undergraduate degree at St. Norbert College and graduated with a Master’s in English at Western Michigan University. After graduating from Ohio State University - Moritz College of Law, Mimi served as a law clerk for the Honorable Louis Pollak. She then began a 21-year career with Squire Patton Boggs, where she eventually became a partner. At Squire Patton Boggs, Mimi handled the legal strategy for the case of Butch Reynolds, an athlete. He was suspended after the International Association of Athletics Federation wrongly accused him of drug use. After over two decades of practicing law, Mimi entered the nonprofit world and joined the board of Flying Horse Farms, a nonprofit camp in Ohio. Mimi eventually served Flying Horse Farms as its CEO until 2018, when she became Chief Executive of the Belford Family Charitable Fund.

Today, you’ll hear Mimi share her journey and work as a lawyer. She describes her early life and upbringing and explains why she stopped working on her Ph.D. in English at Western Michigan University to pursue a law degree. She discusses the Butch Reynolds vs. IAAF case, her role in the legal work, and what the results of the case meant for future athletes’ rights to arbitration from independent bodies. We also discuss her work in the nonprofit world and get advice on changing course in your career or life.

“Law teaches you a way to think, to analyze, to look at risks. A lawyer is a problem solver, whether it’s going into the legislature or helping someone with a contract.” - Mimi Dane

This week on Kathy Sullivan Explores:

Mimi’s early life, upbringing, and love of learning
Her education at St. Norbert College and Western Michigan University and why she stopped pursuing her Ph.D. in English to go to law school
How Mimi realized that the path to scholarship and academia wasn’t for her
What made Mimi interested in pursuing a law degree
The job description of a commercial litigator
The career pathways of law degrees and why Mimi chose to be a commercial litigator
Mimi’s advice to people considering pursuing a law degree
Mimi’s role in the Butch Reynolds case that went to the Supreme Court
What it takes to get admitted to the US Supreme Court Bar
The impact of law and what the Butch Reynolds case meant for future athletes
Mimi’s work in the nonprofit world and how she became the CEO of Flying Horse Farms
Her thoughts and advice on changing careers

Our Favorite Quotes:

“Cases, whether they go to trial or not, are about writing, research, and explaining something complex to the jury, a group of people who may have an eight grade level of education to advanced degree.” - Mimi Dane
“There’s not one pathway with a law degree. You can be the CEO of a nonprofit and your law degree is still going to be invaluable.” - Mimi Dane

Connect with Mimi Dane:

Mimi Dane on LinkedIn

Spaceship Not Required

I’m Kathy Sullivan, the only person to have walked in space and gone to the deepest point in the ocean.

I’m an explorer, and that doesn’t always have to involve going to some remote or exotic place. It simply requires a commitment to put curiosity into action.

Welcome to Kathy Sullivan Explores.

Don’t forget to leave a rating and review wherever you get your podcasts!

Spotify I Stitcher I Apple Podcasts I iHeart Radio I TuneIn I Google I Amazon Music.

Charlie Bolden on Pathways to Space Oct 13, 2022

Show notes

Charles Frank Bolden Jr. is a retired US Marine Corps Major General and former NASA astronaut. After flying on four space shuttle missions—STS-61-C, STS-31, STS-45, and STS-60—Charlie was appointed by former President, Barack Obama, to serve as the 12th Administrator of NASA from 2009 to 2017, making him the first African American to head the agency permanently. Today, Charlie is the Founder and CEO Emeritus of the Charles F. Bolden Group, a consortium of accomplished leaders founded in 2017 to foster international collaboration in making life better for all humanity.

Charlie joins me today to discuss the qualities aspiring astronauts need to cultivate to be chosen for modern space programs. You’ll hear about his career at NASA and the characteristics he thinks made him a NASA astronaut. He explores how the dawn of the new space age may change selection preferences for would-be astronauts. You’ll also learn the value of being a team player and why being a jack-of-all-trades is essential to becoming an astronaut of today and tomorrow.

“You will be technicians, scientists, and researchers all in one—and that’s the kind of people we’re going to be looking for.” - Charlie Bolden

This week on Kathy Sullivan Explores:

Qualities and characteristics NASA looked for in astronaut candidates in the 1980s
Civil rights in the 1980s and the psychological implications of growing up in the segregated South
Why being a team player is a high-value trait for NASA astronauts
Diversity as a trait of a high-performing organization
Why being a good fighter pilot doesn’t necessarily mean being a great astronaut
The lack of diversity in NASA’s Apollo era and how astronaut selection preferences have changed since
How the dawn of commercial spaceflight is changing preferences for would-be astronauts
How commercial spacecraft may change the employment prospects of future astronauts
The kind of crew NASA may seek for the Artemis program and beyond
Jessica Watkins, Kate Rubins, Peggy Whitson, and why researchers may be the astronauts of the future
Ridley Scott’s The Martian and what it takes to be a modern-day astronaut

Resources Mentioned:

Book: Riding Rockets: The Outrageous Tales of a Space Shuttle Astronaut by Mike Mullane

Our Favorite Quotes:

“A great test pilot isn’t necessarily going to be a great astronaut; a great test pilot with a big ego is going to be a lousy astronaut.” - Charlie Bolden
“The astronauts of today and tomorrow are not going to have the opportunity to train over and over again on something because they’ll find that every day is something new.” - Charlie Bolden

Related Episodes:

Connect with Charlie Bolden:

Spaceship Not Required

I’m Kathy Sullivan, the only person to have walked in space and gone to the deepest point in the ocean.

I’m an explorer, and that doesn’t always have to involve going to some remote or exotic place. It simply requires a commitment to put curiosity into action.

Welcome to Kathy Sullivan Explores.

Don’t forget to leave a rating and review wherever you get your podcasts!

Spotify I Stitcher I Apple Podcasts I iHeart Radio I TuneIn I Google I Amazon Music.

The Ocean’s Deep Regions with Tim MacDonald Oct 06, 2022

Show notes

Tim MacDonald is the Engineering and Operations Manager and Submersible Pilot for scientific and commercial charters at Caladan Oceanic. Tim earned his degree in Offshore Engineering from the Australian Maritime College in Tasmania and recently became the first Australian to dive to the deepest point in the sea: the Challenger Deep in the Mariana Trench. Tim’s enduring goal is to help marine scientists develop the tools to achieve their research objectives and expand the realm of what’s possible. He achieved this goal as a design engineer for Triton Submarines, where he played a role in building the world’s first truly reusable and reliable full ocean depth submersible, the TRITON 36000/2.

Tim joins me today to discuss how we can deepen our relationship with the ocean and understand our impact on it. You’ll hear about how his passion for the ocean and engineering was shaped and how he divided his university life between studying in classrooms and learning on the field. He describes the time he lived and worked on superyachts and how that experience led him to work for Triton Submarines. You’ll also learn how to immerse your life in a passion and why exploring the ocean matters to humanity.

“We have to understand the impact we’re having on the world, and the only way we can understand our impact is by understanding all the ecosystems we have: above, in the mountains, below, in the ocean, and in our backyards.” - Tim MacDonald

This week on Kathy Sullivan Explores:

● A deep dive into Tim’s background and upbringing

● What inspired Tim to move to Tasmania to study at the Australian Maritime College

● His experience working and living aboard a superyacht and his first encounter with a submersible

● Why the best engineers are jacks-of-all trades to some degree

● The university gap year and how Tim split his time in university between studying in classrooms and learning on the field

● Getting into the submarine business and building the world’s first truly reusable and reliable full ocean depth submersible

● The first time Tim piloted a submersible

● The spectator gallery of our lives and answering the “what’s next?” question

● The major moral dilemma of science and why exploring the ocean’s Hadal Zone matters to everyone on the planet

● The Sirena Deep and how the world’s deep trenches are created

● Exploring the Wallaby-Zenith Fracture Zone and the Manganese nodule fields

Our Favorite Quotes:

● “Your first job in the first five years of your working life will define where you end up.” - Tim MacDonald

● “Following any passion is about committing, and the only way to commit is to find something you enjoy doing.” - Tim MacDonald

Connect with Tim MacDonald:

● Caladan Oceanic

● Tim MacDonald on LinkedIn

Spaceship Not Required

I’m Kathy Sullivan, the only person to have walked in space and gone to the deepest point in the ocean.

I’m an explorer, and that doesn’t always have to involve going to some remote or exotic place. It simply requires a commitment to put curiosity into action.

Welcome to Kathy Sullivan Explores.

Don’t forget to leave a rating and review wherever you get your podcasts!

Spotify I Stitcher I Apple Podcasts I iHeart Radio I TuneIn I Google I Amazon Music.

How Do You Top That? Sep 29, 2022

Show notes

In our celebrity-crazed world, the term “one-hit wonder” is commonly used to refer to an athlete, musician, or author who earned an Olympic gold, a Grammy, or a best-seller with their first work, and never repeated. Sometimes, I wonder what life was like after the games for a swimmer or gymnast who earned gold at the ripe age of 16 or 20. They had achieved something they had dreamed of for most of their lives—now what? Was that really their peak, the best thing that had ever happened to them?

I certainly had the same questions for myself. I got my first history book mention at 26 years old, after I earned my Ph.D. and NASA flight suit, being one of the first six women in the American astronaut corps. Six years later, after earning another history book mention as the first American woman to walk in space, I started thinking about what this all meant in the broader sweep of my life. Did I need to start chasing another goal that would get me more accolades and greater fame?

In this episode, I discuss facing the “what’s next?” question and the theme that pervades our celebrity-crazed culture. I explore Buzz Aldrin’s personal struggles after the Apollo 11 Moon Landing mission. You’ll also learn about insights that have kept me grounded over the years and shaped my later career decisions and how headlines and adulations are rarely about purpose, meaning, and worth.

“Nothing I could ever do was likely to give me a bigger, louder headline that I had gotten for joining the astronaut corps and walking in space, but that didn’t mean there was nothing else of meaning and value to do with my life.” - Kathy Sullivan

This week on Kathy Sullivan Explores:

A common theme in our celebrity-crazed world
Earning history book mentions and evaluating what I wanted my life to be about
The press coverage around Buzz Aldrin’s personal struggles after the Apollo 11 Moon Landing mission
Insights that have kept me grounded

Resources Mentioned:

Book: Magnificent Desolation: The Long Journey Home from the Moon by Buzz Aldrin

Our Favorite Quotes:

“Headlines are normally picked for novelty, sizzle, or selling—they’re rarely about purpose or worth.” - Kathy Sullivan
“Realize that what’s in your heart and soul is more important than what’s on your resume. The bullets on your resume list what you’ve done, but what really matters is who you became by journeying through that achievement—that’s what shines through your character and powers your works.” - Kathy Sullivan

Spaceship Not Required

I’m Kathy Sullivan, the only person to have walked in space and gone to the deepest point in the ocean.

I’m an explorer, and that doesn’t always have to involve going to some remote or exotic place. It simply requires a commitment to put curiosity into action.

Welcome to Kathy Sullivan Explores.

Don’t forget to leave a rating and review wherever you get your podcasts!

Spotify I Stitcher I Apple Podcasts I iHeart Radio I TuneIn I Google I Amazon Music.

The Heart of a Public Servant with Renee Wynn Sep 22, 2022

Show notes

Renee Wynn is an Independent Board Member with over three decades of leadership experience in environmental policy, global information technology, and cybersecurity operations. She has spent over 25 years of her career working in information services at the Environmental Protection Agency before becoming the Chief Information Officer at NASA, a post she served for five years. In addition to serving on the advisory boards of Palo Alto Networks and Interos Solutions, Renee also sits on the board of The Women’s Center, a non-profit dedicated to improving the community’s mental health and well-being.

Renee joins me today to discuss how she was inspired to be a public servant, even after consciously avoiding civil service for a time. She shares her experience growing up as the child of two operatives for the American intelligence services and how the nature of her parents’ work influenced her career decisions. She describes her work with the Environmental Protection Agency and transition to become the CIO of NASA. She also highlights the role of cybersecurity in the growing space economy and shares her advice to women who doubt themselves in their career.

“You absolutely must be curious and be good to your people.” - Renee Wynn

This week on Kathy Sullivan Explores:

The young Renee Wynn and what it was like to have parents that worked in intelligence services
How the nature of her parents’ work influenced Renee
Renee’s college education and the many different ways of getting educated
The reason Renee consciously stayed away from civil service and what made her change her mind
What led Renee to study programming and her introduction to the Environmental Protection Agency
Filling the talent gap in cybersecurity and data science
What prevents women from going for jobs or promotions
Finding your voice and command presence by asking for help from others

Our Favorite Quotes:

“Every time you’re at the table, you have the opportunity to give people the gift of your expertise.” - Renee Wynn
“Take time to self-reflect. We are imperfect, and that makes us beautiful. And when we make mistakes, that’s when we need to learn.” - Renee Wynn

Connect with Renee Wynn:

Renee Wynn on LinkedIn

Spaceship Not Required

I’m Kathy Sullivan, the only person to have walked in space and gone to the deepest point in the ocean.

I’m an explorer, and that doesn’t always have to involve going to some remote or exotic place. It simply requires a commitment to put curiosity into action.

Welcome to Kathy Sullivan Explores.

Don’t forget to leave a rating and review wherever you get your podcasts!

Spotify I Stitcher I Apple Podcasts I iHeart Radio I TuneIn I Google I Amazon Music.

Secret Astronaut Sauce? Sep 15, 2022

Show notes

When I was young, I wasn’t one to utter the sentence “When I grow up, I want to be an astronaut!” I was fascinated by other things—geography, maps, and languages—and studied foreign languages, oceanography, and geology in college and beyond. You might think that sounds like an odd background for an astronaut, but astronauts come from a wider range of professional experience than most people recognize. So, how exactly did I go from being a marine biologist by trade to joining the NASA Astronaut Corps?

In this episode, I outline my journey from earth science to space exploration and my secret sauce to getting accepted into NASA’s Astronaut Corps. You’ll learn what it takes for someone to get interviewed by NASA’s astronaut selection team. I explain how NASA’s astronaut selection team works and describe how competitive the application process is. You’ll hear about my interest in foreign languages and exploration as a child and how I became passionate about oceanography. I also underscore the importance of situational awareness skills and highlight the mindset and attitude critical to whatever you’re doing in life—whether it’s on Earth or in space.

“My secret sauce was that natural matter-of-fact, get-it-done, complete-the-mission attitude. My story spoke to an ability to be disciplined about carrying out a plan but alert to recognize when it’s not working—and then quick to adapt to the new circumstances.” - Kathy Sullivan

This week on Kathy Sullivan Explores:

NASA’s competitive astronaut selection process
How the burgeoning commercial space industry may change astronaut selection
The US/Soviet space race and the first human to orbit Earth
How I became interested in oceanography, geology, and foreign languages as a child
Transitioning from my marine geology career to NASA’s space exploration program
How my ocean research expeditions may have helped my NASA astronaut application
The two ways to screw up a procedure and the mindset critical to every astronaut

Our Favorite Quotes:

“This is what astronaut training is about: honing your situational awareness skills and developing a deep understanding of the assumptions and circumstances that every plan and every procedure is based on.” - Kathy Sullivan
“There are only two ways to screw up a procedure: one, is to fail to execute it exactly as written; the other is to execute it exactly as written, meaning that when some changes of circumstance have rendered your plan or procedure void, you can’t just carry it out originally the way you wrote it” - Kathy Sullivan

Spaceship Not Required

I’m Kathy Sullivan, the only person to have walked in space and gone to the deepest point in the ocean.

I’m an explorer, and that doesn’t always have to involve going to some remote or exotic place. It simply requires a commitment to put curiosity into action.

Welcome to Kathy Sullivan Explores.

Visit my website at kathysullivanexplores.com to sign up for seven astronaut tips to improve your life on earth and be the first to discover future episodes and learn about more exciting adventures!

Don’t forget to leave a rating and review wherever you get your podcasts!

Spotify I Stitcher I Apple Podcasts I iHeart Radio I TuneIn I Google I Amazon Music.

Sherman’s Lagoon and the Art of Cartooning with Jim Toomey Sep 08, 2022

Show notes

Jim Toomey is a cartoonist, global ocean advocate, and the creator of Sherman’s Lagoon, a daily comic strip syndicated to over 150 newspapers in 20 countries and six languages. Sherman’s Lagoon tells the story and misadventures of the great white shark Sherman, his wife Megan, and their friends in the fictional Kapupu Lagoon. Jim completed his Bachelor’s degree in Engineering at Duke University’s Pratt School of Engineering and his Master of Arts in Liberal Studies at Stanford University. He later received a Master of Environmental Management degree from the Nicholas School of the Environment and Earth Sciences.

Jim joins me today to share his journey from being a newspaper boy and engineer to a cartoonist and global ocean advocate. You’ll get advice on creating an ensemble of characters and learn how different characters drive different kinds of stories. He describes the experiences that inspired Sherman’s Lagoon. He also discusses the importance of properly defining and formulating a problem and shares his optimistic outlook for the world’s oceans.

“Look at the ocean not as a dark, alien world underneath the waves that has nothing to do with us. Look at it—that 70% of the planet—just as lively and vibrant and important to us as the 30% we live on.” - Jim Toomey

This week on Kathy Sullivan Explores:

Jim Toomey’s life growing up in Virginia
The birth of Sherman’s Lagoon
Why Jim pursued a degree in engineering
The beginning of Jim’s newspaper cartooning career
The beauty of going to college
Jim’s career in the engineering industry and his transition to being a professional cartoonist
How Sherman’s Lagoon made its way to Sweden and Norway
Why Jim went to Stanford for a Master’s degree in Liberal Arts and what it was like
The creative process behind Sherman’s Lagoon
Jim’s thoughts on storytelling and character development
How the characters in Sherman’s Lagoon reflect Jim and the people in his life
The different ways of being bad and the kind of work involved in producing a comic strip
The nature and scale of shark finning
Jim’s collaboration with NOAA and getting the Shark Protection Act through congress
The biggest barriers to being a cartoonist
Jim’s hopes for the future of the ocean and the environment

Our Favorite Quotes:

“As a cartoonist, I love drawing. But drawing itself isn’t even half the game: as comic strips have become smaller, it has become more about storytelling and writing.” - Jim Toomey
“In art, success is about gleaning from a field of complete failure; it’s about experimentation, going down a blind alley, and making a lot of mistakes.” - Jim Toomey

Connect with Jim Toomey:

Spaceship Not Required

I’m Kathy Sullivan, the only person to have walked in space and gone to the deepest point in the ocean.

I’m an explorer, and that doesn’t always have to involve going to some remote or exotic place. It simply requires a commitment to put curiosity into action.

Welcome to Kathy Sullivan Explores.

Don’t forget to leave a rating and review wherever you get your podcasts!

Spotify I Stitcher I Apple Podcasts I iHeart Radio I TuneIn I Google I Amazon Music.

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