{"href":"http://player.captivate.fm/services/oembed?url=http%3A%2F%2Fplayer.captivate.fm%2Fepisode%2F35aa5aa2-4764-4742-9ac8-5d93deb018cc","version":"1.0","provider_name":"Captivate.FM","provider_url":"https://www.captivate.fm","width":600,"height":200,"type":"rich","html":"","title":"I Serve At the Pleasure of the President","description":"While my work with the NOOA was a complex and generally fun job, it was one that fully demanded full intensity. It left me pretty tired after four years. So, when I left the country\u2019s preeminent climate and ocean agency in 2017, I planned to slow down\u2014maybe travel some, enjoy the flexibility that comes with retirement, and have time to get a dog. I eventually got my pup and, for several years, did a pretty good job at saying no to claims for my time that didn\u2019t inspire me. But everything changed when I received a call that opened with the words: \u201cI\u2019m calling on behalf of the White House.\u201d\u00a0In this episode, I discuss my appointment to the PCAST\u2014the President\u2019s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology. I explain why wildfires have gotten worse and describe the mega-fire I witnessed while flying over Australia during my first space shuttle mission in 1984. I share the responsibilities of PCAST, why it was established, and its current work on helping wildland firefighters. I also highlight how change takes time and underscore what it takes to tackle life\u2019s most worthy endeavors.\u00a0\u201cIn my world, if the President asks you to serve the country, you just don\u2019t say no.\u201d - Kathy Sullivan\u00a0This week on Kathy Sullivan Explores:\u00a0\u25cf\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0My appointment to the Presidential Council of Advisors on Science and Technology\u25cf\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0How I knew President Biden wanted me to serve PCAST\u25cf\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0PCAST\u2019s history, functions, and why the agency is special to me\u25cf\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0How diversity helps PCAST tackle a wide array of topics\u25cf\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0President Biden\u2019s tasks for PCAST\u25cf\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Why wildfires have become a year-round problem globally\u25cf\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0PCAST\u2019s work on wildfires and how to tackle complex issues\u25cf\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0How the President acts on the findings and recommendations of the PCAST report\u25cf\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0How the 2015 PCAST report on hearing aids led to the Medicare Hearing Coverage Act of 2021\u00a0Our Favorite Quotes:\u00a0\u25cf\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cNone of the improvements we aim to foster will happen overnight. Change always takes time; and the more complicated the problem, the longer the road.\u201d - Kathy Sullivan\u25cf\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cThe satisfaction is in knowing that you\u2019ve made a difference in peoples\u2019 lives, both today and tomorrow. For explorers like us, the journey, discoveries, and what they could mean for humankind are what it\u2019s all about.\u201d - Kathy Sullivan\u00a0Spaceship Not Required\u00a0I\u2019m Kathy Sullivan, the only person to have walked in space and gone to the deepest point in the ocean.\u00a0I\u2019m an explorer, and that doesn\u2019t always have to involve going to some remote or exotic place. It simply requires a commitment to put curiosity into action.\u00a0In 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.\u00a0Welcome to Kathy Sullivan Explores.\u00a0Visit 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!\u00a0Don\u2019t forget to leave a rating and review wherever you get your podcasts!\u00a0Spotify I ","thumbnail_width":300,"thumbnail_height":300,"thumbnail_url":"https://artwork.captivate.fm/1dfd0129-13dd-4580-97c9-75e77f559ffc/1472142-1680641322.jpg"}