First American Woman to Walk in Space to Speak at Nauticus

Dr. Kathryn D. Sullivan, Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Environmental Observation and Prediction and Deputy NOAA Administrator will discuss “"Environmental Intelligence for Coastal Communities" at the Blue Planet Forum lecture series on Thursday, June 7 at 7 p.m. in the Nauticus Theater. This environmental lecture series is presented by the Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF), Nauticus, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and Old Dominion University. Blue Planet Forum is free and open to the public; however, due to space limitations, RSVPs are requested.

What is “environmental intelligence”? Understanding, predicting, and managing extreme environmental events require an extraordinary amount of information about the physical state of the earth, from moment to moment as well as from decade to decade. “Environmental intelligence” is similar to ‘intelligence’ in the security world, combining data, information, analysis, modeling, and assessment.

As assistant secretary, Dr. Sullivan plays a central role in directing Administration and NOAA priority work in the areas of weather and water services, climate science and services, integrated mapping services and Earth-observing capabilities. She provides agency-wide direction with regard to satellites, space weather, water, and ocean observations and forecasts to best serve American communities and businesses.

Sullivan’s impressive expertise spans the frontiers of space and sea. In addition to her official NOAA title, she has served as NOAA’s chief scientist since 1993, and is a distinguished scientist, accomplished oceanographer and intrepid explorer. Sullivan was one of the first six women selected to join the NASA astronaut corps in 1978 and holds the distinction of being the first American woman to walk in space. She flew on three shuttle missions during her 15-year tenure, including the mission that deployed the Hubble Space Telescope.

Doors open at 6: 30 p.m and light hors d’oeuvres and a cash bar will be available prior to the lecture. Register by visiting https://www.cbf.org/blueplanet or emailing blueplanetforum.org, or call the Chesapeake Bay Foundation at (757) 622-1964.