“Our universe is full of wonder, and we are not around very long as measured on a cosmic time scale. So we’d better make sure we achieve what we can and appreciate life to the fullest.”

As a well-respected quantum physicist and ‘public scientist’ who regularly goes on television to promote science, Jim Al-Khalili remains humble about his popularity and achievements.

On the professional side, Jim is a professor of physics at the University of Surrey, where he also holds a chair in the Public Engagement in Science. In 1994, Al-Khalili was awarded an Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) Advanced Research Fellowship for five years, during which time he established himself as a leading expert on mathematical models of exotic atomic nuclei. He has published widely in his field.

Some of his other accolades include being appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) for services to science and public engagement in STEM in 2021. In 2013 he was awarded an Honorary Degree (DSc) from the University of London. Al-Khalili was elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society in 2018

On the public side, Jim is a prominent author and broadcaster who has written 14 books on popular science and the history of science, translated into twenty-six languages. He has also presented numerous TV documentaries and radio programmes, mostly for the BBC.

In an interview with us, Jim opened up about his journey immigrating from Iraq to the UK and how he fell in love with physics, delving into the topic he became so passionate about sharing with everyone outside of the scientific community.

EARLY LIFE

Tell us more about your family background and share with us on what it was like growing up.

My father came to the UK as a young Iraqi student to study engineering where he met my English mother, a librarian. She fell for the ‘nice, dark, foreign man with the kind eyes.’ They dated, married and moved to Iraq – a place that my mother always referred to as ‘the start of her great adventure’.

Although my parents initially settled down in Baghdad, we moved around quite a lot, depending on where my father was based as an electrical engineer in the Iraqi air force. I was born in Baghdad in 1962, the eldest of four siblings. It was a very pleasant and idyllic childhood really, and I have so many fond memories.

We spoke English at home and my mother taught me to read and write. By the time I started kindergarten we had moved north of Mosul. That is where I learnt to speak Arabic with the friends I made there. From then on, all my schooling until the age of 16 was in Arabic.

By the late 70s, my parents knew that life in Iraq was going to get tougher with Saddam Hussain ready to take over power, especially for a Shia Muslim man like my father, married to a Christian British woman. So, we left in July 1979 for Britain to start a new life. This was quite natural for me and my siblings since we had visited England on many occasions throughout our lives to stay with my maternal grandparents.

On the whole, I just feel lucky. My life could have turned out very differently. For instance, if we had delayed leaving Iraq by just six months we would not have been allowed to leave and I would have been conscripted to fight in that awful and senseless war with Iran, in which many of my school friends I left behind lost their lives to.

How did your upbringing shape the person you are today?

Growing up in a loving household meant that I learnt two cultures. Despite having a Muslim father and Christian mother, I never felt conflicted or pulled in different directions. I learnt that ‘Allah;’ was just Arabic for God. However, I suspected my curious mind and, later, my scientific training, had me questioning the nature of reality and the existence of a supernatural creator.

I turned away from religion in my late teens. But my parents had instilled in me values such as honesty, compassion and morality that really had nothing to do with their faiths. These are traits I hope my wife and I have instilled in our children.

How would you sum up your childhood?

Happy, loving, carefree. Life in Iraq in the 60s and 70s were lightyears away from the troubles the country has endured since I left it. I was bright at school and all subjects came easily to me. My mother had studied art and music at college and she instilled in me a love of those subjects. They became hobbies I pursued at home, such as painting and playing the piano. I even made my own guitar from scratch.

I was obsessed with football of course, as were all my friends, and from about the age of twelve, I also developed an interest in music and girls.

So, I was pretty normal I would say. I didn’t fall in love with physics until my mid-teens, but when I did, I knew that was what I wanted to pursue for the rest of my life: to try to understand the workings of the universe. Even today, nearly half a century later, I still enjoy sport and music, but they get squeezed out by my continuing obsession with science.

JOURNEY

What got you interested in science and more specifically nuclear physics, quantum mechanics and quantum biology in the beginning?

I fell in love with physics thanks to an inspiring teacher (isn’t that always the way?). I remember performing well in a class test at the age of fourteen and realising that I was better at that subject than all my peers. Figuring out physics problems just came naturally to me. I preferred physics far more than chemistry and biology, both of which involved memorising names and concepts.

After all, for me physics was just a mixture of puzzle solving and common sense. I also realised it was the subject I had to study if I wanted answers to the big questions, such as – what are stars made of? Does space go on forever? What are the smallest particles made of? What is time?

I studied physics at the University of Surrey in England (in fact where I still work today) and initially had no plans for what I wanted to do after graduation. But by my final year, I knew my passion was to become an academic researcher. I didn’t choose nuclear physics as my PhD area; it chose me. One of my professors, who presumably saw something in me, offered me the chance to work with him in a field called nuclear reaction theory – a highly mathematical area involving solving the equations of quantum mechanics and writing computer codes to study the nature of atomic nuclei and how they react with each other.

But it was quantum mechanics itself – the weird and beautiful theory that describes the microscopic world, that has been my lifelong passion. So, in recent years I have moved away from studying atomic nuclei to applying quantum mechanics in other areas, such as inside living cells, hence the new field of ‘quantum biology’.

What were some hard decisions you had to make and challenges you faced along the way?

To be honest, I have not had to make many hard decisions. I look back over my life and career and realise I made some smart choices, but at the time I guess things just happened. Maybe I was subconsciously working out what paths to take, but I never felt particularly torn between choices, nor can I say that I have any regrets about the way things have turned out.

I have a successful career which I absolutely love, a loving wife to whom I have been married for 35 years and a wonderful son and daughter who now lead their own happy and fulfilling lives.

What are some memorable moments or anecdotes you could share with us while you were on this journey?

There have been many memorable moments in my career, but I feel those associated with my physics research are not likely to mean very much to the wider public. More interesting might be some of the highlights of my life as a science communicator. Making my TV documentaries, for example, have allowed me to travel around the world and visit locations I would never have had the chance to otherwise.

For instance, in 2009 – I made a three-part documentary on the history of science in the mediaeval Islamic world, which took me and my crew to a number of exotic locations to do filming.

One memorable trip was to Northern Iran to find the archaeological remains of a 12th century observatory high in a mountain fortress called Alamut. Not only was the science story I was telling so fascinating, but the trip itself was a great adventure.

A particular highlight from my science communication career was winning the inaugural Stephen Hawking medal, given to me by Hawking himself at a ceremony in Tenerife. He had watched a number of my documentaries and said I had explained quantum mechanics more clearly than he had ever heard. I was extremely flattered of course.

ACHIEVEMENTS

Which achievements/milestones are you most proud of and why?

I am not saying this because I feel I should, but by far my greatest achievement is playing my part in bringing up our two children and watching them grow into decent and happy human beings. So, obviously the days on which they were born are my most memorable.

But in terms of career milestones and achievements, I think it’s fair to say that being elected a fellow of the Royal Society, and signing the same Fellows’ book as Isaac Newton, is at the top of the pile. Being acknowledged in this way is every scientist’s dream.

What do you think are the key ingredients to your success?

Well, it certainly isn’t because I’m a genius – I know many people who are smarter than me. But personality plays a role too, or more correctly, emotional intelligence. I am able not only to grasp and understand difficult concepts in physics myself, but I can put them in a way that others without my training can also appreciate and understand.

So, in a sense, I would say the key ingredients of my success have been serendipity (at certain moments in my life), curiosity (the obsession to want to understand) and empathy (with an audience when trying to convey the wonders of the universe).

I should also add that a major ingredient in my success has been having a wonderfully supportive wife, Julie, who has encouraged me and been there for me throughout my career.

What lies ahead in terms of your goals and ambitions?

Having spent a big fraction of my time over the past two decades communicating science, either through my TV documentaries, radio and podcast work or my popular science books, I have never forgotten the ‘day job’: that I am first and foremost a research physicist.

I have recently started to get back to my research work in a serious way and I am loving it. I am the lead scientist on a multi-million-dollar research project to explore the nature of time in the quantum world.

This is going to take up much of my energy and I am hugely excited to be working with an international team of physicists, chemists, mathematicians, biologists and philosophers.

So, it’s very interdisciplinary and addresses some fundamental questions in science. But I won’t give up on writing and broadcasting either. I just want to do it all.

Jim Al-Khalili at TEDGlobal London – June 16, 2015, Faraday Lecture Hall, Royal Institution of Great Britain, London, England. Photo: James Duncan Davidson/TED

PERSONAL (LIFE)

What is your life motto (Or core values) if any?

As a humanist, I want to show empathy, compassion and kindness, not because a holy book tells me to, but because it defines my humanity. As a scientist I would say that my core values are to always exhibit honesty and integrity; and where there are conflicting views, as is often the case in science, to be able to disagree with others without being disagreeable.

In everyday life, I can boil my motto down to just two words: Be nice.

To you, what are the most important things in life?

It is to be able to see the other person’s point of view, to examine my own biases before I judge others, and finally to try and live happily and without stress. Our universe is full of wonder, and we are not around very long as measured on a cosmic time scale. So we’d better make sure we achieve what we can and appreciate life to the full.

What’s worth mentioning on your life’s bucket list that you have not done?

Well, it’s certainly not the usual stuff like climbing Mount Everest or skydiving or bungee jumping, nor trying psychedelic drugs, or going to space.

For me it is much less ambitious – I want to get better at playing the guitar, and maybe to have a physics equation that I have discovered named after me.

Why do you do what you do? (What drives you everyday)

Both an obsession with and sheer curiosity about the workings of the Universe and my place in it.

Who are the role models and influences in your life?

There are many people I admire, both in my field of science, from mentors such as my PhD supervisor Ron Johnson and the head of my department at Surrey, Bill Gelletly, who encouraged me to first dip my toe into the world of science communication, to heroes and inspirational figures from the worlds of art, politics and literature.

Ultimately, I would say that my wife, Julie, has had the most influence on how I have developed as a person and I feel, made me a better all-round human being.

What kind of legacy do you hope to leave behind?

I’d like to think that I would have inspired many people to take up science and to appreciate the wonders of nature, as well as to develop a rational, enlightened view of the world.

What are some life lessons you will take to your grave?

As a scientist, knowing that the laws of the Universe are logical and comprehensible. As a member of society, it is important to have empathy and compassion for my fellow humans and not to judge others too harshly before I have examined my own prejudices.

VIEWPOINTS

You can be seen as a ‘public scientist’ who has written numerous books as well as presenting numerous TV documentaries and radio programmes over the years. Why do you think that it is important for the public to be up-to-date on the latest happenings in the scientific community, especially in relation to physics?

A few years ago, I would have cited a couple of reasons for this. The first is the obvious one: that I hope to inspire the next generation of scientists and instil in them a curiosity and fascination with the world around them.

The second is that I feel it is important to imbed science into popular culture so that the wider public feel just as comfortable discussing scientific concepts as they are talking about politics, sport, art, music and literature. To some extent this is happening now, at least in some sectors of society.

However, since the pandemic started in 2020, I have realised that there is potentially an even more important motivation, which is to ensure that we have a scientifically literate society in which people are able to make informed decisions about all sorts of issues that come up in daily life, from understanding public health advice about Covid-19 to how to play a role in tackling climate change.

This requires an understanding of how the process of science works, from acknowledging uncertainty to the willingness to change one’s mind in the light of new data and evidence.

Ultimately however, I love being able to inspire and fascinate the public by instilling in them the same sense of awe and wonder about the universe that I feel.

What kind of innovation do you see in nuclear physics, quantum mechanics and quantum biology at the moment and where do you see new applications in the world in the next 3 to 5 years?

I think the next big advances in science are going to come at the interface of several disciplines that study the world at the tiniest length scales.

The first is quantum technologies, which is seeing exciting developments in areas such as quantum sensing and quantum computing.

Then there is synthetic biology, in which new devices are created and engineered by borrowing tricks from nature and sometimes even engineering or modifying tiny organisms to perform new tasks.

There is also the vast and rapidly developing area of nanotechnology, which involves the manipulation of matter down at the molecular and atomic scale to produce new structures.

This is why the area of quantum biology where I am working is so exciting: if life has evolved the ability to utilise the tricks of the quantum world in the way it manipulates atoms and molecules then we can borrow those tricks.

So, I see a coming together of all these areas into what I call quantum bioengineering.

How do you think nuclear physics, quantum mechanics and quantum biology can be relevant to our daily individual lives? 

Well, the science in these areas is still in its infancy. So it is hard to make predictions or promises about what it might deliver in the way of medical advances in the future.

For example, we have recently discovered that quantum mechanics plays an important role in genetic mutations.

If this is borne out by experimental data then it may have a big role to play in many areas of biology and medicine, from virology to cancer.

The post Wonders Of The Universe – Jim Al-Khalili appeared first on My Story Lounge.

“We don’t buy products because of what they do. We buy them because of what they mean.”

A sought-after figure within the corporate world, Michael R. Solomon is a thought leader, keynote speaker and renowned author on topics concerning consumer behavior, fashion psychology, branding, retailing, advertising and marketing.

In addition, as Professor of Marketing at Saint Joseph’s University in Philadelphia, U.S.A., Solomon has written over 30 books on these topics above. He is a contributor on Forbes.com, and is frequently quoted in major news outlets such as The New York Times, USA Today, Adweek, Time and BBC News.

Combining cutting-edge academic theory with actionable real-world strategies, he helps brands to better anticipate the needs of their target audiences and effectively communicate messages. Even marketing guru Philip Kotler, who is famously known as the “Father of Marketing”, sums up his expertise this way, “Solomon has the mind of a scientist and the writing flair of a journalist.”

His work with corporations include the likes of Calvin Klein, eBay, Campbell’s, United Airlines, Levi Strauss, Intel, Dupont, BMW, Under Armour, Timberland, Wrangler, Lululemon, and H&M, among other major global brands.

Advertising and marketing is all around us – from our perception of brand names to our shopping choices and more importantly, the influence it has on our behaviours as consumers. We spoke to the man who only understands this world too well.

EARLY LIFE

Tell us more about your family background and share with us on what it was like growing up.

I had a disgustingly normal childhood. I was an only child, and I grew up in the Maryland suburbs of Washington, D.C. My Dad was a Professor and Dean at The George Washington University for many years. My parents were originally from other parts of the U.S.A., so we had relatively few physical visits with family. However we had a very close network of friends and neighbors that filled in quite nicely.

How did your upbringing shape the person you are today?

We were very close-knit and of course since we are all products of our upbringing, I can still see my parents in my values and personality traits. They also made sure I had a reasonable variety of experiences such as visiting other places, going to restaurants and museums, etc.

And, because I was basically a “nerd” and not very athletic, I learned early on to develop a cutting wit that neutralized potential bullies (I still need to watch that today) and helped me to make friends during the adolescent quest for popularity.

How would you sum up your childhood?

I owe my late parents many things, but one of the most important is that I’m grateful to them for giving me a happy childhood. My only regret is probably growing up in suburbia, where kids were relatively sheltered from many of the tumultuous events that were changing our society in the 1960s and 1970s.

Michael in High school (1973)

JOURNEY

How and why did you decide to venture into marketing and advertising?

I blundered into a career as a marketing academic. I did my Ph.D. dissertation on the psychology of fashion. When it came time to apply for Psychology faculty positions, the market was dreadful; every open position was overflowed with applicants. One of my professors suggested that I considered Marketing faculty positions. At that time, I literally didn’t know that Marketing was a discipline; I thought my professor meant going to the store!

My professor connected me with a Marketing professor at the U. of Florida, who in turn recommended me to his colleagues at New York University. Sure enough, they invited me for an interview, and they offered me a job by the end of the day. The rest is history! I have never regretted my move from Psychology to Marketing because my adopted field was very tolerant of some of the “crazy” topics some of my colleagues and I were doing research on at that time.

Why did you choose to become a speaker and author?

I was one of those nerdy kids in college who actually enjoyed doing intense term papers (and in those days we didn’t have Wikipedia).

The “drama” of pulling an all-nighter to write (and then type on a typewriter) a research paper really appealed to me. It’s kind of like hitting your head against the wall: it feels so good when you stop! But to this day I still enjoy the writing process, and the tools we have available today are game-changers.

I developed a love of speaking from giving countless lectures to students. I believe that it’s in my interest to have fun while imparting new ideas (so I don’t bore myself as well as my audience), and later in my career I discovered that corporate groups also wanted presentations that were both engaging and informative.

What were the challenges you faced and hard decisions you had to make along the way?

As I noted, when I started in academia there were no jobs available in my discipline. So, it was quite challenging to reposition myself and join a business school faculty. In the first few years, I was literally about ½ chapter ahead of my MBA students because as a liberal arts scholar I had never taken any business courses. I still haven’t (a little secret I keep from my students).

As a young man (sole breadwinner) with a growing family, I had to make hard decisions about how much time I could devote to my wife and kids. I worked constantly as a junior faculty member, and this exacted a toll. Although I wish I had been able to allocate more to my family, I feel I made a “noble sacrifice” to be sure everyone benefited from my hard work – at least in terms of day-to-day life, educational opportunities, etc.

Today, I don’t work quite as hard, and I’ve learned that I can get about as much done in ½ day of focused work as I used to do in a full day (and often night).

ACHIEVEMENTS

Which achievements are you most proud of and why?

I have been fortunate to have had a successful career, both within academia and as an industry consultant. I’m proud that I’ve been able to pursue issues that combine the characteristics of both. And – I’m very grateful to the colleagues and students I’ve had the honor of working with over the years. I’ve also learned a lot about the publishing world, and I’m very proud of all the textbooks and trade books I’ve written.

When I wrote the first edition of ‘Consumer Behavior’ textbook (now in its 13th edition), it wasn’t at all clear that any faculty members would assign it to their students.

There were several well-entrenched titles, and the multidisciplinary perspective I brought was still not widely accepted among Marketing faculty. But the book captured the zeitgeist of the newer forms of research that “the Young Turks” in the field were doing at the time (I was one of them – that was a long time ago!).

Today, this “new paradigm of consumer behavior” is actually pretty mainstream – but I’d like to think that at least part of the reason for that is the prolonged success of this book and the many thousands of students who learned from it, and then applied what they learned in marketing settings.

What do you think are the key ingredients to your success?

1) For better or worse, I am extremely well-organized. I maintain a very elaborate organizational structure for myself that helps me to be productive.

2) I have always worked well with others, so I’ve been able to publish many articles with co-authors. In particular, I have always prioritized publishing with my students – and putting them as first author when appropriate!

3) Not taking no for an answer. I am a consummate “nag” and I usually persevere when problems arise with other people because they don’t turn around their work on time.

What lies ahead in terms of your goals and ambitions?

I believe that the ideas I present in my latest book: The New Chameleons: How to Connect with Consumers Who Defy Categorization, are really valuable to marketers, most of whom don’t appreciate how much consumer behavior is changing even as I write this. I’m looking forward to the opportunity to do more keynotes around the world to share these ideas with audiences.

I’m also working on an online course that I’m very excited about; the tentative title is ENGAGE! How to Turn Your (Bored) Customers into Brand Fanatics. I believe that connecting with consumers in a very chaotic marketing environment is the biggest challenge marketers face today. I’m really keen to show learners that there are still ways to galvanize customers and help them to appreciate the value of a brand to improve their lives.

PERSONAL (LIFE)

What is your life motto (Or core values) if any?

“It’s better to light a single candle than to curse the darkness.”

To you, what are the most important things in life?

Family and friends – including my wonderful wife, kids and grandkids! Although I value professional success, it’s how you act in your private life that really matters. To paraphrase a popular expression: “No one ever lies on their deathbed and wishes that they spent more time at the office.”

What’s worth mentioning on your life’s bucket list that you have not done?

Riding every big roller coaster in the world.

Why do you do what you do? (What drives you everyday)

I’m very fortunate because I don’t have a “boss” in the conventional sense who tells me what to do (the joys of being a tenured Professor). So, I continue to write and speak because I genuinely enjoy it. So long as I feel my students continue to get value out of what I say, I’ll keep doing it. As the saying goes, “If you love what you do, you’ll never work a day in your life.”

Who are the role models and influences in your life?

My Dad was Role Model #1; among other things, he taught me about the joys of doing research and learning. I’ve also had several professional influences and mentors that include a handful of very successful academics who are highly regarded in both academic and the business world.

I’m also grateful to an executive, who worked for many years in the marketing research industry, and who then taught the subject as an adjunct professor. He showed me how the “real” research business works.

What are some things that many people don’t know about you?

I don’t take myself too seriously, and I love to make fun of people who do. Just don’t label yourself as “thought leader” or “guru” – if you have to say you’re one, you’re probably not!

Starting at age 14, I worked for many years as a tuxedo salesman in various formal wear stores.

What are you most passionate about in life and why?

Again, my family including my lovely wife Gail. Also, I love to travel and try exotic foods (except anything from the ocean).

I love to read sci-fi and to see how different authors envision the ways our society will evolve.

VIEWPOINTS

In your personal opinion, how do you think technology is changing consumer behaviours around the world in general and will continue to change it?

As I discuss at length in ‘The New Chameleons’, one of the most important changes is the dissolution of the boundary between humans and machines. As we continue to merge with technology, our very self-identities will mutate. This movement includes the increasing practice of implanting tech into our bodies (examples: microchips, contact lenses that monitor vital signs, prosthetics and so on) as well as the growth of the “Metaverse”, where our digital and physical identities will continue to come together.

You have written countless books on marketing. What are the top five things marketers have to do to adapt to changing consumer preferences and new innovative technologies?

1. Listen to your customers. They are your best source for new product ideas.
2. Understand societal changes, for example the current movement toward greater diversity and inclusion in marketing campaigns.
   Don’t rest on your laurels – just because you’ve devised a new solution to a problem doesn’t mean that others won’t come along with a better one.
3. Understand that the distinction between offline and online marketing strategies is obsolete in an age where your customers are omnichannel 24/7. Prepare for the Metaverse!
4. Recognize the power of external influences on consumer decision making – including the opinions of peers, influencers, etc. and appreciate that especially for many younger consumers these decisions are often made collectively by a “hive mind” that’s constantly churning on social media and other tech platforms.

You are one of the founders in the field of fashion psychology. Could you tell us more about the space and the impact it has on society as a whole?

The study of fashion psychology is quite a new focus (although a few scholars started to probe this area as far back as the late 1800s). One of the events that was a catalyst to grow this field was a large conference I chaired in 1985. The resulting book (The Psychology of Fashion) was one of the first to bring together a range of social scientists and fashion industry executives to look at how fashion processes influence consumer behavior.

It’s also important to remember that the study of “fashion” in this context is not confined to tracking hemlines each season – the same basic processes that determine whether women will be wearing long or short hemlines also apply to our understanding of how scientific theories, political perspectives, consumer packaged goods, etc. originate and diffuse through a market.

Especially post-pandemic, the issues this field deals with are very important. For example, we’re seeing a huge resurgence of interest in apparel sustainability; the solutions we come up with to reduce the immense waste the industry creates will be an integral component of efforts to combat climate change, pollution, economic inequality, etc. If that’s going to happen, consumers have to make it happen, It’s a great time to study how their values are changing.

Micheal and his family at the Atlantis resort (2019)

The post What Consumers Want – Michael R. Solomon appeared first on My Story Lounge.

“Some people are repelled by the darkness of an underwater cave, but for me it’s an invitation into the unknown”

These are the words Jill Heinerth, a Canadian world-renowned cave diver and explorer, uses to describe her passion and profession. More than that, she is also a writer, photographer and an award-winning film-maker. Her accolades include being named a “Living Legend” by Sport Diver Magazine and getting inducted into the exclusive New York Explorers Club.

In the film-making space, Heinerth has worked on a number of TV series for PBS, National Geographic Channel and the BBC, consulted on movies for directors including James Cameron, written several books and produced documentaries. Furthermore, she advises on training programmes for diving agencies, publishes photojournalism in a range of magazines and speaks around the world.

In 1998, Heinerth was part of the team that made the first 3D map of an underwater cave. She became the first person to dive the ice caves of Antarctica, going further into an underwater cave system than any woman has ever gone before.

Whether we are intrigued or petrified at the prospect of cave-diving, we can’t help but marvel at the adventurous spirit of this brave woman, whose job it is to explore near-freezing waterways under a few hundred feet of ice; and travel to places so remote that just getting there is treacherous.

EARLY LIFE

Tell us more about your family background and share with us on what it was like growing up.

I grew up in a small town in Canada, the daughter of an engineer and English teacher. My Mom gave up her early career aspirations to raise our family. We lived frugally and loved outdoor adventures, picnics, hikes, and canoeing trips.

How did your upbringing shape the person you are today?

My parents instilled in me a love of learning, encouraging me to pursue my interests with passion and integrity. I did not feel like there were any bounds to what was possible for me. They taught me that I could do anything I wanted if I worked hard.

How would you sum up your childhood?

I was adventurous, curious and loved learning.

JOURNEY

How did you get started as an underwater explorer and filmmaker respectively?

I studied Fine Arts at York University in Toronto and worked as a graphic designer at the same time. I also taught scuba-diving in the evenings and on weekends. I was drawn to scuba-diving and decided to find a way to be a creative professional in the underwater world.

As much as I loved being a graphic designer, working indoors felt stifling to me. I saw a career path in becoming a full-time diver and thus I decided to sell everything I owned in Toronto, Canada, and moved to the Cayman Islands to pursue my love for diving.

To support myself financially, I also assembled a hybrid work-life that included writing, photography, cinematography, consulting, instruction, and public speaking.

What were some significant challenges you faced, lessons learnt and hard decisions you had to make along the way?

When I first started out, I faced both sexism and unintentional biases while working in a male-dominated vocation. It was fairly difficult to jumpstart a career as an independent diving professional, and I always had to find new ways to sustain my income streams.

I had discovered that when someone is financially challenged, not being busy enough or being too busy, can both be stressful situations! So I built my confidence, patience, and tenacity. If one income stream wasn’t producing, I pitched new ideas to secure paid projects and developed lasting income streams from creative assets that I produced.

Jill photographs the National Geographic team in Abaco, Bahamas.

Share with us some experiences/stories that you think are significant to your journey so far.

As a young woman who was quickly rising to the top in the world of professional cave-diving, I was subjected to online bullies. Nasty commentary, death threats and cruel insults were just some of the attacks directed at me from people whom I have never even met before in my life.

At one point, a man sent me a package with body bags in it. He told me to “clean up the cave” after my project, insinuating that someone would die under my watch. I was deeply shaken.

At first, I felt deeply hurt by those personal attacks but then I realised that the reason they did that was more about themselves rather than personally targeting me.

The truth is that cave diving is incredibly dangerous. I have known more than 100 people that have lost their lives in cave diving and technical diving accidents. These were friends and colleagues. Each loss takes its psychological toll on me.

I have since learned that all I can do is bring my best self to work every day. My desire is to live with integrity and mentor the next generation of cave-divers with the same dedication to safety that I have learnt for over 30 years in the business.

Some of my early diving projects and expeditions were catalysts for great lessons. They include being trapped inside an iceberg in Antarctica and recovering from severe injuries due to a deep-diving accident. Having said that, I felt that I have achieved things that I initially thought were impossible. In the end, I learned that we are all capable of much more than we can imagine.

The search for deep caves in Bermuda, led Heinerth and her team to make the deepest manned dives in the island nation’s history. Photo: Jill Heinerth

ACHIEVEMENTS

Which achievements/milestones are you most proud of and why?

I am proud of being a Fellow of the International Scuba Diving Hall of Fame, Underwater Academy of Arts and Sciences, Women Divers Hall of Fame, and the Explorers Club, which awarded me with the ‘William Beebe Award’ for ocean exploration.

These were incredible milestones in my career, but the most special recognition of all – was being named the first Explorer-in-Residence of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society. With this platform, I have been able to reach tens of thousands of children around the world to conduct presentations and workshops that I hope can help them spark an interest in science, geography, and exploration.

I also take pride in completing two books so far, namely:

1) My memoir, ‘Into the planet’, which has been lauded by the Wall Street Journal, Oprah Magazine, and the New York Times.

2) My new children’s book, ‘The Aquanaut’, is a Blue Ribbon Selection for Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library. That program has helped to distribute close to 8000 copies to underprivileged kids.

What do you think are the key ingredients to your success?

They say that nobody will work harder for you than yourself. I know that to be true. Hard work, tenacity, and humility are important traits that I embrace.

Multi-tasking, learning new skills and being willing to do whatever needs to be done for a given situation, plays a significant part in my success too. I do my very best to be a team player to lead and manage people, no matter how difficult the role or how minor the task is. For example, I would not leave a sink full of dishes on a research boat for someone else to clean up. I also consider it to be important to contribute to the well-being of the team, knowing that we are all equals.

What lies ahead in terms of your goals and ambitions?

There are some very ambitious research and exploration initiatives as well as documentary and education programs that are in the pipeline. It includes diving in Canada’s longest underwater cave system and some delayed expeditions including documenting WWII shipwrecks off Newfoundland.

I am also working on a once-in-a-lifetime educational initiative that aims to teach people about ‘The Great Lakes’, which are the largest surface freshwater system on the Earth. Using exciting augmented reality technology, we are creating an immersive experience with global impact.

Jill Heinerth briefing James Cameron before his first cave dive. Photo: Jackie Windh

PERSONAL (LIFE)

What is your life motto if any?

I suppose “do unto others as you would have them do unto you,” is an important creed. I always try to put myself in someone else’s shoes. It is through recognition that empathy can solve the largest problems.

To you, what are the most important things in life?

I believe in continuous life-long learning and thus I am never bored.

Another aspect I find important is to take on risks in life and do the things that may seem terrifying. Don’t get me wrong, I am not fearless. But when I am scared, it is because I recognise that I am taking on a risk where I deeply care about the outcome.

Fear is a driver for exploration and discovery, so I will continue to take calculated risks in the interest of expanding my horizons and being part of important scientific discoveries that can make the world a better place.

What’s worth mentioning on your bucket list that you have not done?

If I had the funds, I would pursue training in an atmospheric diving suit to enable me to dive deep enough to reach places never documented before. I’d love to go to space to see the big blue marble of our Earth, but I still want to reach even more remote places on this planet. The ‘Exosuit’ (a one-piece atmosphere hard diving suit) could help me to document new species and lost cultural assets in the ocean’s greatest depths.

Jill Heinerth drives the Wakulla2 Digital Wapper on a 1997-98 project with the U.S. Deep Caving Team. On this project, the team created the first accurate 3D map of subterranean space and pushed the bounds of human performance.

Why do you do what you do? (What drives you everyday)

I love the challenge of pushing the boundaries of what we perceive as possible. It’s a joy to learn new skills and then apply that knowledge toward communicating about critical issues such as water literacy and climate change to people. My hope is that through my unique perspectives of the Earth from deep within the planet, people can get excited to learn more and become more aware about important global issues.

Who are the role models and influences in your life?

Dr. Sylvia Earle is a key influencer of mine. Me and my colleagues refer to her as “Her Deepness!” But seriously, she is an inspiration who shares the truth about difficult issues while empowering and inspiring others to act.

What are some things that many people don’t know about you?

I love cycling and once rode my bicycle on a 7000 km journey across the country, unsupported. Few people know that I am also a painter.

What are some life lessons worth mentioning?

Chase fear or you will spend your life running from it.

VIEWPOINTS

Do you think females are underrepresented in underwater exploring professionally?

Yes, absolutely. Diving, exploring and filmmaking are all male-dominated fields. The good news is, that is slowly changing. When I first launched my career, there were few women in any of those areas.

As more female talents entered the sectors mentioned, more women could better visualise themselves in these roles. There is no reason why women can’t excel in all these activities. Moreover, women make great team players. We are extremely resilient in difficult situations and given the opportunity, can rise to achieve our full potential.

When I started diving, there were many barriers to overcome. Beyond sexism and unintentional bias, technical diving gear designed to fit a woman simply did not exist. That is not merely an issue of appearance. When diving equipment doesn’t fit, it is a safety and comfort issue.

Jill drives the 3D Digital Wall Mapper at Wakulla Springs during the Wakulla2 Project. Photo: Wes Skiles, Courtesy of the U.S. Deep Caving Team Inc.

You acknowledged that underwater exploring is a risky endeavour and said it yourself that “more people have died exploring underwater caves than climbing Mt. Everest”. How should individuals with little to no experience weigh the risks vs rewards even before they decide to embark on such diving trips?

Risk assessment and acceptance is a balancing act. A poor decision at work could cost me my life, but if I don’t take risks, I will not make any new discoveries – for myself or for humanity. Whether you are a diver or a salesperson, taking risks leads to an opportunity.

Sure, I might fail. But that failure is never a negative in my mind. Failure is simply ‘discovery learning’. If I have taken steps to mitigate the risks, then I will become better each time at minimising my downside without affecting my pursuit of new discoveries or opportunities.

Little Devil Spring. Photo: Jill Heinerth

What advice would you give to aspiring underwater explorers who are looking to turn their passion into a career?

Work hard. There are some classes and mentors that help you learn new skills, but understand that your path to becoming a world-class explorer is personal. You will need to adopt a tenacious spirit, set learning objectives and master your craft by being hands-on – education can only take you so far, the rest requires you to learn through practical experiences. Look forward a decade to where you want to be, then plot a relentless path in that direction.

How does your general view of the world differ from someone who does not have the privilege to experience firsthand another facet of the like you do?

I don’t sweat the ‘small stuff’ or get embroiled in the drama of personal opinions. I love a diversity of viewpoints, recognizing that getting outside of my own head and outside of my comfort zone yields new opportunities for collaborations.

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