564. Science and Sci-Fi Bring Adventure to His Life
Dr. Robert G. Williscroft
Robert built a telescope and looked to the stars as a teenager, dreaming of becoming an astronaut. When that couldn’t happen, he swapped his telescope for a submariner’s periscope, and began the life of an adventurer.
Robert Williscroft, Ph.D., is a retired submariner, diver, scientist, businessman, author and adventurer. He spent 22 months underwater, a year in the equatorial Pacific, three years in the Arctic, and a year at the Geographic South Pole conducting atmospheric research which measures human impact on climate change. He appeared on dozens of radio talk shows, and nationally on the Michael Medved show, CNBC, and FOX News. Current books: The Chicken Little Agenda, A Relativity Birthday Present, Operation Ivy Bells, Slingshot, and The Starchild Compact.
How Did You Start Using Your Talents?
Robert’s passion for science led him to build his own telescope in his teens. “In Darmstadt, Germany, I discovered an institution called the America House. It had a library filled with books in English and German. I stumbled onto some science fiction by Robert Heinlein, Isaac Asimov and several other classic science fiction writers. I got into science and found myself utterly fascinated with the universe. In high school I built my own eight-inch telescope. I ground the lens. I even won 1st prize in physics for Europe in science fairs.”
The Most Impactful Turning Point?
Early in life, Robert dreamed of becoming an astronaut. That required that he become not only a fighter pilot but also a test pilot. He was able to qualify through the U.S. Navy to become a fighter pilot, but an issue with his vision closed the door to becoming an astronaut. So, he reached back to a childhood memory in Bath, England, where he had become fascinated with the life of a submariner. He shifted focus and became involved in deep sea missions in the U.S. Navy.
The Most Powerful Lessons Learned?
“That’s almost impossible to answer. Whatever I’m doing at the moment captures me almost completely. Then, when I shift into the next cell, then that captures me completely, and so on. At the moment, I’m flipping a bedraggled broken down house. It will go on market in a couple of days, and it’s beautiful now. Taking care of details and supervising workers captured me completely at that time. Now, this conversation is fascinating me! Later today I’ll spend a couple of hours writing, and that will capture me. Being conscious and present doesn’t seem to have been difficult for me.”
On His Bookshelf
The Chicken Little Agenda, by Robert G. Williscroft
Relativity Birthday Present, by Robert G. Williscroft
Operation Ivy Bells, by Robert G. Williscroft
Slingshot, by Robert G. Williscroft
The Starchild Compact, by Robert G. Williscroft
All books by Robert G. Williscroft: http://robertwilliscroft.com
Steps to Success from Dr. Robert G. Williscroft
1. Find what truly captures your interest, and then don’t let anything deter you from pursuing it.
2. Learn how to interpret what you’re doing in ways others can understand, even if they see the world very differently than you do.
3. Sometimes barriers will appear. Don’t waste much time on a barrier that seems insurmountable. Use your creativity and intelligence to move on to the next fascination.
Connecting With Dr. Robert G. Williscroft
Website: http://robertwilliscroft.com
Twitter: @rgwilliscroft
Facebook: facebook.com/robert.williscroft
LinkedIn: Robert Williscroft PhD
Free Gift
Free coupons for the Audible versions of “Operation Ivy Bells,” “Slingshot,” “The Starchild Compact,” and “The Chicken Little Agenda” in exchange for a bona fide review of the book(s). Email Robert Williscroft at rgw@agree.net.
Careers: Author, Diver, Scientist, Submariner, U.S. Navy
Topics: Following Passion