An Explorer, Through and Through

Kevin O’Sullivan, D.Sc., associate professor of management in the School of Management, considers himself an explorer, both at New York Tech and beyond.

As a member of the highly exclusive Explorers Club and an avid scuba diver, O’Sullivan conducts research studies about the ocean environment all over the world. Additionally, as a fellow of the Royal Geographical Society, he conducts research in the national British archives. Currently, he’s studying Sir Ernest Shackleton’s Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition, a 1914 exploration voyage in which his ship, the Endurance, became trapped in pack ice and eventually sank. Shackleton’s exceptional leadership and ability to adapt to a rapidly changing situation saved the lives of his entire crew, who were stranded on the ice for more than a year.

Although it might seem unlikely, O’Sullivan’s research is directly related to his areas of expertise, particularly organizational dynamics, which he explains is the study of how organizations effectively adapt—or don’t—to changing market conditions. Agile and forward-planning organizations are better able to adapt to changes with less disruption to their business than those that simply react to current conditions.

“Look at New York Tech, for example,” he says. “We are proud of our ability to adapt and quickly come up with new degrees and programs that students want and society needs. Organizational dynamics informs us how to set up structures within a university or company and how to position ourselves to take advantage of opportunities.”

And no matter what career path his students follow, these transferable skills will give them an advantage.

“I give students the tools and methodologies they can use in whatever position they find themselves,” O’Sullivan says. “The ability to solve problems effectively and manage any situation in which they find themselves—that’s timeless.”

In O’Sullivan’s courses, students examine case studies, such as companies dealing with the COVID pandemic. “There was one crisis after another, especially with supply chains,” O’Sullivan says. “The organizations that had a plan in place stayed in business. Those that didn’t have a plan went out of business. It’s fascinating to study those cases [with my students].”

O’Sullivan remains actively involved in the organizational dynamics of New York Tech, too, as president of the Academic Senate. Working with senior university leadership, faculty, and students—”How could we be a university if we don’t consider the students’ perspective?”—he helps ensure New York Tech adapts effectively and adheres to the highest educational standards.

“Being in academia is being a full-time explorer,” says O’Sullivan, who, as a faculty fellow in the New York Tech Honors College, nurtures exploration in his students’ educational experience. “You are gaining knowledge and sharing knowledge. That’s the definition of an explorer. Academia is the ability to do that in a visceral kind of way.”

As part of students’ Honors College experience, teams take on a project to address a real-world problem related to one of the United Nations 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In addition to uncovering potential solutions, students in these transdisciplinary cohorts explore their own discipline as well as those of their teammates.

After being assigned one of the SDGs, each group of students identifies a specific problem of interest to them, and over the course of their time at New York Tech, the team develops a solution. Then, each student presents on how the problem and solution relate to their specific field of study.

“These solutions not only can have an impact on the world but also ensure there’s value for individual students in terms of their career goals,” O’Sullivan says. “I’m impressed with these students and the quality of their work. They are go-getters. They are enthusiastic about what the Honors College represents.”

O’Sullivan likens his position as a faculty fellow to that of an adviser to graduate students who work on projects over three or four years, which he says is valuable for both students and faculty. “We make progress beyond what we can do in just 15 weeks over one semester,” he says, adding that the current group of students will resume working on their projects in the spring. “I’m most enthusiastic about seeing those students go make a difference in the world. We’ll be back in January, and I’m looking forward to them arriving in my office asking for ideas for their projects. That’s when the fun starts happening again.”

By Ashley Festa