Roberta Bondar
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| Roberta Lynn Bondar | |
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| NRC/CSA Astronaut | |
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| Born | December 4, 1945 Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario |
| Other occupation | Neurologist, Scientist, Educator, Author, Photographer |
| Time in space | 8 days, 1 hour, 44 minutes |
| Selection | 1983 NRC Group |
| Missions | STS-42 |
| Mission insignia |  |
Roberta Lynn Bondar, OC, O.Ont, FRCP(C), FRSC (born December 4, 1945, in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario) is Canada's first female astronaut and the first neurologist in space. Following a distinguished career at NASA as head of space medicine for more than a decade, Bondar became a highly regarded consultant and speaker in the business, scientific and medical communities.
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[edit] Education
Bondar holds a B.Sc in zoology and agriculture from the University of Guelph (1968), an M.Sc in experimental pathology from the University of Western Ontario (1971), a Ph.D in neurobiology from the University of Toronto (1974), an MD from McMaster University (1977), and is a fellow of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada in neurology (1981). She graduated from Sir James Dunn High School in Sault Ste. Marie and completed sub-speciality neurology training in neuro-ophthalmology at Tuft's New England Medical School in Boston. Bondar has completed the National Disaster Life Support Instructor course. A celebrated landscape photographer, Bondar studied professional nature photography at the Brooks Institute of Photography, Santa Barbara, California,
also, a public school (grades jk-8) named " Roberta Bondar Public School " has been opened in 2005 in Brampton, ON CA
[edit] NASA career
Bondar began astronaut training in 1984, and in 1990 was designated a prime Payload Specialist for the first International Microgravity Laboratory Mission (IML-1). Bondar flew on the NASA Space Shuttle Discovery during Mission STS-42, January 22-30, 1992, during which she performed experiments in the Spacelab.[1][2][3] Back on Earth, Bondar led an international team of researchers at NASA for more than a decade,examining data obtained from astronauts on 24 space missions to better understand the mechanisms underlying the body's ability to recover from exposure to space.
[edit] After NASA
Holder of the NASA Space Medal and inducted into the International Women's Forum Hall of Fame and Canadian Medical Hall of Fame for her groundbreaking research in space medicine, Bondar has received 24 honorary doctorates from Canadian and American universities. In recognition of her continuing work – as a physician and scientist, internationally known speaker, business consultant, author and photographer <nowiki
[edit] Physician/Scientist
For more than a decade at NASA, Bondar headed an international space medicine research team, continuing to find new connections between astronauts recovering from the microgravity of space and neurological illnesses such as stroke and Parkinson's disease. Bondar's techniques have been used in clinical studies at BI Deaconess Medical Center, a Teaching hospital of Harvard Medical School and at the University of New Mexico. Throughout her career, Bondar has maintained a deep interest in the natural environment. A respected advisor to industry and government, she was recently selected as Canada's first national 'Biotechnology Champion'. She was also honoured as Canada's national patron of UNESCOs International Year of Planet Earth which continues through 2010.
[edit] Consultant/Speaker
As a respected business consultant, Bondar applies her NASA studies of human adaptability to the often-chaotic world of business, where agencies and companies must cope with changes to avoid the loss of efficiency. She has worked with organizations as diverse as Pfizer, Oracle and the FBI.
[edit] Media spokesperson
Respected for her expertise and animated commentary, Bondar has been a guest of television and radio networks such as CNN, BBC, PBS and CBC throughout the U.S. and Canada. She is featured in the IMAX movie Destiny in Space, and appeared for Disney at the opening of the new technology theme ride Mission Space. Bondar has also co-anchored the Discovery Channel's coverage of space shuttle launches at Cape Canaveral.
[edit] Legacy
In her hometown of Sault Ste. Marie, the Roberta Bondar Park and tent pavilion bear her name as does the Ontario government building at 70 Foster Drive. Roberta Bondar Place is home to Ontario Lottery and Gaming and other Ontario government operations. The marina beside the park is also named in her honour.
Bondar has also been honoured with a marker on Sault Ste. Marie's Walk of Fame.
In 1996, the Dr. Roberta Bondar Public School was opened in Ajax, Ontario and Roberta Bondar Public School was opened in Ottawa, Ontario. In 2005, a second public school named Roberta Bondar Public School opened in Brampton, Ontario. Dr. Roberta Bondar Elementary School in Abbotsford, British Columbia is also named after Bondar. A fourth public school to be named after Bondar was scheduled to open in Vaughan, Ontario in September 2008.
Bondar stepped down as the Chancellor of Trent University on June 30, 2009, after serving two consecutive (3-year) terms. Her successor is actor Tom Jackson.
[edit] See also
[edit] Notes
[edit] External links
| Academic offices | ||
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| Preceded by Peter Gzowski |
Chancellor of Trent University 2003-2009 |
Succeeded by Tom Jackson |
