I noticed a tweet this morning from my space colleague Natalie Panek stating that the federal government’s Standing Committee on Finance had launched its pre-budget consultations and deliberations in advance of the 2019 federal budget. Natalie encouraged us to make our voices heard by sharing our priorities with the Committee. I was eager to help. […]
Deep space exploration and healthcare innovation
Last month I was in Vancouver to attend the e-Health 2018 Conference. This annual conference and tradeshow brought together 1,250 digital health professionals from diverse backgrounds and across Canada. It was a good opportunity to network, share ideas and learn from each other. I participated in a plenary session at the conference. Sonny Kholi (physician […]
To the class of 2018…
My four-year term as Chancellor of the University of Calgary will end later this month. It was a privilege to serve my home university, to gain a deeper understanding of its dynamic role in the Calgary community, and to work with many of its impassioned supporters from our campus and elsewhere. A special highlight was […]
Looking back on four years as Chancellor
My four-year term as Chancellor of the University of Calgary is coming to an end. It has been an enjoyable ride. Many people think of the chancellor solely as the official who attends formal university events and participates in convocation. The chancellors of Alberta’s three largest universities have responsibilities that go beyond simply presiding over […]
Honouring a trailblazer
The University of Calgary understands that campus culture must underpin our actions. Campus culture, according to our institution’s Eyes High strategy 2017-22, means overcoming structural, social and cultural barriers to create a safe, inclusive, healthy and respectful environment — one that values diversity and the dignity of every person. We’re still learning about inclusion and […]
Failure: a critical element on the path to success
Several years ago, when I was a novice astronaut, I was asked to participate in a training simulation. The training session lasted about eight hours and involved mission managers, flight controllers and crew. As a participating crewmember, I was stationed in a high-fidelity simulator of the International Space Station in a building at the NASA […]
Why I nominated David Naylor
Last month we held the convocation ceremonies for the 2017 University of Calgary autumn graduates. During the morning ceremony, we also conferred an honorary degree on David Naylor, a respected scientist, scholar and health-care leader. I noted that university Senator Jocelyn Lockyer, a professor in our Department of Community Health Sciences, spearheaded the nomination for […]
Remembering Leonard Cohen
Last evening a concert was held to celebrate the life, songs and poetry of Leonard Cohen. Entitled Tower of Song: A Memorial Tribute to Leonard Cohen, the concert brought closure to the beloved artist’s passing one year ago. Fans and performers from around the world came to Montréal, Leonard’s home town, to pay tribute. In […]
International Space University’s Space Studies Program: a path to a career in space
Congratulations to Maliyat and TJ for determining that I was in Cork, Ireland earlier this month to participate in International Space University (ISU)’s Space Studies Program (SSP). I’ll put signed photos in the mail for both of you. My visit to Cork was brief but I did have the opportunity to deliver a lecture, adjudicate […]
Where am I?
I went for a walk yesterday (see the red track below). I’ll provide a signed photo to the first person who can state where I am and why I am visiting this city. Good luck! Hint: My starting and ending coordinates (green and red markers) were N 51° 53.059’, W 8° 31.922’ so it should […]