Today I had the pleasure to participate in a Town Hall meeting on campus. The topic of the meeting was the University of Calgary’s ‘New Earth-Space Technologies’ Research Strategy. New Earth-Space Technologies is quite a mouthful to say so I was amused that the meeting attendees had already developed their own acronym for the topic: NEST. (Isn’t it amazing how quickly professionals incorporate acronyms into all our endeavours!)
The University of Calgary has a Strategic Research Plan. This Plan is focused around six major themes, one of which is New Earth-Space Technologies. As a former astronaut, I am obviously pleased that my home university has claimed this strategic niche area.
Research in New Earth-Space Technologies is an area in which the University of Calgary is a leader. We possess a critical mass of expertise. We have an international reputation. It is an area is which the University of Calgary is an essential hub in provincial, national, and world research networks. And it is an area is which we have built strong industrial and community partnerships.
So it’s a no-brainer – ‘New Earth-Space Technologies’ is a natural research priority at the University of Calgary. However, NEST is a nascent theme area in our Strategic Research Plan and requires much development to bring to fruition. The purpose of today’s Town Hall was to bring together faculty and other stakeholders to brainstorm the strategic development.
I had a brief opportunity to address the Town Hall attendees. I mentioned that everything that I have accomplished as an astronaut has been done on the basis of collaboration – collaboration across disciplines, across organizations, across international borders. I said that the greatest thing about the International Space Station is that it is international – former Cold War enemies have come together around a common vision. Each participating space agency contributes to the ISS according to its interests and expertise and, consequently, we are collectively doing some great things in the areas of discovery, innovation and inspiration.
So I am a great proponent of collaboration. I believe that the greatest innovations of the 21st century will be accomplished by multidisciplinary teams done on the basis of collaboration. The multidisciplinary team behind the neuroArm is a great example of that.
I am also a proponent of research that is relevant to society. I challenged the attendees to give us a stretch goal, a grand challenge. The end result of the NEST research strategy should make a difference to the daily life of the average Canadian. It should bring together partners who have never worked together before. It should lead to mind-blowing discoveries that reinterpret who were are, where we came from or where we are going. And it should capture the attention of many students and inspire them to consider a career in space exploration or development.
The NEST stakeholders are an amazing group of creative people. I’m anxious to see how they will move the yardsticks.
