This evening I presided over the 2015 ‘Lecture of a Lifetime’ at the University of Calgary. Dr. Keith Dobson, an internationally recognized researcher in clinical psychology, was our man of the hour. This annual campus event was originally inspired by Dr. Randy Pausch’s ‘Last Lecture’ at Carnegie Mellon University in 2007. Soon after Professor Pausch […]
Author: R. Thirsk
Reflecting on role models for inspiration
Today I visited the Alberta Children’s Hospital, located on the west campus of the University of Calgary. I wore my flight suit, talked with the young patients about my adventures in space, and signed photos for them. I hope it brought them an hour of respite from the treatment programs that they are undergoing. No […]
What do you think happens to astronaut perceptions in weightlessness?
I was working with the film club students of Robert Thirsk High School (RTHS) this evening to shoot their second HUNCH video. HUNCH is a NASA program that provides opportunities for high school students to produce educational videos. RTHS has strong videography capabilities and a dedicated media instructor in Mr. Mike Scullion. RTHS is also the only non-American school to […]
Quality education is the best investment a nation can make in its future
When I began my term as chancellor last July, the price of a barrel of crude oil was $110. There was an air of optimism on campus as the University of Calgary continued pursuit of its ambitious Eyes High strategy. Today the price of crude is $57 a barrel. This significant drop in price has had […]
The communicative power of art
Along with several of my Senate colleagues and other art aficionados, I attended the opening reception of PUSH 2015 this evening in the Contemporary Calgary (C2) gallery at City Hall. PUSH is an exhibition of artwork from senior Bachelor of Fine Arts students at the University of Calgary. 36 emerging artists showcase their art to […]
University of Calgary’s library more than just a place to house books
I toured the University of Calgary’s Taylor Family Digital Library (TFDL) today. The library opened in 2011 and is one of the most state-of-the-art research and learning libraries in Canada. University librarian Tom Hickerson toured me around the library’s six floors as a proud father might do. Tom had every right to feel this pride […]
Staying in touch with Allan Stordy
I had a meeting last week with Mr. Allan Stordy, president and CEO of Arete Human Resources, a national company based in Calgary. I like Allan’s choice of a name for his HR firm; Arete is Greek for excellence. I met Allan a few years ago when I was an executive with the Canadian Institutes of […]
Meeting my Olympic Hero – Dr. Roger Jackson
I am an Olympic Games junkie. Whenever the Olympics – summer or winter – are taking place, I am ensconced on the couch in front of my TV from opening to closing ceremonies. I get very little else done for two weeks. The ability of the athletes to push their bodies and minds to the […]
Remembering Dr. Cy Frank
I heard the sad news today about the passing of Dr. Cy Frank. Cy was President and CEO of Alberta Innovates–Health Solutions and a proud alumnus (MD’76) of the University of Calgary. This is a great loss. The news is particularly tragic since Cy was relatively young and full of energy and bright ideas. He […]
Moving the yardsticks in energy research
I chair a University of Calgary body known as the Senate.The Senate is composed of 62 respected Calgary citizens as well as university students, faculty and staff. It acts as a communication link between the Calgary community and the university. Through its many activities, the Senate works to enhance the profile and reputation of our […]