Space Shuttle | Robert Thirsk, OC, OBC

Our health care system can learn from NASA’s 2003 disaster

February 12, 2025 R. Thirsk Leave a comment Astronauts, Canada, Culture, Education, Failure, Healthcare, Leadership, Medicine, Space Exploration, Space Shuttle, Spaceflight, Teamwork

Proximate causes and technical faults are rarely the sole explanations for system failures. In many cases, a flawed organizational culture is at the heart of the problem.

Celebration of a Life Well Lived

April 27, 2022April 28, 2022 R. Thirsk 1 Comment Astronauts, Canada, Education, Engineering, Exploration, Exploration de l'espace, Failure, Innovation, Research, Secondary, Space Exploration, Space Shuttle, Spaceflight, STEM, Teaching, Training, Training, University

Bjarni Tryggvason was a superb astronaut – technically brilliant, operationally skilled – and a dear friend. His recent passing leaves a big hole in my heart.

A Month of Inspiration

January 23, 2021January 23, 2021 R. Thirsk Leave a comment Astronauts, Canada, Collaboration, Discovery, Education, Exploration, Failure, Innovation, International, International Space Station, Leadership, Lifelong, Media, Space Exploration, Space Shuttle, Spaceflight, STEM, Teaching, Teamwork, Training

The Canada Aviation and Space Museum has designated January as The Month of Inspiration. Here are a few of my thoughts about what motivated me to chose my career path, people who inspired me along the way, and how I find strength in trying times.