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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
Todd Hirsch and Rob Roach of ATB Financial are co-authors of a new book entitled Spiders in Space: Successfully Adapting to Unwanted Change. What an intriguing title! The book profiles several Canadian individuals, organizations and businesses who have successfully adapted to change. Drawing on inspiring stories and lessons learned, the book provides insight on how […]
One section of my curriculum vitae lists the organizations of which I am or was once a member. There is one organization, however, that I do not mention. Although not listed, I am proud to have been a member of The Troublemakers Club. When I was a young astronaut at the National Research Council in […]
Last week I attended the presentation of the Governor General’s Literary Awards. This ceremony, held at Rideau Hall in Ottawa, is an annual event that celebrates the best in Canadian literature. Administered by the Canada Council for the Arts, the GGLAs are Canada’s oldest and most prestigious literary awards. His Excellency the Right Honourable David […]
Since their launches in 1977, NASA’s Voyager 1 and 2 spacecraft have captured my interest. The Voyager missions gave us stunning, close-up views of the outer planets and provided insights about phenomena at the edge of our solar system. Voyager 1 left the solar system in 2013 and is now interstellar, speeding outward through empty […]