ROBERTA BONDAR
“To fly in space is to see the reality of Earth, alone. The experience changed my life and my attitude toward life itself. I am one of the lucky ones.”
Dr. Roberta Bondar is a Canadian neurologist, astronaut, and doctor, whose many accomplishments lead her to becoming a pioneer in space research, as well as a highly-respected figure of leadership for Canadian women all over the country.
Roberta Lynn Bondar was born to parents Edward and Mildred Bondar on December 4th, 1945 in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. Even from a young age, Roberta showed remarkable interest in the wonders of space, aspiring to be a "spaceman" (her own way of describing an astronaut) when she grew older. Roberta also enjoyed learning about other forms of science and enthusiastically participated in national science fairs, as well as taking on the responsibility of leading her high school's science team.
She loved spending time in her basement - which her father had constructed into a laboratory - conducting and analyzing experiments. Her summers were spent working as a researcher for the Department of Forestry in her city, as she wanted as much exposure to the scientific world as possible. She knew that she was going to pursue science in her post-secondary education, hoping that her career would involve the sciences. So when her guidance counsellor tried to convince her to opt out of studying science in university, because "it wasn't an appropriate subject for girls," she resisted.
Roberta enrolled in the University of Guelph and earned a Bachelor's of Science in Agriculture and Zoology, in 1968. She continued her education and in 1971 was granted a Masters of Science in Experimental Pathology from Western University. She decided to yet further her education and in 1974, earned a Ph.D. in Neuroscience from the University of Toronto. This was followed by a Medical Degree from McMaster University, in 1977. She completed her clinical training throughout Canada and some parts of the United States.
Roberta worked as a neurologist, and as an assistant professor at McMaster University for two years. She was also a staff doctor at Sunnybrook, in Toronto, and served as a member of the Ontario Premier's Council on Science and Technology. In 1983, the Canadian Astronaut Program was founded with the hopes recruiting the first team of