December 2022 ~ Grade 9-12 Science

I have been asked to choose an astronaut with whom I may wish to brainstorm solutions that may help me with my most important ecological issue. Currently, my most important ecological issue is the adverse impact of human activity on the environment, which can contribute to negative changes in the climate. For this task, I have chosen Dr. Roberta Bondar.

Born 1944 in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Neurologist Roberta Lynn Bondar is the first female Canadian astronaut to go to space. She showed interest in science from an early age. Her interests in science eventually lead to a bachelor of science in zoology and agriculture, a master of science in experimental pathology, a doctorate in neuroscience, and a doctorate in medicine (Roberta Bondar’s wikipedia page). In addition to her achievements in various scientific and academic fields, Roberta ha

She began her astronaut training in 1984, and then did her first space mission as part of the 1992 crew of Space Shuttle Discovery, during that mission, she performed over 40 experiments in the Spacelab.

Since her astronaut days, She has been a consultant and speaker to diverse organizations, providing insight from her vast knowledge and experience as an astronaut, physician, scientific researcher, and environment interpreter.

In addition to her achievements in various scientific and academic fields, Roberts has had experience and involvement with climate advocacy and education. She has been active in many scientific and climate related causes. In 2009, she helped found the Roberta Bondar foundation, with the fundamental belief that “the more we learn about our environment and the better we become at asking important questions, the better equipped we will be both to respond to change and to influence positive change”. The foundation has a mission to cultivate “a sense of awe, respect and appreciation for other life forms that share our planet” (Roberta Bondar foundation, our history). Her foundation hosts sponsored lectures and seminars with the goal of making substantial contributions toward heightening a population-wide appreciation of our environment and advancing our individual and collective desire to contribute toward its well being for today and tomorrow. Through these lectures and seminars, her foundation makes “substantial contributions toward heightening a population-wide appreciation of our environment and advancing our individual and collective desire to contribute toward its well being for today and tomorrow” (Lectures and Seminars).

Roberta's resume, experiences and achievements are proof of her many skills that may be transferrable to me if I have given a chance to talk to her, or work for her. Among many transferable skills that she may have, I am interested in collaboration, communication, and global citizenship. I will discuss why I think she has these skills, and why I think there are relevant to my environmental cause, based on what I know about her.

My major ecological concern is the negative impacts of human activity on the planet which can cause negative changes in the climate. A lot is being done by scientist, activists, and politicians around the world to combat the negative effects of climate change. While taking action to address the direct aspects and causes of climate change is important. I believe that it is equally important to reach out and help climate skeptics realize that climate change is a real thing affected by our activities. I would like to have a brainstorming session with Roberta and ask her about various ways in which I may be able to reach a wider and skeptic audience and persuade them to examine for themselves the scientific and narrative evidence of climate change and negative effects of human activity on the environment. I think Roberta’s education and experiences as an astronaut, physician, public speaker, and also as a speaker and the founder of her foundation is proof of her ability to communicate and collaborate with people of various backgrounds and education. More importantly, I think that her work through her foundation is proof of her understanding of diverse nature of the world we live in. It is also a proof of her desire as a global citizen to raise awareness about, and promote ecological, social, and economic habits that are important to living in a sustainable world.

As I was doing my research on her, I came across a TEDx Talk video in which she talks about facing the unknown (How do we face the unknown?). I was inspired by her power of communication and the depth of the material which she easily communicates with her audience. This, to me, was further evidence that Roberta is a perfect collaborator for me to brainstorm my thoughts and concerns, and seek guidance on how to raise awareness about climate change, especially among the climate skeptics.