About Roberta
The Inspiration: A Great Canadian, A Great Cause
Dr. Roberta Bondar is unique, not just for being the world’s first neurologist in space or for her pioneering space medicine research. Academically one of the most distinguished astronauts to have flown in space, Dr. Bondar is also the only astronaut to use fine art photography to explore and reveal Earth’s natural environment from the surface.
Seeing the world through the lenses of a medical doctor, scientist, photographer, astronaut and author, Dr. Roberta Bondar follows in her family’s tradition of excellence in teaching. Trained as a member of NASA’s Earth Observation Team Dr. Bondar expanded her professional photographic expertise. After her space mission, she continued her photographic explorations honing her artistic and technical skills as an honors student in Professional Nature Photography. As a landscape photographer her work is represented by galleries in London, England, Vancouver, Toronto and Calgary and is featured in numerous books and other publications.
Dr. Bondar’s distinctions are many: Companion of the Order of Canada, the Order of Ontario, the NASA Space Medal, induction into the Canadian Medical Hall of Fame and into the International Women’s Forum’s Hall of Fame, 28 honorary doctorates from Canadian and American Universities, served as Chancellor of Trent University for six years, and has her own star on Canada’s Walk of Fame.
Dr. Bondar is a true Renaissance woman and a great Canadian icon who exhibits a human curiosity and unending drive to reach, and help others reach, higher capabilities. She exudes genuine wholesomeness, selflessness, and an unassuming style that makes even the most scientifically uninitiated among us feel comfortable, inspired and ready to learn more under her guidance.
Currently, she is photographing migratory birds and their habitats from both aerial and surface perspectives and is a NASA Principal Investigator, Migratory Birds, directing coordinates for image acquisition of avian migratory corridors from the International Space Station.
Dr. Roberta Bondar as Photographer
Dr. Roberta Bondar is an acclaimed photographer of the natural wonders of our planet.
Photography
Explore a collection of photographs taken by Dr. Roberta Bondar.
Audio
Listen to Dr. Roberta Bondar speak about the environmental significance of her images.
Celebrating Anniversaries of STS-42
A sample of the commemorations for Dr. Roberta Bondar on the anniversaries of her historic flight.