Roberta Bondar Foundation announces launch of new award

The Roberta Bondar Foundation has announced a new award that is aimed at recognizing innovation, creativity, and passion for the natural world.

The Roberta Bondar Foundation Award for Innovation and Creativity will be announced on Jan. 20 and presented two days later in a virtual evening that will include Dr. Roberta Bondar and include greetings from other well-known Canadians and hosted by Olympian Mark Tewksbeury.

Following is a full release on the award:

Celebrated Canadian astronaut Dr. Roberta Bondar is recognizing innovation, creativity and passion for the natural world through a new annual award launched today by her Foundation.

The Roberta Bondar Foundation’s Board of Directors is now considering organizations and individuals for 2023 who embody the Foundation’s mission as potential candidates for the Roberta Bondar Foundation Award for Innovation and Creativity. The Foundation’s mission is to connect people to the natural world while inspiring conservation of the environment and building healthier lives.

“We know there are many organizations and people in Canada who share our vision for a healthy planet and a healthy population and we want to recognize their good work in celebrating and protecting our natural world,” Dr. Bondar said in launching the award.

The inaugural Roberta Bondar Foundation Award for Innovation and Creativity will be announced Jan. 20 and presented on Jan. 22, 2022, at a virtual evening with Dr. Bondar and friends, fans, celebrities and other notable Canadians to celebrate the 30th anniversary of her historic space flight.

Hosted by Olympian Mark Tewksbury, the night will include greetings from Anne Murray, Buffy Sainte-Marie, Susan Aglukark, Hayley Wickenheiser and Michael Serapio.

About The Roberta Bondar Foundation and 30th anniversary event
Thirty years ago on Jan. 22, 1992, Roberta Bondar became the first female Canadian astronaut and the world’s first neurologist in space when she flew aboard NASA’s space shuttle Discovery, blazing a trail for women and inspiring a nation as a true Canadian icon.

As she circled Earth 129 times covering 3.3 million miles, Dr. Bondar saw our planet from a different perspective and committed to combine medicine, scientific research and knowledge of the environment to build hope for the future of humanity.

As a professional nature photographer, she has published several best-selling books featuring Canada’s National Parks and curated exhibitions on biodiversity for galleries, museums and science centres across Canada to encourage all ages to embrace conservation and see our natural world through a difference lens.

Through the Foundation that bears her name, she has partnered with NASA to foster awareness about the effect of climate change and human activity on migratory paths of endangered avian species. She has also inspired thousands of young people to examine the natural world through experiential outdoor programming.

The public is invited to purchase tickets through Eventbrite with options for general admission or a VIP package with access to an exclusive live Q and A with Dr. Bondar.