Meet Amanda and Julie Amanda Green Date of birth: July 25, 1979 Born: Edmonton, Alberta, Canada  Motto: Be the spark that ignites a flame in the lives of others. Favourite Pastimes: Exploring nature and new places Favourite Subjects in School: Science, Outdoor, Education Job Title: Junior High STEM Teacher Education: Bachelor of Secondary Education Organization: Black Gold Regional Schools Julie Arsenault Date of birth: November 8, 1975 Born: Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada  Motto: From failure we learn. Favourite Pastime: Travel Favourite Subjects in School: Science, Drama Job Title: Junior High Science Teacher Education: Bachelor of Science Specialization in Microbiology; Master of Science in Microbiology and Biotechnology. Organization: Michael Strembitsky School, Edmonton Public... Read more

Born: Toronto, Ontario Canada Motto:  Tough means we are forever accountable for what we do or what we fail to do... Competent means we will never take anything for granted Pastimes: Playing / listening to music Education: BASc - Engineering Science, Major in Aerospace Engineering Job Title: Operations Engineer - Robotics Flight Controller Organization:  Canadian Space Agency Kristen is currently working as a Flight Controller for the Canadian robotic systems on the International Space Station (ISS). She is one of only 14 Canadians to have ever received this certification. During Canadarm2 and Dextre operations, she works as part of the Mission Control team to execute a variety of tasks on the ISS, including spacewalks and capturing free-flyers. Kristen also trains astronauts and other Flight Controllers about these robots and how to operate them. Q & A How did you come to your present job? 10 years ago, upon graduating from the University of Toronto, I was hired by MDA (now Maxar) to help design next-generation robotics that would be used to service satellites on-orbit. From there, I went on to perform real-time support of ISS robotics as part of the engineering team before being hired by the Canadian Space Agency and eventually moving on to train at NASA in order to become a Flight Controller. What do you love most about your job? The best part of my job is that I am constantly learning. No matter how much you know or how well prepared you think you are, there is always room to grow. Then there are of course all the cool aspects of the job like sending commands to space, training astronauts, and watching live video feeds from the ISS. What has been your biggest challenge in your career and how did you overcome it? My career has evolved through 5 different roles and 3 different cities, which in itself was challenging enough! Unfortunately, with each of these stages, I felt that I was starting back at square one and needing to prove my capabilities all over again. In some cases, being one of the only women in the group made that even more difficult, in addition to being one of the younger members of the team. I kept reminding myself that I deserved to be exactly where I was, and that my contributions were just as valuable as those around me. Who or what has helped you the most throughout your career? My family has been incredibly supportive of my goals and aspirations, and always pushed me to reach for each next step I’ve taken on. I have also maintained the “tough and competent” mentality as well as a willingness to accept and implement feedback and advice from my colleagues. Do you have any Canadian “superheroes” in the space field? Absolutely! I am fortunate enough to be surrounded by my superheroes every day! As someone who joined the space industry only 10 years ago, I admire everyone that helped get us here. What advice would you offer to our youth? There are so many things that I still try to keep in mind to this day, and important messages to share with those looking towards... Read more

Date of birth: March 21, 1982 Born: Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta, Canada Pastimes: Backcountry skiing, cycling, mountaineering and paragliding Background: Test pilot, fighter pilot, engineer, lieutenant-colonel in the Royal Canadian Air Force Education: Bachelor in mechanical engineering; master in space studies; master in flight test engineering; master in defence studies Flight certification: Airline Transport Pilot Licence (ATPL), fixed wing experimental test pilot, fighter pilot, civilian and military instructor pilot; 2,800 hours of flying experience on more than 25 aircraft types Languages: English, French Mission: Astronaut Candidate Training Program Personal Data: Born March 21, 1982, in Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta, Lieutenant-Colonel (LCol) Kutryk was raised on a cattle farm in eastern Alberta. He enjoys backcountry skiing, cycling, mountaineering and paragliding. Education: LCol Kutryk holds a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering (1st Class Distinction) from the Royal Military College of Canada in Kingston, Ontario (2004). He also earned a master’s degree in space studies from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Florida (2009), a master’s degree in flight test engineering from the United States Air Force’s Air University in Alabama (2012), and a master’s degree in defence studies from the Royal Military College of Canada in Kingston, Ontario (2014). Organizations: Canadian Armed Forces, 2000 to present; Society of Experimental Test Pilots, 2015 to present. Special Honours: Governor General's Canadian Leadership Conference Delegate (2015), Liethen-Tittle Award for top test pilot graduate (2012), Distinguished graduate of the United States Air Force Test Pilot School (2012), Canadian Forces Decoration (2012), Article 5 NATO Medal (2011), Southwest Asia General Campaign Star (2010), Tristan de Koninck Trophy for F-18 flying skill (2007), City of Moose Jaw flying trophy (2006), A.C. Leonard Birchall Award for undergraduate research (2004), Top Overall Flying Proficiency during primary flight training (2003), Professional Engineers of Ontario Undergraduate Academic Scholarship (2002), Right Honourable Don Mazankowski Scholarship (2001), Governor General's Academic Medal (2000), Neil Armstrong Memorial Scholarship (2000), Alexander Rutherford Scholarship for Academic Achievement (1999). voir en français Experience: Prior to joining the Canadian Space Program, LCol Kutryk worked as an experimental test pilot and a fighter pilot in Cold Lake, Alberta, where he led the unit responsible for... Read more

The Science Advisor is the liaison between the space science community and the CSA and between the CSA and the Chief Science Advisor of Canada. The purpose of this type of job is to put people with scientific expertise and an independent perspective in positions where they can talk to and influence decision makers in the government. Quote: “Though she be but little she is fierce.” -Shakepeare Favourite pastime: Soccer and word puzzles Born: Before Jeremy Hansen Favourite subjects in school: Math and English Education: Bachelor of Arts in Physics, PhD in Astronomy and Astrophysics Job title: Science Advisor to the President & Associate Professor Company/organization: Canadian Space Agency (CSA) & Western University Q&A How did you come to your present job or role? The job description called for someone with a space science background, strong communication skills, and vision. I have been involved in space astronomy since I was on an instrument team for the Chandra X-ray Observatory as a graduate student. As an astronomer, I use space data from several different observatories regularly for my research. I developed my communication skills through teaching and astronomy outreach, and my leadership abilities by serving on national boards for the Canadian Astronomical Society including the advisory committee for CSA space astronomy. I’ve also been involved with developing the science cases for next generation observatories and a renewed investment in Canadian space exploration. What do you love most about your job? I am approached regularly by people at the CSA and across Canada who want to tell me about the cool things they are doing in space science and space technology. The creativity and energy for space activities is fantastic and inspiring – I love learning about all of this great work. What has been your biggest challenge in your career and how did you overcome it? At several points during my career I’ve had a major setback. Some examples: I failed a big exam, I didn’t get a job that meant we had to move, and I got a big cut in money to fund my research program. These were demoralizing and humiliating at the time. I recovered by catching my breath, re-evaluating my situation, and using the support from family, friends, and colleagues to come up with a plan for moving forward.   Who or what has helped you the most throughout your career? I’d like to give a specific shout-out to my graduate school roommate and classmate, Dr. Ann Hornschemeier, who has been the Chief... Read more

Date of birth: January 27, 1976 Born: London, Ontario Pastimes: Sailboat cruising and racing, rock climbing and mountain biking Background: Fighter pilot Education: Bachelor of science in space science; master of science in physics Flight certification: Airline Transport Pilot Licence (ATPL) Languages: English, French, basic knowledge of Russian Mission: Waiting for a flight assignment Personal Data: Born January 27, 1976, in London, Ontario, and raised on a farm near Ailsa Craig, Ontario, until moving to Ingersoll for his high school years. Colonel Hansen is married with three children. He enjoys sailboat cruising and racing, rock climbing and mountain biking. Education: Colonel Hansen holds a bachelor of science in space science (first class honours) from Royal Military College in Kingston, Ontario (1999). He earned a master of science in physics from the same institution in 2000, with a research focus on Wide Field of View Satellite Tracking. Organizations: Canadian Armed Forces, 1994 to present Special Honours: Canadian Forces Decoration – 12 Years of Good Service (October 2006), Canadian Air Force Pilot Wings (May 2002), Clancy Scheldrup Memorial Trophy – Outstanding Graduate on the Basic Flying Course (2001), Air Cadet League of Canada Award – Top Air Force Graduate from the Royal Military College of Canada (May 1999), The Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal (2012). Experience: Prior to joining the Canadian Space Program, Colonel Hansen served as a CF-18 fighter pilot and held the position of Combat Operations Officer at 4 Wing in Cold Lake, Alberta. His responsibilities included ensuring the effectiveness of NORAD Air Defense Operations and the operability of Deployed and Forward Operating Locations (Bases). From 2004 to 2007, Colonel Hansen served as a CF-18 fighter pilot with 409 Tactical Fighter Squadron and 441 Tactical Fighter Squadron, where his responsibilities included NORAD Operations, Deployed Exercises and Arctic Flying Operations. He completed his CF-18 Fighter Pilot Training in 410 Tactical Fighter Operational Training Squadron from 2003 to 2004. Colonel Hansen’s flight experience began at the age of 12, when he joined the Air Cadet Program. He obtained both glider and private pilot licenses through this program by the age of 17. This training led to his acceptance to Collège militaire royal in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Quebec. Astronaut Experience: Colonel Hansen was one of two recruits selected by the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) in... Read more