Celebrating Cultural Heroes
The Ronald & Nancy Kalifer Culture Hub, Baycrest
May 2024 – October 2024
Roberta Bondar CC OOnt FRCPC FRSC
Astronaut, physician, scientist and photographer
Dr. Roberta Bondar is an astronaut, physician, scientist and photographer. As the world’s first neurologist in space, she is globally recognized for her pioneering contribution to space medicine research. At an early age, Dr. Bondar was drawn to photography and influenced by the photographic practices of her father and uncle. She studied at the prestigious Brook’s Institute of Photography in Santa Barbara, CA, where she was an honours student in Professional Nature Photography. Her work captures the stunning beauty of planet earth, its landscape, architecture and nature. In addition to Canadian landscapes - including the Arctic - her subjects include the American Southwest and other major deserts of the world.
Dr. Bondar has authored four best-selling photo essay books: Passionate Vision: Discovering Canada’s National Parks; Canada: Landscape of Dreams; The Arid Edge of Earth and Touching the Earth. In 1997, her work was exhibited in Beauty of Another Order - Photography in Science at the National Gallery of Canada. Her works can be found in private, corporate and institutional collections in Canada, the U.S. and England.