CANADA’S NEXT ASTRONAUT
A man with ties to Pictou County taking part in Canadian Space Agency’s recruitment program.
A man with family ties to New Glasgow is in the running to be one of Canada’s next astronauts.
Kevin Spencer was born in New Glasgow to Nancy and John Spencer. He now lives in Halifax and is taking part in the Canadian Space Agency’s astronaut recruitment program and has passed the first round of evaluation.
The Space Agency launched the fourth astronaut recruitment campaign in June 2016 with the application deadline set for Aug. 15. There are now just 72 in the running. They will select two qualified astronauts from the final candidates. The selected astronaut candidates will start their training at NASA in August 2017.
He is a full-time emergency department physician and a mechanical engineer. He also has university academic appointments as assistant professor of emergency medicine and director of simulation education.
Additionally, he has a biotechnology start-up company.
He took time to answer some questions for The News about his life and his aspirations.
Q : Can you tell me a little about your background? After being born in New Glasgow, where did your family move to?
A: Both my mother and father have family roots in Pictou County, and we still have a cottage we greatly enjoy in the Melmerby Beach area. I was born in New Glasgow, but essentially grew up in Halifax. I completed a Diploma in Engineering at St. F.X., and then the Bachelors in Mechanical Engineering at the Technical University of Nova Scotia, now part of Dalhousie. Upon returning to pursue medicine, I completed a foundation in biology at Dalhousie, Advanced Care Paramedic training in Pittsburgh, and then Medical School at Dalhousie and Residency at the University of Ottawa. I currently practice Emergency Medicine at Dartmouth General Hospital. My educational roots started at St. F.X., and I am proud to be a St. F.X. alumnus.
Q : I see you have an interesting educational background with both a medical doctor and engineering degree. Can you tell me how you ended up pursuing an education in both fields?
A: Engineering and medicine are excellent complementing fields, and having an engineering foundation has been very helpful for me with my practice as an emergency department physician. I actually grew up in an engineering family, with my father and two uncles as engineers. I enjoyed technical pursuits starting in childhood, and I have always liked the challenge of fixing just about anything. It seemed natural to pursue engineering after high school. On completion of Mechanical Engineering in 2000, I ended up achieving an outstanding job with a fiberoptics startup company in California. A combination of circumstances and events, including a telecommunications industry decline, an interest in biomedical engineering, and a trip to Nepal, ultimately lead me to pursue medicine, and I returned to Dalhousie for this.
Q : Is becoming an astronaut something you ever gave much thought to before this?
A: I did apply during the 2009 recruitment campaign, which ultimately produced Canada’s two current Astronauts, David Saint-Jacques and Jeremy Hansen. At that time, I was just finishing medical school. Prior to completing medical school, I honestly didn’t see this as a viable career option and as such didn’t seriously consider it. Having said that, I do think my interests and experiences have always aligned with this type of career.
Q : What drives you as a person?
A: I love to learn, explore, teach, and innovate. I want to be a good role model for my children, family, and friends. I seek out and embrace varied projects and complete them at the highest level possible, whether it be repairing a Volkswagen van, teaching a medical simulation lab, or running a seamless resuscitation in the emergency department. I value physical fitness and a healthy, active lifestyle.
Q : What would you hope to accomplish as an astronaut?
A: I find it captivating to imagine how many things are waiting to be discovered through the pursuit of space exploration. I want to help develop medical and mechanical technologies for exploring extreme environments and I want to contribute to our knowledge about the universe. I also want to engage Canadians through space endeavors to innovate, explore, and push the limits of technology. Ultimately, I would like to learn more about our place in the universe and share those adventures with the world.