Falls native participates in international space conference
Victoria Van Dyk is shooting for the stars.
The 20-year-old Niagara Falls native is in Australia this week to participate in the International Astronautical Congress.
Van Dyk, who is studying physics and astronomy at York University, received a grant from the Canadian Space Agency to attend the event.
During the conference, the A.N. Myer graduate will give an interactive presentation on imagination and space exploration.
“If you look back at sci-fi from 40 years ago even, the tech they had in shows like Star Trek or the Jetsons seemed like a creative ‘out there’ view of a distant future,” she said.
“Now, you have Elon Musk working on the hyper loop — strikingly similar to the Jetsons-style tube travel — and we may not be able to beam people up but we’ve been able to put a wrench on the International Space Station via a 3D printer onboard by sending a computer file.”
Without imagination, she said, none of those innovations would exist.
“You cannot invent that which has not first been imagined.”
Musk is also attending the congress and is expected to offer an update on his plans for a mission to Mars.
Van Dyk, one of 10 Canadian students attending the conference, will also particpate in The Space Generation Congress. The agency works with university students and young professionals to promote the voice of the next generation of space sector leaders on the topic of international space development.
“I’m so excited to be a part of this,” she said from Australia. “It’s such an amazing opportunity to network on an international level and take part in something that will be able to have such an impact. It makes me really appreciate being part of a country that offers so much.”
What does the future hold for Van Dyk?
“The next big step in the space exploration field is getting people to Mars,” she said. “If I could have a part in making that possible or even being an astronaut myself that would be a dream come true.”
Paul Delaney, a senior lecturer and professor of physics and astronomy at York University, described Van Dyk as a motivated student.
“She engages in a wide array of co-curricular activities at York and when she saw the opportunity to combine her passions — physics and astronomy — with some travel to the IAC conference, she jumped at the chance.”
“The excitement of a conference, not to mention the opportunity to meet like-minded individuals and see the latest advances in the field, is simply a wonderful opportunity.”
The International Astronautical Congress is one of the world’s leading space conferences, attracting heads of major space agencies, astronauts, senior space engineers and policy makers.
More than 3,500 people from 70 countries are expected to attend the 68th annual event which runs continues until Sept. 29.