Pittsburgh — the best place for Canadian’s research
Canada evokes images of cold, flat prairies and people who speak French or say “eh.” But Robert Gaunt hails from Vancouver Island, a place he calls “the San Diego of Canada.”
“You never really got to go sledding,” he says. “It rarely snowed. I never grew up playing hockey.” Instead, his family camped and hiked.
As for French, he studied the language as required, but concedes he can’t converse in it. “I’ve never really known anybody who spoke French as their native language,” he said.
From his vantage point on the island’s easternmost shore, he literally could see the United States.
He attended the University of Victoria, met his wife there and
got married two weeks after graduating with a degree in mechanical engineering.
It wasn’t until graduate school that he experienced the stereotypical Canadian life. He and his wife, Heather, moved to Edmonton in 2002 so he could start his doctoral program there. “It was a big change,” he said. “It can be very cold in Edmonton, but it’s always sunny.” Hockey rinks were everywhere. In 2005, the couple bought a house and had their first child.
After earning his doctorate degree in biomedical engineering, Rob looked for an appropriate post-doctorate training program. His attention fell on the University of Pittsburgh. “In neural prosthetics, Pittsburgh is one of the leading centers in the world,” he said.
His first sight of the city was comingof Nancy through (Hallman)the ScolaFort Pitt for Tunnel28 years; from the loving father airport. of “It’s Sarah prettyand Jack spectacular,” Scola; cherished son of Larry and the late Margarethe said. Scola; brother of Larry Once (Kristine)accepted at ScolaPitt, Rob of Dunedin,made arrangementsFL, David to ( Vickie) Scola move. of In Mundelein,2008, he and IL, his Mary Janewife boughtPrice of a house Pittsburgh,in Forest PA and Eric (Judy) Scola of Bentleyville,Hills that PA; was and three favoritetimes unclethe size of manytheir house nieces in Edmonton and nephews. for John two-thirdswas proudlyof the employedcost. Their daughterby Processwas Combustionborn in Pittsburgh, Corporation makingas a combustion engineer. He was a her stauncha dual citizen supporterof the of the NRA United and Statesan and animal Canada. Rob now works on a project aimed at getting prosthetic limbs to be able to interact with the brain so that the wearer is able to “feel” withOn the Friday, prosthesis.April 24, 2015, of Braddock Hills. Beloved wife of
“We’re three weeks into a 59 years to Robert L. Slabe. Elsie project is that survivedcould last by five her cousins,years,” he said. Nicky He Myloand his and Rosemaryfamily do not Morgan;have any aunt plans of Donaldto move back Slabe to and Canadahis wife, Cindy; Sandy Foster and her soon, but they initially husband, Dave; and two grandnephewsplanned to stay in Pittsburgh and a grandniece;just three sister-in-lawyears. to Dorothy“We’re on year six of the three-year plan,” he joked. “Pittsburgh might be the best place in the world to do the type of research I do.”
There are things he misses about Canada. “We miss our families, in particular with the kids. They don’t get to see their grandparents as often as any of us would like. [And] you continually know that you’re not in the place where you’re from. But Pittsburgh’s been an incredibly friendly place.”