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Colonel Chris Hadfield as won the annual Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) Award for Science Promotion, valued at $10,000.
The Honourable Kirsty Duncan presented the award to Hadfield on Friday, March 18th at the Ontario Science Centre. The award honours individuals who make outstanding contributions to the promotion of science and engineering to the general public.
Minister Duncan said, “I am very pleased to present Colonel Chris Hadfield with this award in recognition of his untiring work in promoting science. We must continue to celebrate and support the men and women engaged in science and engineering, whether it’s in research labs, our schools, or outer space.”
The event on Friday included a science camp with some 15 to 20 children aged 10 to 12 who participated in a demonstration in the Challenge Zone hosted by the Ontario Science Centre and Colonel Chris Hadfield.
Dr. B. Mario Pinto, President, NSERC said “Fostering science culture among youth lets us take advantage of Canada’s diverse and growing talent. With his unmatched ability to communicate his enthusiasm for the adventure of science and engineering, Colonel Chris Hadfield is a perfect example of making science mainstream.
Moreover, he epitomizes the global perspective needed for science and engineering today: not only did he orbit the globe many times, but his videos and books have reached an international audience.”
As for Hadfield he said “it is a great honour to receive this award from NSERC, as I believe passionately in the importance of education and scientific understanding. NSERC was pivotal in starting my career, when their scholarship enabled me to pursue a graduate-level education. I am deeply grateful to NSERC and the good they do, especially for young Canadians.”
Since he’s retired from the Canadian Space Agency, Hadfield has been touring the globe spreading his inspirational messages. He’s also released two books and an album.
