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Matthew Bamsey Encourages Loyalist Graduates to Dream Boldly

June 11, 2010

During the afternoon Convocation on June 10th, Loyalist College honoured 439 graduates from the Schools of Business and Management Studies, Biosciences and the Centre for Justice Studies. Shelley Darrah, graduate of the Business program, was the recipient of the Governor General’s Medal.

The guest speaker at the event was Matthew Bamsey, Research Affiliate, Space Science, Canadian Space Agency. Matthew holds a B.Eng. in aerospace engineering from Carleton University in Ottawa and an M.Sc. in aerospace engineering from the University of Colorado at Boulder, concentrating primarily on life support and space suit design. Since 2006, Matthew has been pursuing a Ph.D. in environmental biology with the University of Guelph.  His research focuses on advanced life support for human spaceflight under a Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada scholarship while stationed at the Canadian Space Agency and the Controlled Environment Systems Research Facility. Matthew has been working as a student researcher at the Canadian Space Agency since 2001, where he has worked with the RADARSAT-2 program and with the Space Science department on the Arthur Clarke Mars Greenhouse project on Devon Island in the Canadian High Arctic.  In 2007, Matthew was selected from a worldwide call of applicants and participated in a four-month scientific expedition to the Flashline Mars Arctic Research Station in the Canadian High Arctic. In 2009, Matthew was fortunate to be selected as a finalist in the Canadian National Astronaut Recruitment Campaign, from more than 5,300 applicants.

In his address, Matthew Bamsey urged the graduates to dream boldly. “Be brave enough to ask the questions, and be devoted to lifelong learning.  Find your passion because when you do, the sky’s no limit!” 

An Honorary Diploma was presented to Matthew Bamsey by Mrs. Kay Manderville, Vice-Chair of the Loyalist College Board of Governors, in recognition of his outstanding contributions to scientific research within the Canadian Space Agency and the University of Guelph on the Arthur Clarke Mars Greenhouse project in the Canadian High Arctic.  He was also recognized for work with other space-based life support-related initiatives, and for having been chosen as a finalist as part of Canada’s recent astronaut recruitment campaign.

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Media Contact:  Marilyn Warren, Communications, Loyalist College; (613) 969-1913, ext. 2332; e-mail:  mwarren@loyalistc.on.ca

 

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