Chris Hadfield at Waterloo for sold-out event

As reported on Space.com, when Chris Hadfield decided to become an astronaut in the late 1960s, he had two main obstacles facing him. First, he was only nine years old. Second, Canada did not have an astronaut program.

Undeterred, Hadfield spent a lifetime taking steps to position himself for spaceflight, and eventually made it into orbit three times. He became the only Canadian to visit the space station Mir, made the first Canadian spacewalk, then capped his career as commander of Expedition 35 on the International Space Station, another Canadian first.

On December 3, he landed at the University of Waterloo, where he is expected to assume teaching and advising responsibilities in aviation starting in the fall term of 2014.

Hadfield is no stranger to Waterloo Engineering. With a scholarship from NSERC, he did post graduate work in mechanical engineering in 1982-1983, returning in 2007 at the invitation of former Dean Adel Sedra and former president (now Governor General) David Johnston to deliver the keynote at Waterloo Engineering's 50^th Anniversary.

“It’s great fun to see the impact of engineering in Waterloo,” he told a crowd of 450 at the Royal York hotel in Toronto, “the dean is helping to put it on the map throughout the world.” 

An avid ambassador for engineering student teams, Hadfield turned the evening’s focus to the future by superimposing an image of Wombat, Waterloo’s off-road Mini Baja vehicle. 

He believes Waterloo Engineering to be a dominant influence in technology innovation, application and achievement. “That unparalleled combination drew me to Waterloo as a grad student, and the quality of the experience has helped me ever since.”

While on campus December 3, Hadfield signed copies of his new book: An Astronaut’s Guide to Life On Earth and spoke at an event that sold out in 10 minutes! 

[UWaterloo story]

With files from Space.com