Viewpoint

Reflections on 17 years – & microgravity – at the U of S

By Kamiel Gabriel

Excerpts from Prof. Gabriel’s farewell speech to a March 29 reception, before his departure to a new position in Ontario. He was Associate Dean of Research in the U of S College of Engineering.

In June 1987, I came to Saskatoon with my wife Linda and our six pound, 4-month old daughter Larissa, and 2000 pounds of household possessions. Now, 17 years later, we are leaving Saskatoon with four children ... and 16,000 pounds of household materials. We have been truly blessed... We will always cherish our time in Saskatoon...

Gabriel

I started my career here in 1987 as an Assistant Professor in the department of Mechanical Engineering ... In 1988, we submitted our first proposal to the Space Science Division of the National Research Council of Canada to conduct research in the weightlessness environment of space. We were turned down ... In 1989, we resubmitted our proposal and received our first research contract with Public Works Canada...

Since then, we have moved from one contract to the next until in1996 we were invited to participate in an experiment to be flown on the U.S. Space Shuttle. With a lead time of only 8 months, we took on the challenge and submitted our proposal for an experiment to test the undesirable vibrations experienced on the Space Shuttle (known as “G-jitters”). ...(We) sent our Canadian Astronaut, Bjarni Tryggvvason off on STS-85 in mid-August 1997. The experiment was a great success...

Through many years of dealing with the Canadian Space Agency and NASA up to that point, it became abundantly clear to me that for Canada to become a major player in the area of microgravity science, we must have access to a simulated environment and a permanent laboratory in this country ... How could we possibly change this situation?

With a humble annual budget for microgravity space science ranging from $4-$6 million, no launching site to put sounding rockets in low earth orbit, no space shuttle, and no more access to the NASA KC-135 parabolic flights, I became discouraged ... (until) creation of the Canada Foundation for Innovation to provide Canadian researchers with unprecedented opportunities to build world class research infrastructure at universities and colleges. My quick response to the call for proposals has been described by many as “jumping in with my boots on”. In August 1997, Dr. Franco Berruti, Dean of Engineering at that time, wrote a letter to Garth Moore, President of the Potash Corp. of Saskatchewan, requesting that he consider leasing the abandoned mine Shaft at Patience Lake to the university ... I started down the lengthy and all-consuming road of applying to the CFI...

In 1998, my proposal was turned down ... Having been encouraged by many to reapply, I prepared well with my colleagues across Canada and reapplied in March 2000. After many studies and reworking the business plan over and over again ... In January 2002, CFI announced that the project has been successful and has approved granting it $8.56 million with the potential for additional $2.5 million for operational cost during the start-up years.

While much of the outside world cheered for the news, much to my great surprise, the response here at the U of S was, at best, lukewarm. Furthermore, the University put the project on hold for over 9 months before a person was assigned to it. During that time, much of the ground work with the then President of CSA, Mr. Mac Evans, and the DG of Space Science, Mr. Barry Wetter, was lost due to their sudden retirements in 2002...

It became obvious that the train had left the station and we were not on it! Added to our woes was a bleak financial situation for the province ... The “stroke that broke the camel’s back” was a lack of commitment on the University’s part to declare to the provincial government that this project was one of their priorities. All of these contributed to the ill fate of CMORE, as it became known.

Like many of you, I very much regret the outcome ... While I do not like the outcome, the process itself was an enriching experience. I had the privilege of meeting and working with great fellows like Dale Botting, Kent Smith-Windsor, Tony Whitworth, Dennis Johnson, Scott Huckerby, Doug Kramble, Ben Voss, to mention just a few. I thank you one and all for taking part in shaping my professional career through that experience.