Roberta Bondar Roberta Bondar was born in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada. She has certification in scuba diving, parachuting, and holds a private pilot's license. Dr. Bondar enjoys photography, biking, hot air ballooning, roller blading, and flying. She attended elementary and secondary school in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. In her many years of study at several Universities, she obtained science degrees in zoology and agriculture, experimental pathology, and neurobiology. Dr. Bondar is a neurologist and researcher. She was one of the six original Canadian astronauts selected in December, 1983. In early 1990, she was chosen to be a Payload Specialist for the first International Microgravity Laboratory Mission. Dr. Bondar flew on the space shuttle Discovery during January 1992, where she performed life science and material science experiments in the Spacelab.