Education
K–6: Reynolds Central School in Melfort, Saskatchewan.
Grades 7–12: Melfort and Unit Comprehensive Collegiate (MUCC).
1993–1998: University of Saskatchewan. Received a Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Mathematics with a Concentration in Applied Mathematics and an Honours Certificate in Science (Physics and Engineering Physics).
Summer of 1998: International Space University Summer Session Program.
2000–2004: Grad school at Purdue University, in Aeronautics and Astronautics. Advisor was Professor James M. Longuski (author of Advice to Rocket Scientists and The Seven Secrets of How to Think Like a Rocket Scientist). Grad school research areas: 1) software to optimize spacecraft trajectories (e.g. to maximize the spacecraft mass at the destination), and 2) the design of Earth-Mars cycler trajectories — research that led to the discovery of the “ballistic S1L1 cycler,” and to a journal paper co-authored with Apollo 11 astronaut Buzz Aldrin.
Masters and Ph.D. research was funded in large part by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
Received M.S. in 2002 and Ph.D. in 2004 (both from Purdue University).
