Dafydd Williams facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Dafydd Williams
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Official portrait, 2006
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| Born |
Dafydd Rhys Williams
May 16, 1954 |
| Awards |
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| Space career | |
| CSA astronaut | |
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Time in space
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28 days, 15 hours, 47 minutes |
| Selection | 1992 CSA Group NASA Group 15 (1994) |
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Total EVAs
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3 |
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Total EVA time
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17 hours, 47 minutes |
| Missions | |
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Mission insignia
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Dafydd "David" Rhys Williams (born May 16, 1954) is a Canadian doctor, speaker, and author. He is also a retired CSA astronaut. Williams flew on two Space Shuttle missions.
His first trip to space was STS-90 in 1998. This 16-day mission on Space Shuttle Columbia focused on brain research. His second flight, STS-118, was in August 2007. He flew on Space Shuttle Endeavour to the International Space Station. During this mission, he did three spacewalks. He became the third Canadian to ever do a spacewalk. He also set a Canadian record for the most spacewalks. These spacewalks lasted a total of 17 hours and 47 minutes.
In 1998, Williams became the first non-American to hold a high-level job at NASA. He was the Director of Space and Life Sciences at the Johnson Space Center.
Contents
Becoming a Doctor and Scientist
David Williams studied at McGill University. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in biology in 1976. He then got a Master of Science degree in physiology in 1983. In the same year, he also earned his Doctor of Medicine and Master of Surgery degrees.
After university, he trained in family medicine at the University of Ottawa. He finished this in 1985. He then specialized in emergency medicine at the University of Toronto. He became a fellow of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada in 1988.
Medical Research and Teaching
Williams did research on how hormones affect the brain. He also studied how the brain controls sleep. He helped with studies on brain waves.
His research in emergency medicine looked at many things. He studied how well people learned cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). He also looked at how to find patients at high risk of injury.
In 1988, he became an emergency doctor at Sunnybrook Health Science Centre. He also taught at the University of Toronto. He trained paramedics, nurses, and doctors. He taught them how to help people with heart problems or injuries.
From 1989 to 1990, he worked in Kitchener-Waterloo. He was also a medical director there. In 1990, he returned to Sunnybrook. He became the Director of Emergency Services. He also became a professor at the University of Toronto. He still works on research in space medicine.
In 2008, he joined McMaster University. He directed a new center for medical robotics. From 2011 to 2017, he was the president and CEO of Southlake Regional Health Centre. This is a hospital in Newmarket, Ontario.
Becoming an Astronaut
The Canadian Space Agency chose David Williams in June 1992. After his basic training, he became a manager. He managed the Missions and Space Medicine Group. He also helped with space medicine activities.
In February 1994, he took part in a 7-day space mission simulation. This project was called CAPSULS. He studied how astronauts learned and remembered medical skills. He was also the crew medical officer. He retired as an astronaut on March 1, 2008.
Working with NASA
In January 1995, NASA chose Williams to be a mission specialist astronaut. He went to the Johnson Space Center in March 1995. He finished his training in May 1996. After training, he worked on technical issues for the astronaut office.
From 1998 to 2002, Williams was the Director of Space and Life Sciences. This made him the first non-American to hold a senior job at NASA. He was in charge of research in space sciences.
His main concern was the medical safety of the crew. He also oversaw flight medical operations. His programs helped protect astronauts from space dangers. These dangers include radiation and microgravity. He also worked to keep astronauts healthy in space and when they returned to Earth.
Williams also worked as an aquanaut in an underwater lab. This was for the first NEEMO (NASA Extreme Environment Mission Operations) mission. It happened in October 2001 in the Aquarius lab. He even shook hands underwater with Canadian explorer Joe MacInnis.
In April 2006, Williams commanded the NEEMO 9 mission. This mission lasted eighteen days. The crew practiced procedures for exploring the lunar surface. They also tested medical technology for use in space.
Space Shuttle Mission STS-90
Williams was a mission specialist on STS-90 Neurolab. This mission was from April 17 to May 3, 1998. During this 16-day flight, the crew was on Space Shuttle Columbia. They were both subjects and operators for 26 science experiments. These experiments studied how microgravity affects the brain and nervous system. The STS-90 flight orbited Earth 256 times. Williams spent over 381 hours in space.
Space Shuttle Mission STS-118
Williams was part of the crew for STS-118. This mission was from August 8 to 21, 2007. It was an assembly mission to the International Space Station. He completed three spacewalks during this mission. He set two new records during his last spacewalk on August 18. He became the Canadian with the most spacewalks (3). His total spacewalk time was 17 hours and 47 minutes. He was the second Canadian to lead a spacewalk.
Awards and Special Recognition
David Williams has received many awards for his work. He is a member of several medical and aerospace groups. He received the Commonwealth Certificate of Thanks in 1973. He also got the Commonwealth Recognition Award in 1975. These were for his help with the Royal Life Saving Society of Canada.
After his STS-90 mission in 1999, he received the Melbourne W. Boynton Award. He also got the Bronze Medal from Spain. In 2000, he received the Individual Achievement Award. He was recognized with the NASA Outstanding Leadership Medal in 2002. In 2008, he received the NASA Exceptional Service Medal.
In 2012, Williams was added to the Canada's Aviation Hall of Fame. He also received the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal that year. In 2013, he was made an Officer of the Order of Canada. This was for his important work in space exploration. He received the Order of Ontario in 2015.
In 2020, a new elementary school in Oakville, Ontario was named after him. It is called Dr. David R. Williams Public School.
Honorary Degrees
Williams has received several honorary degrees from universities:
- Honorary Doctorate of Laws, University of Saskatchewan (2004)
- Honorary Doctorate of Science, McGill University (2007)
- Honorary Doctorate of Science, University of Wales (2007)
- Honorary Doctorate of Science, Queen's University (2009)
- Honorary Doctorate of Laws, Dalhousie University (2016)
- Honorary Doctorate of Science, Carleton University (2022)
Personal Life
David Williams was born in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. He is married to Cathy Fraser. They have three children. He enjoys many outdoor activities. These include flying, scuba diving, hiking, and sailing. He also likes kayaking, canoeing, and skiing. His father, Bill, was born in Aberbargoed, Wales. This means David has Welsh family roots.
Images for kids
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STS-90 mission patch
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STS-118 mission patch
