Engineering student dedicated to advancing space research wins prestigious Order of White Rose scholarship

A mechanical engineering student who wants to push the boundaries of space travel was the latest recipient of the Polytechnique’s prestigious “Order of the White Rose” scholarship on Monday.

Makenna Kuzyk, a graduate from the University of Alberta, was the 10th recipient of the $50,000 scholarship. Kuzyk was honoured in a ceremony in Montreal amid the university’s commemoration of the Dec. 6, 1989, Polytechnique shooting.

“I feel incredibly honoured. I think that what this award represents is way bigger than myself,” said Kuzyk.

“I think it’ll help me really build the microgravity platform. My dream is to build that space culture here in Canada, and I think this will help me get the education I need to do that.”

The scholarship is awarded annually to a female Canadian engineering student who hopes to pursue graduate studies at the university of her choice.

“Year after year, the Order of the White Rose recipients embody the values of boldness, personal achievement, and leadership. They represent an emerging generation determined to break down barriers, champion equity, and build a better world, and the recipient of this tenth edition of the award is no exception to that tradition of excellence,” said Maud Cohen, President, Polytechnique Montreal.

“The Order of the White Rose is so much more than a prestigious scholarship. It recognizes academic excellence, but also the essential role of women in our communities and their contributions to a sustainable future.”

Kuzyk explained her future goals, in terms of her education.

“What I want to do is, there’s such a thing as parabolic flights,” she said. “It’s a plane maneuver where you float in microgravity. So that’s the first step, and we have that in Canada. We have one of the best microgravity platforms in Canada, so I want to sustain that. And then I want to grow it to suborbital flights, like Virgin Galactic when they’re just floating up in space. And then I want to extend that to space stations.

“The reason why I want to do this is because there’s so much great research that comes out of space. 3D printing organs, for example, to help the health crisis, and building technologies like the Canadarm that now has the neuroarm for brain surgery. What I want to do in school, flight test engineering, will allow me to lead that platform at hopefully the National Research Council one day.”

The Order of the White Rose commemorates those who died and survived on Dec. 6, 1989 — 35 years ago — while honouring the future of women in engineering.

“These initiatives have an impact not only on Polytechnique as an institution, but also on who we become as a community. And most importantly, this morning, they give wings to girls and women who want to become engineers,” said Nathalie Provost, survivor of the 1989 attack and godmother of the Order of the White Rose.

“It’s like a way to contribute to Polytechnique, to contribute to the women in engineering, to use my voice to, if I may, use my memories of my classmates and keep them alive with us, to use their memories, keeping their energy, keeping their dreams a bit alive in order to give them a push for the future.”

“The past recipients of the Order of the White Rose are all young women driven by extraordinary passion, which makes them exceptional citizens,” said Cohen. “Makenna Kuzyk has that same passion. It has the power to change the world, and so it must be encouraged to the greatest extent possible.

“Makenna is a pioneer, and we are all extremely proud to help her take the next steps in her impressive and promising academic journey. I have no doubt that her career will be nothing less than stellar, and this honour bestowed on her today is fully deserved.”

Kuzyk, who conducts research on the impacts of living in microgravity, hopes to boost the visibility of women in the aerospace industry. She founded a women’s only student club at the University of Alberta – Mission SpaceWalker – dedicated to advancing space research.

“I wanted young girls to know that their dream of flying to space need not remain simply a dream: that it can become a reality,” said Kuzyk.

Her parents expressed how proud of her they are.

“I’m extremely proud, and I think oftentimes I sit there and just feel out of body, surreal, like I shouldn’t even be here. So, very proud and very, very amazed at the intelligence, the energy, and the love in this whole organization,” said Chinh Chu, Kuzyk’s mother.

“To watch her grow up from a young lady into a woman and to be this confident in her abilities and what she does… I just went flying with her last week for the first time because she got her pilot’s licence a few weeks ago, and I felt totally confident with my child flying an airplane for me. And just the confidence I had in her, and that she’s just so… it’s just so inspiring for all of us when we see what she’s accomplished. It’s amazing,” added Dale Kuzyk, Kuzyk’s father.

Kuzyk encourages others who have a dream, to go after it.

“I hope that anyone out there who wants to go to space, or you know, wants to be an astronaut, wants to work on space things, really does feel encouraged because I think we can do it right this time,” she said. “We’re embarking on a really cool adventure together, and I think, for example, when it comes to the moon, we can do it right. Instead of destroying the moon, we could build something really beautiful. So I hope, I hope everyone feels like they can follow their dreams.”

“I also feel a responsibility towards McKenna, but towards all the recipients of the Order of the White Rose, because if we don’t live a life up to our own dreams, how can we just rely on them to fulfill theirs?” added Provost. “We are talking about building a better world. They are not capable of doing everything by themselves. So I am always really honored and really thrilled to meet them. But it reminds me that by giving her this bursary, we have to stand by her way and walk with her so that she will be able. It’s a bit like, I don’t know, maybe like cheerleading or anything. You need a pillar to go up high in the sky, so it’s the same for her.”

As Kuzyk goes out to pursue her dreams, she hopes to honour those who have lost their lives as well.

“They were the same age as I was when I was in university, and learning about them really made me feel like I had to make an impact. For me, it really does start with uplifting women. I think a lot of things need to change in our society, and we can be the change to build a better future. And I really want to take their dreams and carry them with my own as I shoot for space,” she said.