When Montreal entrepreneur, investor and astronaut Mark Pathy looked down at Earth from 400 kilometres above during his 2022 mission to the International Space Station, something crystallized. Canada, he says, has everything it needs to be a major player in the global space economy — it just needs to claim the opportunity. His $15-million gift to Concordia University’s Gina Cody School of Engineering and Computer Science, which will establish the Mark Pathy Space Institute, is his way of helping make that happen.
WHAT MADE THIS THE RIGHT INVESTMENT FOR YOU?
“I saw genuine alignment of interests, objectives, and values. This wasn’t just a philanthropic transaction — Concordia’s proposal focused on the true foundations of a space economy: talent development, research capability, and collaboration with industry and government.”
WHY CONCORDIA SPECIFICALLY?
“The Gina Cody School has strong engineering programs, and to me that created an ideal environment for developing the next generation of engineers, scientists, and entrepreneurs — which is exactly what Canada needs to participate in this new global economy.”
WHAT DID YOUR TIME ON THE ISS CHANGE FOR YOU?
“My experience on Ax-l really highlighted something that had already been pretty clear to me — the speed at which space was moving from an entirely government-led domain to a truly global innovation economy. On my return, I was determined to explore how Canada could claim as big a piece of that economic opportunity as possible.”
WHY NOW?
“The potential is there — it’s available to us if we just stand up and claim it. Canada has a very strong base of expertise across the entire space supply chain — manufacturing, robotics, sensor production, communications. We should be able to translate that into something much more significant.”
WHAT KIND OF RESEARCH ARE YOU HOPING TO SEE COME OUT OF THE INSTITUTE?
“I’m particularly interested in initiatives at the intersection of engineering and practical application — advanced materials, sensor development, robotics, autonomous systems. Areas that can be applied not just in space, but that will help advance society here on Earth.”
WHAT’S YOUR MESSAGE TO THE STUDENTS WHO WILL COME THROUGH THIS PROGRAM?
“What was really striking during my mission was the true interdisciplinary nature of the work — engineers, scientists, software specialists, all working together. More than technical excellence, the ability to work with others and count on others is a very valuable part of success in this field.”
WHAT’S THE LEGACY YOU’RE HOPING TO BUILD HERE, IN MONTREAL?
“My hope is that these students go on to become tomorrow’s researchers, entrepreneurs, and contributors to major international missions. Few areas stimulate innovation the way space does — and I want Concordia students to be part of that.”
“CANADA HAS EVERYTHING IT NEEDS TO BE A MAJOR PLAYER IN THE GLOBAL SPACE ECONOMY — IT JUST NEEDS TO CLAIM THE OPPORTUNITY.”
For more, head to concordia.ca/ginacody.