SDG 14: Life Below Water
Learn more about UN SDG 14 and take action
Ocean research at Dalhousie currently spans almost all faculties and disciplines. It all started with the establishment of the Institute of Oceanography in 1959, which launched a broader trajectory linking biological, physical, geological and chemical areas of ocean science, in the 1970s a marine law group was established. Now Dal hosts key ocean research facilities and is involved in many international research projects, which allow Dalhousie researchers to contribute to the most pressing ocean challenges of our time.
High-impact research
Climate risk index shows threats to 90 per cent of the world’s marine species
While our study paints a potentially grim future under high emissions, it also highlights how our oceans and marine life could benefit from climate change mitigation and adaptation and stresses the urgency with which we must work towards this goal.
Read more in Dal News
The big brains in the room: Firm draws on Dal talent to win Musk Foundation’s XPRIZE
Four Dalhousie researchers were a driving force behind Dartmouth-firm Planetary Technologies’ win — one of 15 $1-million (USD) milestone award winners selected from a global pool of more than 1,100 teams. Planetary’s ambitious plan is to increase the alkalinity of the ocean which humanity has steadily acidified with the emission of massive quantities of CO2 to the atmosphere over the past 250 years.
Read more in Dal News
Whale conservation expert joins Dal in Canadian Wildlife Federation chair role
Sarah Fortune was selected as the recipient of the Canadian Wildlife Federation (CWF) Chair in Large Whale Conservation, a partnership between CWF and Dalhousie University. CWF says that the creation of this position is a part of their conservation strategy to expand partnerships with lead researchers investigating issues necessary for evidence-based conservation.
Read more in Dal News
Ancient fish species on brink of extinction finds new life in Dal facility
Set against a concrete wall lined with black water pipes and the occasional lightbulb are a half-dozen large fibreglass tanks that contain the only remaining captive Atlantic whitefish on earth. Their existence in the basement of Dalhousie's Steele Ocean Science Building is the result of the work of a small group of researchers and biologists committed to saving an ancient aquatic species that is so endangered its only known habitat is three lakes within a single watershed in Nova Scotia.
Read more in Dal News
On World Oceans Day, Dal experts explore how to better incorporate traditional Indigenous knowledge into ocean science
This year, Dal’s Faculty of Science is hosting a panel to discuss the intersection between traditional knowledge and World Oceans Day. With the critical importance of oceans as a food supplier and to countless sectors across the economy, engagement work helps create a more informed public and expose them to new perspectives, like traditional knowledge.
Read more in Dal News
Exceptional student experience
Going coastal: Science students dive into adventure as field courses return
The SEASIDE program offers Dal Science students the chance to spend part of their summers in the field, helping them learn practical skills and apply some of the knowledge they gained after fall and winter semesters spent mostly in classrooms and labs.
Read more in Dal News
Learn how the ocean connects people across the world
Steps away from the Atlantic Ocean, Dalhousie has a global reputation for excellence in ocean education and research. When you study ocean sciences at Dalhousie, you’ll combine knowledge in the biological, chemical, geological and physical processes that make up ocean ecosystems.
The sea's the limit
If you’re passionate about the ocean, Dalhousie is where you want to be. We’re a national leader in marine biology education and research. You’ll learn in the classroom, lab and out in the field. You could find yourself on the water studying the behaviour of sperm whales, running your own underwater experiments, examining the diet of grey seals or assessing the diversity of marine birds.
MMM alumni are currently working in 52 countries
The Marine Affairs Program offers the Master of Marine Management degree to students with a strong academic record who are planning a career path in marine affairs and have an interest in climate change, public and private sector management, conservation science, planning, public service, engineering, community organizing or public policy.
Oceanographers study every aspect of the world’s oceans
The master's and a doctoral programs in oceanography give students the opportunity to collaborate with leading experts, to conduct fieldwork around the globe, to experience research at sea, and to participate in basic and advanced classes in all the sub-disciplines of oceanography.
Civic university with global impact
Canada Foundation for Innovation invests $38.5M in Dal‑led Ocean Tracking Network
The grant brings the total amount awarded to the The Ocean Tracking Network (OTN) for its 2017-2029 funding cycle to $65.6M — resources that will help sustain and grow the renowned global aquatic research, data management and partnership platform. Collaborators around the world are using OTN’s global infrastructure and analytical tools to document the movements of more than 300 keystone and commercially and culturally valuable aquatic species in the context of changing ocean and freshwater environments.
We must save our oceans if we are to save ourselves
Forty-three years ago, Elisabeth Mann Borgese, a global ocean champion set up IOI-Canada at Dalhousie. Since then 740 alum from over 100 countries have participated in the eight-week, intensive, face-to-face ocean governance training program that is based at the university. It’s focused on mid-level professionals in fields related to ocean governance and includes modules on topics such as Law of the Sea, ocean sciences, marine transportation, integrated coastal ocean management, and maritime security.
Canada’s marine conservation toolbox needs an overhaul to counter climate change
The impacts of climate change are becoming increasingly pervasive, bringing Canada’s lack of preparedness in its marine conservation measures into focus. Now is the time to acknowledge and address the rapid shifts in Canada’s oceans. To meet this challenge, Canada’s marine conservation toolbox — starting with the Oceans Act — needs an overhaul.
Read more in Dal News
Annual student-led Sustainable Ocean Conference
The Sustainable Ocean Conference is a free public event that brings together a wide audience. The goal is to promote opportunities for collaboration to address the range of issues affecting our ocean. The conference is supported by the Sobey Fund for Oceans and is organized annually by the students of the Marine Affairs Program. It is the only student-led conference of its kind in Atlantic Canada.
Foundation for inclusion and distinction
Cutting-edge aquatic research in world-class facilities
The Aquatron Laboratory is considered by many to be one of the best aquatic research facilities in the world — it is the largest university aquatic research facility in Canada. The Aquatron boasts six large tanks holding a combined volume of over 2,000 m3, as well as a wide variety of smaller tanks, research spaces and equipment. These world-class facilities are backed by our mechanical system, which can provide high quality, temperature controlled seawater and freshwater year round, as well as a professional team of both biologists and mechanical operators who are available to run the systems and help researchers.
MEOPAR (Marine Environmental Observation, Prediction and Response Network)
An independent not-for-profit hosted at Dalhousie, MEOPAR funds research, trains students, mobilizes knowledge and forms partnerships in the area of marine risk and resilience. MEOPAR funds leading-edge research, overcomes barriers to collaborative research and helps to train the next generation of marine professionals.
Ocean Frontier Institute
A transnational hub for ocean research, the Ocean Frontier Institute (OFI) brings together experts from both sides of the North Atlantic to explore the vast potential of the world's ocean. From lab space to in-water and analytical infrastructure, OFI has the tools that allow scientists to think big and create extraordinary research results.
‘It takes a village to build a whale’: Dal’s Blue Whale Project set to soar this fall
Since 2017, Dalhousie’s Blue Whale Project has left a big impression on everyone who’s encountered it, from students and faculty to community members and volunteers. The project has turned the tragic loss of an 18-metre blue whale into a learning opportunity for the Dal community and beyond. Once completed, the bones will be sent back to Halifax for installation in the atrium of Dal’s Steele Ocean Sciences Building.
Read more in Dal News