Faculty of Agriculture alumni stories from 2023: A look back

Chelsea Baird (Class of '07)

Chelsea Baird (Class of '07) is back on campus as the inaugural Outdoor Classroom and Landscape Manager.

Dr. Steve Backman earns 2023 Atlantic Canada Aquaculture Award

Dr. Steven Backman (Class of '82), the “grandfather” of fish health veterinary medicine in Atlantic Canada and a passionate supporter of sustainable aquaculture, is the recipient of the 2023 Atlantic Canada Aquaculture Award.

Nathan Murray (Class of '11)

Nathan Murray remotely volunteers his time and talent as secretary of the Agriculture Alumni Association Board. In his day job, he is an agile coach with Farm Credit Canada in Saskatchewan.

Arbor Plant Health Care - Dave Cooper (Class of '01/'03)

Over the past 16 years, Arbor Plant Health Care has grown to include numerous trucks, chippers, and other specialized equipment to make the job safer and more efficient. It has also grown to include several additional AC alumni.

Steve Ells (Class of '88)

Steve Ells was recruited this year to be vineyard manager at Benjamin Bridge, an award-winning Nova Scotia winery known for its sparkling wines and innovative products.

Emily Johnstone (Class of '16/'23)

In her role as research technician with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Emily Johnstone works to find practical solutions for farmers in order to provide productive, profitable crop production while enhancing ecosystems.

Taya Kehler (Class of '19)

When Taya Kehler was making plans for her future, she knew she wanted to work with plants, but she wasn’t ready to abandon her penchant for art and design. Equally passionate about the outdoors and visual arts, Taya sought something that would tick all her boxes. She found it in the field of landscape architecture.

Vicki Mackintosh (Class of '13/'23)

Vicki graduated first from NSAC in 2013 and now exactly 10 years later is graduating with her master’s in animal science from Dalhousie University while also being Residence Life Don of Trueman House.

Hall of Fame inducts four new members for 2023

This October the Atlantic Agricultural Hall of Fame celebrated the contributions made by four individuals to the agriculture industry in Atlantic Canada, including alum David Thompson (Class of '70).

2023 Blue & Gold Awards presented

Three AC alumni were honoured with Blue & Gold Awards for their service and commitment to their communities and the agriculture industry. Volunteer of the Year award: Dr. Kim Cogswell (Class of '86); Distinguished Alum award: Minister Bloyce Thompson (Class of '94); Young Alumni Achievement award: Mullaivannan Manoharan (Class of '11 and '14).

What We Do Matters

The Class of 2023 gifted the Agricultural Campus a custom painting created by Lindsay Brown (Class of '11), entitled What We Do Matters.

Emily Gowan (Class of '21)

A family connection and a desire to make the world a better place led Emily Gowan to the Agricultural Campus to study Engineering.

Jenna (Class of '09) and Janet Hazelton

Jenna Hazelton grew up watching her mom Janet, president of the Nova Scotia Nurses’ Union, fight for health-care workers’ rights. Her mom was her role model and now Jenna, too, is breaking barriers — in her case, in the traditionally male-dominated field of engineering.

Predicting soil quality across Atlantic Canada - Dr. Weixi Shu (Class of '11/'14)

Leveraging innovative technologies and practices, McCain Fellow Dr. Weixi Shu is working to develop a fast, reliable and economical technique to measure various soil properties.

Riley Giffen at Coldstream Clear Distillery

Coldstream Clear Distillery wins 2023 Business Excellence Award

What started as a hobby business in Stewiacke eight years ago by parents and founders Robert (Class of '89) and Elaine Giffen, working alongside their three children Riley (Class of '14), Liam, and Olivia, has become a leader in the beverage and alcohol industry across Atlantic Canada.

A celebration of creativity from scientific minds

The 2023 Dalhousie Agricultural Campus Community Fine Arts & Crafts Exhibit took place in March under the direction of curator Stephanie Peach (Class of '12) with a record number of submissions from faculty, staff, students and alumni.

Jennifer Ladipo (Class of '16)

Jennifer Ladipo combines her love of writing with math and science to inspire the next generation through TheSTEMGirl, an initiative aimed at encouraging young girls to view themselves in both a feminine and scientific light through storytelling.

Josh Oulton (Class of '96) and Patricia Bishop (Class of '99)

TapRoot Farms co-owners Patricia Bishop and Josh Oulton are deepening the community’s connection to the industry and merging traditional farming with modern, environmentally sustainable practices.

Brenden Wheeler (Class of '18)

Brenden Wheeler (Class of '18) recently received a Killam Scholarship, Dalhousie’s most prestigious award for graduate students and postdoctoral researchers. These scholarships reduce barriers and give Dal's students and researchers the opportunity to focus on discoveries that help solve the world's problems.

The Mellish Family heads to Kenya With Farmers Helping Farmers

Three generations of the Mellish family, many of whom are AC alumni, were in Kenya in February as part of the first large group of Islanders to return to the country with Farmers Helping Farmers since the COVID-19 pandemic.

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