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Dr. Mackay discusses the Bloomberg lab with Rowe finance students

Thanks to a donation by businessman and alumnus Dr. Douglas C. Mackay (BComm’53) and the passion of a group of students, the Bloomberg lab in the Rowe School of Business has undergone a major refurbishment.

The lab houses Bloomberg software terminals, which provide real-time, real-world information on the world’s capital market movements. Built for use by finance professionals, this software’s presence in the Faculty of Management allows students to study finance hands-on.

Faculty in the Rowe School of Business use the Bloomberg terminals in classes and for research. The changes to the lab, funded by Mackay, will increase this activity. “It is now possible to offer lectures and tutorials on many applications of Bloomberg to small groups of people,” says Dr. Iraj Fooladi, professor of finance in the Rowe School. “Students are able to share and discuss their ideas and operations with one another with the help of the two big screens now installed on the lab’s wall.” The lab also received two televisions to relay up-to-the-minute financial information, and aesthetic improvements including fresh paint and cable management.

Funded by Mackay, the improvements to the lab were driven by the Dalhousie Investment Society (DALIS), an extracurricular group of students who make intensive use of the lab. Part of the refurbishment includes increased access for these students and others in evenings and on weekends.

This year, Mackay won Dalhousie’s A. Gordon Archibald Alumni Award for outstanding volunteer contributions to Dalhousie. “He is one of Dalhousie’s greatest friends and a long-time supporter of our school,” says Fooladi. “It’s important to note that his support for the Bloomberg lab is not limited to financial contributions; Doug is a visionary and, over the years, we have greatly benefited from his ideas and suggestions. It was his idea that we obtain the Bloomberg terminals in the first place.”

With a fresh coat of paint and much more, the Bloomberg lab—and Mackay’s generosity—will continue to benefit Rowe faculty and students.