The strength and potential of a woman's heart
Research conducted by first year Integrated Science students is shedding light on what happens to heart valves as women’s hearts enlarge during pregnancy to accommodate the increase in blood volume needed to support the placenta. The long term goal is to identify the protective mechanism so that it can be applied to patients suffering pathological heart enlargement. These students are working with Dr. Sarah Wells, an associate professor in physics, biomedical engineering and Assistant Dean of the Medical Sciences program. Read the Star Metro story here.

SURGE Discover Open House & Free Pizza
Join Dalhousie’s Science Innovation Sandbox, SURGE, this Friday March 15 from 12:30-1:30 pm to learn more about SURGE! We will be discussing and answering any questions you may have on programming we offer to help train students for science innovation and entrepreneurship. There will be FREE PIZZA! To learn more please visit surgeinnovation.ca or follow us on twitter and Instagram @SurgeInnovation.

Date: March 15, 12:30-1:30 pm
Location: SURGE Sandbox, Life Science Centre Room 2660 (in Oceanography)
RSVP: surge@dal.ca

Think you might be Dal’s next Rhodes Scholar?
An information session is scheduled for Wednesday, March 20, 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. in Room 430 (Jacob Slonim Room), 4th floor of the Goldberg Computer Science Building. The prestigious Rhodes scholarship funds two years of graduate study at Oxford University (UK).  Eligibility information is available here.

3MT this week! Cheer on our FoS grad students
All are welcome to attend the finals of Dalhousie’s annual 3 Minute Competition on March 13th at 6:30 pm. This annual battle of brains and brevity brings students together from across the university to present the complexities of their research in the most engaging way possible in just 180 seconds! Cheer on our Dal Science contenders. Learn more here.

Want to Get Involved in Research? Interested in Applying for Honours? We Need You!
The Couples and Sexual Health Lab is seeking a highly motivated undergraduate student (3rd or 4th year student preferred) to assist with an exciting observational study. The selected candidate will gain valuable research experience via recruiting and running participants as well as by observing and coding the interpersonal dynamics of romantic couples. This opportunity is suitable for students seeking an honours project and/or volunteer research assistant experience. Click here to apply and here to learn more about our lab!

Congratulations to Marine Biology students, Ali Gladwell, Emily Kraemer and Cailyn Zamora, for winning awards for their research presentations at the Science Atlantic Aquaculture, Fisheries and Biology Conference this last weekend! Click here for a photo of the whole group who attended the conference.

Would you like to make a submission to the Dean's Office Dispatch? Email communications.science@dal.ca with a brief summary of your notice, a supporting link or email address, and a photo/image if you have one.