The Dean's Office Dispatch is the Faculty of Science's weekly e-newsletter sent out to students, faculty and staff. 

Dalhousie University will be closed on Monday, November 13 in lieu of Remembrance Day.

Dal Science Spotlight: Bev Hymes

This week’s Dal Science Spotlight is Bev Hymes, part-time academic in the Department of Biology and lead instructor of the Diversity of Algae course. Bev was nominated by an undergraduate student. “She shows amazing passion for the topics covered in class,” the student says. “Every day is exciting! Learning is not only through lectures but also lots of hands-on experience. She has found ways to help each student learn in their own way. She has influenced me to pursue algae research in the long run!”

Part-time academics are an integral part of our Science programs; they bring with them a variety of expertise and backgrounds and it’s always wonderful to hear about how they’re challenging and inspiring our students. We’re happy you’re part of our team, Bev!

The Dal Science Spotlight highlights the contributions of instructors and advisors in the Faculty of Science. Recognize an outstanding instructor or advisor by filling out our nomination form. A new submission will be featured weekly in the Dean’s Office Dispatch.

Chemistry PhD student wins international pitch competition

Department of Chemistry PhD student Joe Bedard emerged victorious at this week's Falling Walls Science Summit in Berlin, Germany, a global pitch competition for students and early-career professionals with innovative ideas to make the world a better place.

A member of Dr. Saurabh Chitnis' research group, Joe's presentation "Breaking the Wall of Alternative Plastics" discussed fossil fuel-free sources of materials production and earned him the Science Breakthrough of the Year award in the Emerging Talents category. One hundred participants from over 60 countries made pitches at the global finals after advancing from regional competitions.

Stay tuned for more coverage of Joe's achievement, but in the meantime, watch his three-minute presentation on YouTube and read more about Dal's presence at the global finals. Department of Biology professor and Ocean School scientific director Dr. Boris Worm was also in Berlin participating in the Falling Walls Engage competition that identified the world's best science outreach and engagement programs.

Career Connects alumni panel: Science and Graduate Studies

Students interested in learning more about the career paths of alumni from science-based graduate programs are invited to attend Career Connects, a lunchtime online panel discussion hosted by the Faculties of Science and Graduate Studies on Tuesday, Nov. 21. 

The following alumni will be participating:

• Julie Reimer (MMM'16), PhD, Senior Policy Advisor and Team Lead, Fisheries and Oceans Canada and part-time academic, Marine Affairs Program
• Alex Cole (MMM'18), Fisheries Management Specialist and Research Lead, Canadian Wildlife Federation
• Frederica Jacks (MREM'20, BSc'18), Species at Risk Biologist, Fisheries and Oceans Canada

The panel will be moderated by Department of Chemistry PhD candidate Joe Bedard, who recently finished in first place at the Falling Walls Science Summit pitch competition in Berlin, Germany. Interested students, faculty and alumni can register to attend via Eventbrite.

Date: Tuesday, November 21
Time: 12 to 1 p.m. AST
Format: Online. Attendees will be sent a link to join the session.

Co-op employer virtual event: Breathe BioMedical

Science co-op students interested in learning more about future career opportunities with Breathe BioMedical are invited to attend a virtual event hosted by Dal's Work Integrated Learning & Co-operative Education on Thursday, Nov. 16 from 4 to 5 p.m. Students can register through myCareer. An event link will be sent out prior to the meeting.

Lab member recruitment: Dr. Sian Kou-Giesbrecht

Dr. Sian Kou-Giesbrecht, an assistant professor in the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences who joined Dal in September, is recruiting undergraduate honours students and graduate students to join her research group. Dr. Kou-Giesbrecht's research focuses on nitrogen cycling in terrestrial carbon and climate change modelling. Potential lab members can visit her website for more details on areas of research covered and reach out via email with any questions.

Fall 2023 seminars: Department of Economics

The Department of Economics holds departmental seminars on Friday afternoons from 2:30 to 4:00 p.m. in room 2198 of the Marion McCain Arts and Social Sciences Building. Seminars are open to all interested students, faculty and staff. The next scheduled seminar takes place on Friday, Nov. 24 and features a presentation from Dal's James McNeil titled "The term structure of interest rates in a noisy information model." Learn more and see the fall 2023 schedule on the Economics website.

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.