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

Dal Science Spotlight: Dr. Jennifer Stamp

This week’s Dal Science Spotlight subject is Dr. Jennifer Stamp, a university teaching fellow in the Department of Psychology and Neuroscience. Dr. Stamp was nominated by an undergraduate student. “All I can say is that Dr. Stamp is one of the reasons I love neuroscience,” the student says. “Dr. Stamp teaches first-year courses and makes neuroscience/psychology less intimidating, as she is one of the nicest and friendliest teachers I have ever had. She also loves what she teaches, which makes us as students love the material as well.”

Thank you for sharing your passion for teaching and lifelong learning with our students, Dr. Stamp!

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.

Tuesday: Black and African Nova Scotian Engagement Event

The Faculty of Science is hosting its inaugural Black and African Nova Scotian Engagement Event on Tuesday, March 26 from 10:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. in the McInnes Room of the Student Union Building.

This event is open to prospective students, current students, faculty, and alumni who identify as Black and/or African Nova Scotian. The event will feature booths from Dal departments, programs, and services, an alumni career panel, lab tours, prizes, and lunch. Learn more and register to attend via Eventbrite by Monday, March 25.

Undergraduate research prize: Student applications due April 12

Eligible students are invited to apply for the Faculty of Science Undergraduate Research Prize, which is awarded annually upon graduation to students who have made a substantial commitment and contribution to research during their undergraduate programs. To apply, students should submit a completed application form and letters of support from supervising faculty members to their designated department contact by April 12. Departments should then forward application forms and letters of support to the Dean’s Office (Nirali.Patel@dal.ca) by April 19. Complete eligibility details, frequently-asked-questions, and the application form can be found on the Faculty of Science myDal site (login required).

2023 Community Impact Report

Released yesterday, Dal's 2023 Community Impact Report tells the stories of students, faculty, staff and alumni who are advancing a healthier, more equitable and sustainable future. One of the featured stories details the work of Master of Marine Management alum Dr. Kristal Ambrose and School for Resource and Environmental Studies professor Dr. Tony Walker to tackle the problem of plastic pollution.

Science PhD students among 2024 OpenThink cohort

Earlier this month, the Faculty of Graduate Studies announced the 2024 cohort of the OpenThink initiative, a group of 16 PhD students from across Dal who will share their expertise with the public through monthly articles on the OpenThink blog. 

Here are this year's OpenThinkers with connections to the Faculty of Science:

• Ben Collison, Interdisciplinary PhD (via the School for Resource and Environmental Studies)
• Patrick Hickey, Clinical Psychology and Neuroscience PhD
• Robert Morissette, Mathematics and Statistics PhD
• Grace Wang, Research Psychology and Neuroscience PhD

Read more about the OpenThink cohort, including short bios of each student with links to their first articles, in Dal News. 

IBA 2024 conference: Call for Abstracts

Drs. Michael Metzger and Chongyin Yang are co-chairing the International Battery Materials Association 2024 conference, which will be held in Halifax from September 8 to 13, 2024. The Call for Abstracts for poster presentations is now open until April 1, 2024. Abstracts are welcome from faculty members and graduate students conducting battery-related research. Learn more about the conference by visiting the IBA 2024 website.

Queen Elizabeth Scholars: Fall 2024 placements

Applications for fall 2024 placements as part of the Queen Elizabeth Scholarships (QES) program are open until April 1.

The QES program offers undergraduate students the chance to complete a funded internship for credit at the Cape Eleuthera Institute in The Bahamas. Applicants should have an interest and academic background in environmental science, sustainability, marine science or a related field, and be in at least their third year of studies at the time of the internship.

Visit Dal’s QES website for complete details on the three types of internships that can be applied for (marine research and conservation, sustainable agriculture, and sustainable systems). Any questions can be directed to Dr. Tarah Wright (tarah.wright@dal.ca), coordinator of the QES Program at Dal. Fall 2024 placements run from August 19 to December 10, with applications due April 1. 

Winter 2024 seminars: Department of Economics

All interested students, faculty, and staff are invited to attend winter term seminars from the Department of Economics. Seminars will be held in-person. See the full schedule on the Economics website. Upcoming seminars include:

Haokun (Sam) Sun (Cornell University)
Title: Divergent Preferences and Loan Market Consequences of Benchmark Replacement
Date: Friday, March 22
Time: 2:30 to 4:00 p.m.
Location: Marion McCain Arts and Social Sciences Building, Room 2198

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.