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

In Memoriam: Dr. Sean Barrett

The Faculty of Science and the Department of Psychology and Neuroscience are saddened by the passing of Dr. Sean Barrett last week at the age of 50. Dr. Barrett was known as a dedicated instructor, mentor, and researcher and received the Rosemary Gill award in 2018 for his outstanding service to students.

The department will be holding a celebration of Dr. Barrett's life at a later date. Dr. Barrett's obituary is available online, and a full In Memoriam message was sent to the Dalhousie community Thursday morning. 

2024 University-Wide Teaching Award winners

Each year, Dal's Centre for Learning and Teaching recognizes excellence in classroom instruction through the University-Wide Teaching Awards. Three members of the Faculty of Science are among the recipients of the 2024 awards:

• Early Career Faculty Award of Excellence for Teaching: Dr. Jennifer Frail-Gauthier, Department of Biology 
• President's Graduate/Undergraduate Student Teaching Award: Leila Mohammadi, Department of Mathematics and Statistics
• Sessional and Part-time Instructor Award for Excellence in Teaching: Joseph Weatherby, Department of Chemistry

See the complete list of winners and their bios in this Dal News story.

Funded research opportunity: Master of Environmental Studies

Dr. Peter Tyedmers of the School for Resource and Environmental Studies (SRES) is keen to recruit a thesis-based master's student focused on understanding the impacts of the Alaska pollock fishing sector and its products. The stipend support for this project is $35,000 per annum for two years. The selected candidate would ideally be able to start a Master of Environmental Studies in September 2024. 

Complete details can be found on the SRES website under the 'Funded Student Opportunities' heading. Please share with any students or recent graduates who may be interested.

Falling Walls 2024 pitch competition: June 28 deadline

Do you have a research-based idea that could change the world for the better? Students and early-career professionals are invited to apply for a chance to pitch their idea in the Dal-hosted Falling Walls Lab regional competition in September. The winners will earn a chance to attend the competition's global finals in Berlin, Germany as part of the Falling Walls Science Summit.

Last year, then-chemistry PhD student Joe Bedard won the Lab Breakthrough of the Year at the global Falling Walls Lab competition in November with his presentation on fossil fuel-free methods of plastic production. In this piece for Dal News, Dr. Bedard makes his pitch for why students and young professionals should register for a place at the Dal-hosted regional competition. Registration closes June 28. 

Student volunteer mentors wanted for virtual STEM camp

Interested in mentoring youth in STEM? NSERC and BrainSTEM Alliance are recruiting undergraduate student volunteers from STEM and/or business programs for FLIGHT Atlantic, a two-week long virtual tech entrepreneurship camp from July 15-26. Complete the sign-up form to learn more.

The camp is for girls and gender-diverse youth (aged 13-18) who identify as Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour. Participants will work in teams to develop tech-based business ideas addressing UN Sustainable Development Goals. Volunteers help keep participants on track and gain access to tech workshops, presentations, and coaching from industry professionals. 

Winter/spring 2025 Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Program applications

Applications for winter/spring 2025 placements as part of the Queen Elizabeth Scholarships (QES) program are now open until September 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 placement. 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.

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.