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

Listen to alum Karen Hudson on the Sciographies season finale

Karen Hudson (MES'02), an educator and principal of Auburn Drive High School in Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia, is the featured guest in this special alumni episode of the Sciographies podcast. Karen is also the founder of the Africentric Math Cohort, which incorporates cultural elements into math classes and encourages Black students to consider careers in STEM fields. Read more in the Dal News story that includes excerpts from the conversation and listen to the full episode.

This week's episode concludes the sixth season of Sciographies, which was again hosted by Dal oceanographer Dr. David Barclay. Listen to past episodes from all six seasons on your preferred podcast platform, including Apple, Spotify, and Amazon Music. 

Legacy gifts from Dal alum support science students

The annual National Philanthropy Day (November 15) represents an opportunity to acknowledge and celebrate donors to Dalhousie University. The Faculty of Science would like to recognize the late Dal alum Mary Werner (BSc'57, MSc'60) and her husband, Douglas, for their support of students in science through two scholarships: the Mary Margaret MacNutt Undergraduate Scholarship and the Mary Margaret Werner Graduate Scholarship.

Visit the Dal Giving website to meet the inaugural recipients of the Mary Margaret Werner Graduate Scholarship, established earlier this year, and discover why the Werners wanted to leave a legacy at Dal.

Careers in Focus: Science Edition

This November, the Faculty of Science and our partners are presenting “Careers in Focus: Science Edition,” a series of events to help students discover diverse career pathways and build essential skills. See the full list of events on our myDal site (login required). Here’s what’s coming up soon:

• Ocean industry panel: Nov. 19 from 4:30 to 6:00 p.m. (learn more and register via Eventbrite)
• How to pitch yourself workshop: Nov. 21 from 4:30 to 6:00 p.m. (learn more and register via Eventbrite)
• Health industry panel: Nov. 25 from 4:00 to 5:30 p.m. (learn more and register via Eventbrite)
• Resume workshop for science students: Nov. 26 from 1:30 to 3:00 p.m. (learn more and register via Eventbrite)

For advisors: Dalhousie Advising Summit 

Advising plays an important role in shaping the student experience at Dalhousie and we all have an important role in supporting student success and retention. The more we know about each other's work at Dalhousie, the better our supports can be. Therefore, Student Affairs is inviting advisors to the Dalhousie Advising Summit on November 22 from 8:30 a.m to 1 p.m. in the McInnes Room in the Student Union Building. 

Please register your attendance and confirm any dietary or accessibility requirements.

Faculty of Science Chili/Soup Lunch (Nov. 26)

The Faculty of Science is holding its annual chili/soup lunch on Tuesday, November 26, in support of a local family in need during the holidays. Warm up with a bowl of chili or soup, along with a roll and a drink for a minimum donation of $5. All members of the Dal community are invited to stop by.

Date: Tuesday, Nov. 26
Time: 12 to 1:30 p.m.
Location: Milligan Room (8^th floor, Life Sciences Centre Biology wing)

Upcoming lectures and events

• Information Science public lecture by Dr. Tim Kiessling: "Can the Public Contribute to Plastic Pollution Policy-Making through Community Science? A Vision for Participatory Legislation." (Nov. 19 at 3:30 p.m. in room 3089, Kenneth C. Rowe Management Building. Learn more by visiting the Dal events calendar.)
• Science Atlantic Sessions for All: Advancing Inclusion in STEM Tenure and Promotion with the NSERC Chairs for Inclusion in Science and Engineering (Nov. 21 at 1:30 p.m. online. Learn more and register to attend.)
• Department of Psychiatry 75th anniversary commemorative public engagement event: "Closing the gap: Expanding access to mental health care in Nova Scotia." (Nov. 30 from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. at the Halifax Central Library. Learn more on the Department of Psychiatry website.)  

Fall 2024 seminars: Department of Economics

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

Presenter: Anke Kessler (Simon Fraser University, BC)
Title: Graham Lecture: The Disappearing Middle Ground: Understanding and Addressing Political Polarization 
Date: Friday, November 22
Time: 2:30 to 4:00 p.m.
Location: Macdonald Building, University Hall

Crowdmark training sessions for the Faculty of Science

Recordings from Crowdmark training sessions for the Faculty of Science staff and faculty held over the past few weeks can be found below.

The Basics: Multiple Choice Testing
Watch a recording of the session held on Monday, October 28

Beyond the Bubble Sheet
Watch a recording of the session held on Monday, November 4

Online Assessments
Watch a recording of the session held on Wednesday, November 13

Additional Resources

• Case Study: Crowdmark at Dalhousie’s Faculty of Computer Science
• About Crowdmark: 8 minute intro video
• Help document for Printing & scanning Administered assessments

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.