The Dean's Office Dispatch is the Faculty of Science's weekly e-newsletter for students, faculty and staff.
Dalhousie University will be closed for the holiday break from December 24 at noon until January 2.
Holiday message from the Dean of Science
With the fall exam period finished, I want to wish everyone in the Faculty of Science all the best ahead of the holiday season and the university closure from Tuesday, December 24 at noon until Thursday, January 2.
While the holidays are a busy time, I hope you will find some time to relax and recharge while getting ready for the year ahead. There will no doubt be challenges along the way, but I’m excited for what 2025 will bring, thanks in large part to the achievements of the students, faculty, staff, and alumni who make up our Dal Science community.
Please enjoy some well-earned time off during the holiday break and have a happy new year! See you in 2025.
P.S. If you’re in need of something to listen to while travelling or during some downtime, catch up on the sixth season of the Faculty of Science’s Sciographies podcast. The new season features interviews with nine researchers and alumni, diving into their career paths and ambitions. Find it by searching for ‘Sciographies’ on your podcast platform of choice.
Sincerely,
Charles Macdonald
Dean, Faculty of Science
SRES prof named Fulbright Canada Chair in Arctic Studies
Congratulations to Dr. Andrew Medeiros of the School for Resource and Environmental Studies, who has been named the 2024-25 UW Fulbright Canada Visiting Chair in Arctic Studies at the University of Washington. Dr. Medeiros will be going on sabbatical as of January 2025 to take up the Chair position, which is housed at the Canadian Studies Center in the Henry M. Jackson School of International Studies.
LSC closure: Saturday, Dec. 21
Please be advised that the Life Sciences Centre (LSC) will be closed on Saturday, December 21 for critical maintenance requiring a power outage. Read more in this Today@Dal notice.
Custom gifts and classes from Dal's scientific glassblower
Pictured above are some of the one-of-a-kind creations produced by the Department of Chemistry’s scientific glassblower, Ihor Krasilia. Ihor can also create custom pieces as unique gifts for visiting speakers or special guests (the Dalhousie logo can be added to any items, too). Ihor also offers 30-minute and 1-hour classes for interested members of the Dal community, so that you can take home the piece that you’ve worked on.
If you are interested in purchasing any pre-made creations or want to discuss a custom order or how to register for an upcoming class, please contact Chemistry’s departmental administrator, Danielle Pottie (Danielle.pottie@dal.ca).
Celebrating 10 years of the Medical Sciences program
The popular Medical Sciences program, housed in the Faculty of Science and connected to the Faculties of Medicine & Arts and Social Sciences, recently celebrated its 10th birthday. Read about some of the program's accomplishments so far, including efforts to increase representation of Indigenous and African Nova Scotian students through the Inclusive Pathways to Medical Professions (IPMP) cohort initiative.
Undergraduate summer research awards (USRA) applications open
The application portal for 2025 undergraduate summer research awards (USRA) is now open. Summer research awards provide an opportunity for students to work full-time in a Dal research lab from May through August. These are paid positions that should be considered the same as a summer job. Students interested in applying for a USRA should visit our myDal site (login required) for complete details on the application process, contact info for departmental awards coordinators, the slide deck from an information session last month, and more.
The deadline to apply is January 24, 2025, but don’t delay: interested students should contact potential supervisors well in advance.
Dal Gives Back - Winter Welcome Week
All students are invited to join in the next Dal Gives Back event on Sunday, January 12. Participants will help assemble snack kits that will be distributed to Out of the Cold Halifax and create greeting cards that will be delivered to seniors in the local community. Register to take part by completing this online form. For more details on Dal Gives Back, read a recap of September's inaugural event.
Date: Sunday, January 12, 2025 Time: 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. Location: IDEA Atrium (1345 Norma Eddy Ln), Sexton Campus
2025 Aurum Award nominations
Nominations are now open for the 2025 Aurum Awards, Dalhousie's flagship alumni awards that honour community-minded innovators and visionaries who are making a difference here and around the world. Nominations are welcome for a classmate, colleague, someone you admire, or yourself. Visit dal.ca/Aurum for more details and to make a nomination. The deadline for 2025 nominations is January 16, 2025.
Call for honorary degree nominations: Jan. 31, 2025 deadline
The Senate Honorary Degrees Committee (SHDC) invites nominations for honorary degrees for future convocations. Visit the SHDC website for complete details on who is eligible to receive an honorary degree and to request a nomination form. Completed nomination forms are due by January 31, 2025.
Staff and faculty: Crowdmark training sessions for the Faculty of Science
Recordings of Crowdmark training sessions for Faculty of Science staff and faculty held this fall can be found below.
Dalhousie's Faculty of Science is now on LinkedIn. Please give us a follow to stay up-to-date on the latest news, events and announcements.
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.
IMPORTANT DATES
December 24 Grades due for courses with formal exams
December 24-31
University closed as of 12 pm December 24
