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

Graduate and Professional Program Fair: Feb. 5

Dalhousie University's first ever Graduate and Professional Program Fair is happening on Wednesday, February 5 from 12:00 to 2:00 p.m. in the McInnes Room of the Student Union Building. Come explore Dal’s 100+ graduate programs, from professional programs to course-based and thesis-based master’s. Drop in and chat with graduate coordinators, learn about applications and fees, and discover the academic supports available.

Learn more and register to attend at dal.ca/grad-fair. Have a question? Contact togethergrad@dal.ca. As well, a number of virtual information sessions will be held throughout February highlighting individual programs and how to prepare for graduate studies - see the full list.

USRA application deadline: Jan. 24

The application portal for 2025 undergraduate summer research awards (USRA) closes on January 24. 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 a November information session, and more.

Winter 2025 seminars: Department of Economics

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

Speaker: Marie Connolly (Université du Québec à Montréal)
Title: Age at Immigration and the Intergenerational Income Mobility of the 1.5 Generation.
Date: Friday, January 17
Time: 2:30 to 4:00 p.m.
Location: Marion McCain Arts and Social Sciences Building, Room 2198

Research mobility program in France for PhD students and postdocs

The Embassy of France in Canada is accepting applications for the High Level Scientific Fellowship program, which provides eligible PhD students or postdocs working in a Canadian university with funding for a two-month research mobility stay in France. The call for applications is open to the following themes: emerging technologies, health, ocean and polar sciences, and energy. Applications close on January 26, 2025. Visit the France Canada Culture website for complete details. 

Call for abstracts: SDG Expo 

Are you conducting research or working on a project that aligns with one or more of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)? Dal’s SDG Expo 2025 on March 10 invites students, faculty, staff, and societies to share their work as part of the Research Poster Showcase.

Learn more and submit your abstact on the SDG Expo SharePoint site (login required). Submissions are due January 31, 2025.

Call for science fair judges and mentors

Youth Science Canada is searching for judges (with PhDs or professional qualifications, or master's degrees and some experience, including PhD candidates) from all STEM disciplines that would like to be involved in the 2025 Canada-Wide Science Fair. The team needs judges who can commit to full days on either or both of June 2 and 3 in Fredericton, New Brunswick.

Additionally, each year Youth Science Canada sends a delegation of 8 finalists to compete at the International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF). They are seeking mentors for students in grades 9 through 12 who are developing projects for the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) in Columbus, Ohio, May 10–16, 2025. 

Students benefit from mentorship from STEM professionals or trainees. You may serve as an online mentor regardless of where you are in the country. We also seek to connect students to mentors in their region where possible to allow direct support for infrastructure or equipment needs. Mentors can be either subject matter experts or science communication specialists.

To express your interest in serving as a judge or mentor, please fill out this short form. If you have any questions about science fairs, please reach out to ScienceOutreach@dal.ca.

Psychology and Neuroscience: Bruce Earhard Memorial Lecture

Guest speaker and Dal PhD alum Dr. Peter Chipman of the University of California, San Francisco will be delivering the Department of Psychology and Neuroscience's Bruce Earhard Memorial Lecture on Thursday, January 30 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. in Room P4260 of the Life Sciences Centre. The department's undergraduate awards will also be presented prior to the lecture. All are invited to attend. Find out more on the Dal Events calendar.

Call for honorary degree nominations: Jan. 31 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.

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.