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

Karen Hudson among Dal's honorary degree recipients

Educator and community leader Karen Hudson is one of three individuals selected to receive honorary degrees at Dal’s Spring Convocation ceremonies.

A graduate of the School for Resource and Environmental Studies' Master of Environmental Studies (MES) program, Karen is the principal of Auburn Drive High in Dartmouth and the founder of the province’s first Africentric Math Cohort.

To learn more about Karen, check out her appearance on season six of the Sciographies podcast that aired last fall. Read an excerpt of the podcast here or look for Sciographies on your preferred podcast platform.

Biology PhD student part of latest OpenThink cohort

Want to learn more about the evolution of whales? Read articles throughout 2025 from Letícia Magpali, a Department of Biology PhD student who is one of nine members of the new OpenThink cohort from the Faculty of Graduate Studies. Now in its sixth year, the OpenThink program trains PhD students to share their research with the public and connect it to a broader public discourse. 

An evolutionary biologist, Letícia studies nature’s solutions to whales communicating in their habitats. Read Letícia’s first two posts and meet the nine PhD students from across Dalhousie making up the 2025 OpenThink cohort. 

Biology Teaching Support Award Winners

Congratulations to Chloe Cyr and Caitlin Taylor, this year’s winners of the Biology Teaching Support Award for their work in two of the department’s core second-year classes: Cell Biology and Evolution!

Chloe is being recognized for her enthusiasm, approachability, mentorship of new TAs, and for creating engaging laboratory sessions that sparked deeper student learning though discussions. Caitlin is being recognized for her reliability, confidence, great interactions with students, and for her positive energy that created a fun and engaging learning environment. Thank you for both for your exceptional work!

The Biology Department would also like to recognize the tireless work of all our teaching support staff - without their support, many of the activities and initiatives we have in our courses would not be possible. Faculty and students are lucky to have your support. Thank you!

May 2 deadline: 2025 Faculty of Science Foundations for Inclusive Teaching Course

Faculty, staff, and students in the Faculty of Science are invited to express their interest in taking part in the inaugural Faculty of Science Foundations for Inclusive Teaching Course, offered in collaboration with the Centre for Learning and Teaching (CLT) over June, July, and August, with a Capstone Seminar during the fall study break.

The course is free of charge for Faculty of Science faculty members, including limited-term faculty, part-time academics, staff members, and students who teach or are interested in integrating inclusive pedagogies into their practice. 

To learn more and apply, please complete this online application form by 5:00 p.m. on Friday, May 2, 2025. Complete details on the course can be found on our internal myDal site (login required).

May 5 deadline: i2I Commercialization Postdoc Program

The application portal for the Invention to Innovation (i2I) Commercialization Postdoc Program is now open!

This program helps postdoctoral fellows refine their innovation ideas, make commercialization decisions, and tackle marketplace challenges. It is ideal for researchers in biomedical, health, clean energy, sustainability, quantum, advanced materials, manufacturing, and other deep tech sectors.

Program Highlights

• Science Innovation Frameworks: Integrated with real-world examples for decision-making that can be applied to your research or innovation idea.
• Learn Innovation Management Skills: Assessing opportunities for your research, developing business models, creating financial projections, acquiring leadership and communication capabilities.
• Cohort Model: Starting September 2025, join a network of innovators and experienced practitioners.
• Mentorship and Networking: Connect with sector-specific mentors, incubators, and accelerators across Canada.
• Program Stipends are generously sponsored by NSERC & MITACS & I-INC Foundation (you do not need to find a matching company). $60,000 per year, full time with possibility for renewal.

For more information, please visit the i2I website. To apply, click here. The application deadline is May 5, 2025. For questions, please email i2I@sfu.ca

Judges wanted: Canada-Wide Science Fair

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 from May 31 – June 7 at the University of New Brunswick. Students benefit from mentorship from STEM professionals or trainees.  You can help us to support and inspire the next generation of STEM scholars!

Please fill out this short form to indicate your interest. If you have any questions, please contact ScienceOutreach@dal.ca. 

Nova Scotia Engagement Days: Call for participation from departments and units

The Faculty of Science is looking for participation from departments and units for upcoming Nova Scotia Engagement Days events being held throughout the province this spring. Visit our myDal site (login required) to learn more about Nova Scotia Engagement Days and how you can volunteer to take part. If you're ready to express your interest in participating, please fill out this form. 

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.