Environmental Research Symposium

November 24, 2004

Environmental Research Symposium

By Charles Crosby

	The first annual Environmental Research Symposium drew together researchers from across the university.

Dalhousie University held its first annual Environmental Research Symposium on November 9th. The goal of the symposium was to bring together researchers from across disciplines in order to present existing research and foster new initiatives on the environment. Nearly 200 people came out to enjoy the keynote lecture, observe the unveiling of the entries to the poster competition and take in a relaxing end-of-session reception.        

One unique feature of the conference was the popular research poster session that saw approximately 50 posters that relate to studies of the environment submitted by faculty and students from a variety of faculties across campus and related institutions. The posters present a wide range of topics from many disciplines, including studies relating to the chemical, biological and geological aspects of the environment in Nova Scotia. The poster session provided an interactive forum where researchers had the opportunity to share their research and collaborate towards new initiatives.        

	More than 200 people turned out to take in the poster exhibitions that were features during the first annual Environmental Research Symposium.

The keynote address was given by Alanna Mitchell. Mitchell is an international award-winning Senior Features writer for the Globe and Mail, as well as the author of the acclaimed "Dancing at the Dead Sea" (2004). Her book tracks "environmental hotspots" around the globe, scrutinizing the modern ecological crisis through the lens of history, science and culture. The lecture was a well-attended event that got the audience excited about the future of environmental study at Dal.       

"I was very pleased with the participation in the poster session and the size of the audience at the lecture,"  says Dal's Ray Cote, a member of the event's organizing committee. "The  research presented was wide ranging and much of it was multi-disciplinary and interdisciplinary in nature. There is an impressive breadth and depth of capacity in environmental research at Dalhousie."

The event came to a close with a reception where the research posters were up for a full  viewing. Cote says it was a great way to end the day and adds, "it was a great day - we're already starting to think about the second annual conference!"