Media Releases

(HALIFAX, N.S.) –– Dalhousie University’s Fall Convocation ceremonies are a time to celebrate the achievements of our students. They are also an occasion for the university to celebrate extraordinary individuals who have demonstrated service to their community and made significant progress in their fields. Dalhousie University is pleased to recognize three such individuals with honorary degrees at convocation ceremonies on Monday, October 3 and Wednesday, October 5, 2016:

Dr. Linda O’Brien-Pallas’ trailblazing research has led to changes in Canada’s health-care system and many others around the world to improve the well-being, quality of work life and workplace satisfaction of nurses. Her needs-based health human resource planning framework remains an internationally recognized standard, a robust model to better support primary health-care workers, nurses, nurse practitioners and midwives. Dr. O’Brien-Pallas is Professor Emeritus at the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Nursing, where she was a faculty member for 23 years. During that time, she was one of the Faculty’s most successful nurse scientists, generating $40 million in external funding and co-founding the Nursing Health Services Research Unit in 1990 — the first funded nursing research unit in Canada.

Zdenka Saba Willis, director of the United States Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS) Program, has worked tirelessly for more than 35 years to study the global ocean and advance safer, more sustainable ways to make use of its critical resources. Ms. Willis’ career in oceanography began in 1981 when she was commissioned by the U.S. Navy after finishing a degree in marine science at the University of South Carolina. During her 25 years as a naval officer, Ms. Willis gained extensive experience in the collection of oceanographic and meteorological data and in its analysis and dissemination. Guided by the mantra "measure once, use many times," Ms. Willis has subsequently worked to ensure the free, open sharing of ocean data globally. She has served as chair of the Global Ocean Observing Systems Regional Alliances, is an integral member of the governance council of the Dalhousie-based Ocean Tracking Network, and has also been a passionate champion for ocean science at Dalhousie in general.

Glenn Murcutt's ecologically sensitive house designs have earned international acclaim and inspired legions of architects around the world to consider landscape and the environment as essential elements in the architectural process. Although the Australian architect and teacher has worked primarily on private homes in Australia over his more than 50 years in the field, his influence has spread beyond borders, in part thanks to his extensive teaching and lecturing abroad. Mr. Murcutt was born in London, England in 1936, to Australian parents. He spent the first five years of life in Papua New Guinea before his parents moved the family to Sydney, Australia. Following a diploma in architecture from the Sydney Technical College, Mr. Murcutt set up his own private practice in 1969. Among Mr. Murcutt’s dozens of awards are some of the highest honours in his field, including Finland’s Alvar Aalto Medal and the American Institute of Architects’ Gold Medal. He was also the recipient of the Pritzker Architecture Prize in 2002, widely regarded as the Nobel Prize of the architecture world.

More information on Dalhousie University’s Honorary Degree recipients can be found on Dal News.

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Media Contacts
Lindsay Dowling
Media Relations Officer
Dalhousie University
902-494-4189
lindsay.dowling@dal.ca

Janet Bryson
Senior Communications Manager
Dalhousie University
902-494-1269
janet.bryson@dal.ca