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DALMAGAZINE
                                                                                                                               inside:
                                                                                                                               Knowledge
                                                                                                                               sharers
                                                                                                                               Power play
                                                                                                                               6 activity
                                                                                                                               boosters

                                            spring 2021

                                                                                       CONNECTORS
                                                                                         Dal’s new directors of African Nova
Canada post publications: Mail PM41901013

                                                                                         Scotian and Indigenous community
                                                                                         engagement in conversation with the
                                                                                         vice-provost, equity and inclusion.

                                                          left to right:
                                                          Jalana Lewis,
                                                          Dr. Theresa Rajack-Talley,
                                                          Catherine Martin
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contents

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        FEATURES

                             COMMUNITY                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  COMMUNITY CONNECTORS Dr. Theresa Rajack-Talley,
                              CONNECTORS                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                vice-provost of equity and inclusion, in conversation
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        with Catherine Martin, director of Indigenous
                                                              JALANA LEWIS                                                                                                                                             dalhousie sits on unceded Mi’kmaq territory, and is
                                                                                                                                                                                                                       surrounded by African Nova Scotian communities with
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        community engagement, and Jalana Lewis, director
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        of African Nova Scotian community engagement.
                                                              Director of African Nova Scotian community engagement,
                                                                                                                                                                                                                       hundreds of years of history. For decades, programs
                                                              is a Dalhousie Law graduate originally from north end                                                                                                    and initiatives like the Transition Year Program (TYP),
                                                              Halifax who has worked in human rights law as well as with                                                                                               the Schulich School of Law’s Indigenous Blacks &
                                                              various NGOs, universities and government offices.                                                                                                       Mi’kmaq Initiative (IB&M) and others have created
                                                                                                                                                                                                                       pathways for young Mi’kmaq and African Nova
                                                                                                                                                                                                                       Scotians into higher education—important efforts to

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        page 22
                                                                                                                                                                                                                       address longstanding systemic inequities. But gaps
                                                  THERESA RAJACK-TALLEY                                                                                                                                                remain, and much work still needs to be done.
                                                  Dalhousie’s first vice-provost of equity and                                                                                                                            Recently, the university created two new community
                                                  inclusion, joining the university in 2019 from                                                                                                                       engagement roles: one focused on Indigenous commu-
                                                  the University of Louisville.                                                                                                                                        nities, the other on African Nova Scotian communi-
                                                                                                                                                                                                                       ties. The individuals hired—Catherine Martin (ba’79)
                                                                                                                                                                                                                       and Jalana Lewis (llb’13)—are both Dalhousie alumni
                                                                                                                                                                                                                       who have spent their lives dedicated to service, sup-
                                                              CATHERINE MARTIN                                                                                                                                         port and making a difference. They work closely with
                                                                                                                                                                                                                       Dal’s vice-provost of equity and inclusion Dr. Theresa
                                                              Director of Indigenous community engagement, is a Dal
                                                                                                                                                                                                                       Rajack-Talley—whose own role is, similarly, a first for
                                                              Theatre alumna and member of the Millbrook First Nation
                                                                                                                                                                                                                       Dalhousie. We asked Theresa to host a conversation

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        power play Dr. Jeff Dahn, a global leader in battery
                                                              who, in addition to being an award-winning filmmaker                                                                                                     with Catherine and Jalana about their personal jour-
                                                              and producer, has almost 40 years’ experience working                                                                                                    neys and Dal’s responsibility to build connections with
                                                              with Indigenous communities.                                                                                                                             Nova Scotia’s historic communities.
                                                                                                                           NICK PEARCE

                                                                                                                                                                                                                This interview
                                                                                                                                                                                                           has been edited for

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        research, is a recipient of a lengthy list of top science
                                                                                                                                                                                                           length. To read the
                                                                                                                                                                                                           full interview, go to
                                                                                                                                                                                                           dal.ca/dalmag.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   22
                22 dal mag spring 2021                                                                                                                                                                                                                                dal mag spring 2021    23

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        prizes and awards. And for thousands of undergrad
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        students, he’s the first-year prof who makes physics
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        understandable—and fun. By Ryan McNutt
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        page 26

                                                                                                                                                                         POWER                                                                                                                          ripple effect Universities are engines of knowledge,
                                                                                                                                                                           PLAY                                          Dr. Jeff Dahn is a global leader in
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        fueling insight into some of the world’s most complex
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        and pressing topics. Dal faculty members are sharing
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        their knowledge beyond the boundaries of their
                                                                                                                                                                                                                         battery research, a recipient of a
                                                                                                                                                                                                                         lengthy list of top science prizes
                                                                                                                                                                                                                         and awards. And for thousands
                                                                                                                                                                                                                         of undergrad students, he’s the

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        classrooms and research labs. By Matt Reeder
                                                                                                                                                                                                                         first-year prof who makes physics
                                                                                                                                                                                                                         understandable—and fun.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                         By Ryan McNutt
                                                                                                                                                                                                                         Photography by Nick Pearce
                          Dr. Jeff Dahn and PhD

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        page 32
                          student Marc Cormier
                          use a bicycle wheel
                          to demonstrate the
                          concept of precession
                          for Dahn’s first-year
                          physics students.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               26
                22 dal mag spring 2021                                                                                                                                                                                                                                dal mag spring 2021    23

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        GAIN WITHOUT PAIN Want to boost your activity
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        levels? Get moving with advice from Dal experts.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        By Philip Moscovitch
                   Get active
                with these six
                  movement-
                boosting tips
                                                                                                                                                twenty minutes into my
                                                                                                                                                conversation about fitness
                                                                                                                                                and exercise with Health
                                                                                                                                                Promotion professor Sara Kirk,
                                                                                                                                                I notice something: She hasn’t
                                                                                                                                                                                   says these programs don’t
                                                                                                                                                                                   work, and even if they did,
                                                                                                                                                                                   “it’s certainly not going to be
                                                                                                                                                                                   healthy. People are looking
                                                                                                                                                                                   for that quick hit, to get the
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        page 38
                      by Philip                                                                                                                 used the words “fitness” or        maximum benefit in the                better than no activity,” Dr.          That doesn’t mean you
                   Moscovitch                                                                                                                   “exercise.” Instead, she talks     shortest amount of time. But          Kirk says. “We don’t have to        should never feel any soreness.
                                                                                                                                                about movement and activity.       when it comes to physical             run a marathon. It could be         “You may wake up a little bit
                                                                                                                                                “I think we have to try to shift   activity, exercise, fitness, and      something like running up           stiff or a little bit tight. That’s
                Gain without pain

                                                                                                                                                our mindset,” she says. “We’re     overall health and well-being,        or down the stairs, going out       normal. But that should
                                                                                                                                                designed to move. We’re just       it’s not a one-time shot.”            for a walk, or playing with the     resolve very quickly,” she says.
                                                                                                                                                not moving as much as we                                                 kids in the yard—trying to          And remember the fun factor:

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         4
                                                                                                                                                                                   Do what you love

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             Dal News
                                                                                                                                                should.”                                                                 build these opportunities for       pain isn’t much of a motivator,
                                                                                                                                                   For those looking to exercise   “I don’t see any pleasure in          physical activity or movement       but enjoyment is.
                                                                                                                                                more—sorry, I mean, get            running. So I don’t do it,” says      into our day.”
                                                                                                                                                more active—there is a lot         Kinesiology professor Melanie                                             It’s about more than individual
                                                                                                                                                of confusing and seemingly         Keats. “The only reason I’ll run      Variety pack, not six-pack          choice
                                                                                                                                                contradictory advice out           is if someone or something is         Don’t just try sculpting your       Let’s face it: we live in a world
                                                                                                                                                there. Should you be doing         chasing me.” Dr. Keats is often       abs—or focusing on just one         designed for convenience and
                                                                                                                                                short intense intervals on         asked about the best exercise.        other part of your body or          immobility. Most cities priori-

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        10   Research Roundup
                                                                                                                                                the bike? Or maybe long hill       She says that’s “the easiest          aspect of fitness. Try to vary      tize cars. And with many peo-
                                                                                                                                                climbs instead? And do you         question to answer. The best          your types of exercise, incorpo-    ple working from home during
                                                                                                                                                really need to go to a gym? It’s   exercise or best activity is any      rating a mix of aerobic activity    the pandemic, any activity
                                                                                                                                                natural to feel overwhelmed.       activity you’re going to do. The      (like walking, swimming, or         associated with the daily com-
                                                                                                                                                Fortunately, enjoying the          biggest trick, and it’s not even      cycling) with something that        mute is gone too. (Dr. Kirk
                                                                                                                                                benefits of becoming more          a trick, is do what you love.”        builds strength, and move-          says she misses riding her bike
                                                                                                                                                active doesn’t have to be             Think about activities that        ments that work on flexibil-        to the Dal campus.)

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        12   Read.Watch.Listen
                                                                                                                                                confusing.                         make you happy, Dr. Kirk              ity and balance. “Ideally, a           All this means we live in
                                                                                                                                                                                   says. “Cycling brings out the         well-rounded program would          a world where it is harder
                                                                                                                                                Focus on health not weight         child in me and makes me feel         include all of those. But that      to be active than inactive.
                                                                                                                                                “We’ve got to decouple healthy     happy. Whizzing down a hill           doesn’t necessarily mean going      So don’t blame yourself if
                                                                                                                                                activity from weight loss. Don’t   on a bike makes me smile. We          to a gym,” Dr. Keats says.          it’s not very motivating to
                                                                                                                                                do it because you want to lose     will never maintain activity if          “Do what fits in with            start moving more. “Because
                                                                                                                                                weight,” Dr. Kirk says.            we don’t enjoy it.”                   your daily life and with your       we’ve created an environment

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        13   Events
                                                                                                                                                   Lasting weight loss is                                                capabilities,” Dr. Kirk says.       that encourages sedentary
                                                                                                                                                difficult to attain. If you set    Some is better than none              By taking that approach and         behaviour, it makes it hard
                                                                                                                                                that as a fitness goal, you        In October 2020, the                  adding some variety you’re          to think about how we build
                                                                                                                                                risk being disappointed and        Canadian government released          more likely to develop a new        activity into our lives,” Dr.
                                                                                                                                                giving up. Instead, Dr. Keats      new 24-hour movement                  habit and stick to it.              Kirk says. Yes, you can make a
                                                                                                                                                says, focus on the many other      guidelines, with recommenda-                                              difference with your personal
                                                                                                                                                benefits of exercise: “Exercise    tions on sleep, movement, and         Pain is bad                         choices, but the bigger societal
                                                                                                                                                not only improves your             sedentary time. The guide-            “No pain, no gain” is a work-       choices can create barriers

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        14   Dal Profiles
                                                                                                                                                physical well-being, it also       lines call for adults to spend at     out cliché. It is also a terrible   or remove them. “Until our
                                                                                                                                                improves your mental well-         least 150 minutes per week on         approach to getting active.         environment becomes health-
                                                                                                                                                being so you have better mood,     “moderate to vigorous” physi-         “Your body is very smart. If        supporting, it’s hard work
                                                                                                                            JULIA BRECKENREID

                                                                                                                                                reduced stress, less anxiety.”     cal activity.                         something is painful, your          for everybody to be changing
                                                                                                                                                   And those regimens that            That may seem like a lot,          body is telling you that you        their behaviour. We’ve got to
                                                                                                                                                promise extreme weight             but you don’t have to get there       need to stop or slow down,”         advocate for a healthier, more
                                                                                                                                                loss? Ignore them. Dr. Keats       all at once. “Any activity is         says Dr. Keats.                     supportive environment.”

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        40   Class Notes
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               38
                38 dal mag spring 2021                                                                                                                                                                                                                                dal mag spring 2021    39

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        46   Faculty News
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        50   In Memoriam
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        52   Future Alumni

dalhousie university DAL MAGAZINE spring 2021                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           ON THE COVER

Cover photography by Nick Pearce                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        22   Connectors
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        32   Knowledge sharers
Facebook facebook.com/dalhousieu and facebook.com/dalumni                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              26   Power play
Twitter @dalhousieu, @dalpres, @dal_alumni                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              38   6 activity boosters
Instagram instagram.com/dalhousieu
Youtube youtube.com/dalhousieu                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          All photos were captured pre-pandemic or taken
LinkedIN linkedin.com/company/dalhousie-university                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      following public health safety guidelines.

Canada post publications: Mail PM41901013 Return undeliverable items to: alumni office, dalhousie University, PO box 15000, Halifax, NS B3H 4R2

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              dal mag spring 2021   1
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2 dal mag spring 2021
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editor’s letter
Reaching out by Kim Pittaway

stereotypes about academic isolation abound:
town and gown, ivory towers, the walled university.
But universities have never been walled-off gardens
from the rest of society, less so now than ever:
connections to the communities that surround
universities are essential for growth, cross-
pollination of insights and to ensure what blooms
within has relevance without.
   We continue as a province, country and globe
to cope with the effects of COVID-19 but it remains
perhaps truer than ever that our collective health
and development is best supported through our
connections to each other and our communities.
In this issue of DAL Magazine, we explore and cele-
brate the many ways that the university reaches out
and welcomes in. In the pages that follow, you’ll find
examples of community impact in “Ripple effect”
(p. 32); a conversation about building stronger
bridges between Dal and communities that have
faced and continue to face challenges in access in
“Community connectors” (p. 22); and a profile of a
professor whose commitment to classroom teaching
continues to inspire and engage in “Power play”
(p. 26).
   We encourage you to stay connected to us as well,
by submitting a Class Note (email classnotes@dal.
ca), by sharing your thoughts on our content (email
editor@dal.ca)—and by sharing the stories you see
here with others (you can find our content online at
dal.ca/dalmag).
                                                         Join us online for
ASSISTANT VICE-PRESIDENT,   ADVERTISING enquiries
                                                         Open Dialogue Live.
COMMUNICATIONS,             cmc@dal.ca
MARKETING & CREATIVE
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                                                         Monthly episodes feature Dalhousie experts
SERVICES
Matt Proctor                   Phone                     discussing current topics and important issues.
EDITORIAL COMMITTEE         (902) 494-6855
Sheila Blair-Reid,          1 (800) 565-9969
Fallon Bourgeois,              Email
                                                         View upcoming events and join the conversation.
Keri Irwin,                 alumni.records@dal.ca        alumni.dal.ca/opendialoguelive
Ryan McNutt,                  Postal Mail
Laurel Munroe,              Alumni Records,
Stefanie Wilson             Office of Advancement,
CONSULTING EDITOR           Dalhousie University,
Kim Pittaway                PO Box 15000, Halifax,
ART DIRECTOR                Nova Scotia B3H 4R2
Paul Williams
Senior Designer             Published and produced
Luke Smith                  by Dalhousie University
digital Designer            Communications, Marketing
Scott Pronych               and Creative Services
DAL - Dalhousie University
news

       Recognizing                  recipients of the Order of        An accomplished exec-       exciting opportunities
                                    Nova Scotia in November.       utive leader, Hanf retired     that lie ahead for
       excellence                   Dr. Oliver of Wolfville        last year from Emera after     Dalhousie University.”
                                    is a human rights activ-       having spent nearly 20         —Ryan McNutt
       Two researchers from         ist, lawyer, and former        years in senior roles in its
       Dalhousie’s Faculty of       Canadian senator. Born         group of companies, most       New federal funding
       Science and Faculty          in New Glasgow and             recently as the company’s
       of Medicine are being        raised in Truro, Paris-        executive vice-president,
                                                                                                  for vaccine work
       presented with a regal       Hoyte has made signif-         stakeholder relations and
       honour. Dr. Jeff Dahn        icant contributions to         regulatory affairs. Hanf,      In November, the
       of the Department of         social justice and law, in     who lives in Halifax with      Honourable Navdeep
       Physics and Atmospheric      addition to her efforts as     his partner, also has a        Bains, Minister of
       Science and Dr. Kenneth      a social worker and edu-       lengthy list of community      Innovation, Science and
       Wilson of the Division       cator. —Michele Charlton       roles that he’s partaken in,   Industry, announced
       of Plastic Surgery have      and Sarah Sawler               including work with St.        close to $28 million
       been appointed to the                                       Andrew’s United Church         in research infrastruc-
       Order of Canada:             New Dal Board chair            Council, the IWK Health        ture support through
       Dr. Dahn as an Officer,                                     Centre and the Hospice         the Canada Foundation
       Dr. Wilson as a Member.                                     Society of Greater Halifax.    for Innovation’s (CFI)
       They were among the          Bob Hanf (LLB’89) is the          “In my time working         Exceptional Opportunities
       114 new appointments         new chair of Dalhousie’s       with Bob, his commit-          Fund. The funding, which
       to the Order announced       Board of Governors.            ment to supporting Dal’s       covers the urgent need
       in December by the           Hanf has served on Dal’s       students and furthering        for equipment for ongo-
       Governor General of          Board since 2013 and           the university’s impact        ing research related to
       Canada. As well, Dal alum    has chaired both the           in our local communities       COVID-19, will support
       B. Denham Jolly (Diploma     Academic & Student             and around the world           79 projects at 52 universi-
       in Engineering’58 from       Affairs Committee and          shine through,” said Dal       ties and research hospitals,
       Nova Scotia Agricultural     the Community Affairs          President Deep Saini           colleges, polytechnics and
       College, now Dal’s Faculty   Committee during that          at the time of Hanf’s          CÉGEPs across Canada.
       of Agriculture), was         time. Most recently, he        appointment. “I look              One of the funded
       appointed a Member “for      took over as interim chair.    forward to continuing our      projects is being led by
       his contributions to the     His new appointment            work together on many          researchers at Dal, the
       promotion of equity and      makes him the Board’s
       opportunity within the       permanent chair through
       Greater Toronto Area’s       to the end of June 2023.                                                    Bob Hanf
                                                                                                                (LLB’89),
       Black community.”               “It feels monumental to
                                                                                                                new chair of
          Two Dalhousie alumni      me, personally,” says Hanf                                                  Dalhousie’s
       also recently joined the     of being asked to chair the                                                 Board of
       ranks of the outstanding     Board of his alma mater.                                                    Governors.
       and dedicated individu-      “I’m the first person in my
       als recognized with the      family to go to university.
       Order of Nova Scotia:        I’ve benefitted a great deal
       Shawna Y. Paris-Hoyte        from having graduated
       (BA’78, LLB’94, BSW’01,      from Dal Law and this
       MSW’03) and the              is another way I can give
       Honourable Dr. Donald        back to the university and
                                                                                                                                 SUPPLIED

       Oliver (LLB’64, LLD’03)      the broader community.
       were announced as            I’m truly quite humbled.”

4 dal mag spring 2021
DAL - Dalhousie University
IWK Health Centre and         engineering student and
               the QEII Health Sciences      member of her academic
               Centre, who have received     community. Whether it’s
               $1.2 million to advance       advocating for diversity in
               the development of new        her field or supporting her
               COVID-19 vaccines with        fellow students academ-
               upgrades to the Canadian      ically and within Dal’s
               Center for Vaccinology’s      administration, Sparks has
               level-3 containment           been a beacon of inspira-
               facility at the IWK Health    tion for her peers, her pro-
                                                                                                         Sierra Sparks is “a complete
               Centre. This will allow       fessors and people across                                   student, an impressive
               them to create models of      the Dal community. Now,        spans academics, extracur-   individual and a role model,”
               COVID-19 to test the effi-    her enthusiasm is about to     riculars, leadership and     says Faculty of Engineering
               cacy of vaccines, learn why   go transatlantic, with the     community impact.            dean Dr. John Newhook.
               people develop different      aid of one of the world’s         Sparks becomes
               degrees of severity of the    most prestigious stu-          Dalhousie’s 92nd Rhodes
               disease, and produce new      dent awards: the Rhodes        Scholar—a number that        is for the renovation of
               tests to determine at the     Scholarship.                   exceeds all but a small      Dartmouth’s Alderney
               earliest stages of infec-        “She is a complete          handful of schools in        Gate pedway. Both proj-
               tion who may be hit the       student, an impressive         North America, and an        ects are part of the firm’s
               hardest.                      individual and a role          area in which Dal com-       growing portfolio of cele-
                  “This is a great oppor-    model for many to follow,”     petes with the likes of      brated efforts to revitalize
               tunity to enhance the         says Dr. John Newhook,         Princeton, Stanford,         and rejuvenate the infra-
               basic research and clinical   dean of the Faculty of         McGill and U of T.           structure in the area.
               research capabilities to      Engineering. “Sierra has       —Ryan McNutt                    Increasingly, progres-
               conduct valuable work on      continually and con-                                        sive cities are looking
               COVID-19 by growing the       sistently demonstrated         Award-winning                to create more vibrant,
               SARS-CoV-2 virus, study-      outstanding academic                                        liveable downtowns.
               ing models of COVID-19        performance, but equally
                                                                            architecture                 Architects are recognizing
               severe infections, moni-      impressive is her level of                                  renovation as a powerful
               toring clinical biomarkers    engagement and pas-            Run by partners and          tool to activate older pub-
               of severe COVID-19            sion as a student leader       Dal alumni Jane Abbott       lic buildings and urban
               disease and identify-         within Dalhousie and at a      (MArch’06) and               spaces. For Abbott Brown,
               ing COVID-19 vaccine          national level.”               Alec Brown (MArch            the focus on renovation
               responses in people,” says       Being a Rhodes Scholar      ’93), Abbott Brown           runs parallel to other new-
               Dr. David Kelvin, pro-        is a life-changing opportu-    Architects is the recip-     build design projects but
               fessor in Dal’s Faculty       nity: a fully paid scholar-    ient of two Lieutenant       it is an area of expertise
               of Medicine and project       ship covering travel, study    Governor’s Awards of         which they wholeheart-
               leader. —Michele Charlton     and expenses for two           Merit for Excellence in      edly embrace. “For us
                                             years (with an option for a    Architecture.                it is less about whether
               Dal’s 92nd Rhodes             third) at the University of       One award, in the         the project is a new build
                                             Oxford in England. There       large building category,     or a renovation itself,”
               Scholar                       are just over 100 Rhodes       is for the renovation of     says Abbott. “It is most
                                             Scholars selected each         Dartmouth’s Zatzman          important that the
               Sierra Sparks has spent       year from across the globe.    Sportsplex in collabo-       project be considerate of
DANNY ABRIEL

               the past four years at        In Canada, only 11 stu-        ration with Diamond          quality urban design and
               Dalhousie as an enthu-        dents each year are chosen     Schmitt. The other, in the   that it be sustainable.”
               siastic and committed         based on criteria that         small building category,     —Anne Swan

                                                                                                                       dal mag spring 2021   5
DAL - Dalhousie University
news

       Portia White                      world. I feel tremendously    and analytics and lead on
                                         honoured and grateful.”       the university’s accessibil-
       prize winner                         The award is named for     ity planning.
                                         Portia White, the African        To tackle this, Dal has
       Dr. Afua Cooper’s dis-            Nova Scotian vocalist and     established an integrated
       tinction as a scholar and         Dal alumna who rose to        framework that will
       poet now includes one of          international acclaim as      enable collaborative work
       Nova Scotia’s top artis-          a classical vocalist in the   across the university to
       tic awards. At the 2020           1940s. —Ryan McNutt           develop, monitor and           Out North shares items from the
       Creative Nova Scotia                                            continually improve its        collection of Canada’s LGBTQ2+
       Awards gala held digi-            Making Dal                    accessibility plan based       archives to illustrate the story of
       tally in November, Dr.                                          on provincial standards        LGBTQ2+ politics in Canada.
       Cooper—a professor in the
                                         barrier-free                  now being developed.
       Faculty of Arts and Social                                      Planning is already in full
       Sciences’ departments             Nova Scotia has desig-        swing at Dal, says Spence.     inspiring him to think dif-
       of History and Sociology          nated 2030 as its goal of     An accessibility advisory      ferently about his studies.
       and Social Anthropology,          becoming barrier-free for     committee and steering            “[Her] courses on pop-
       with cross-appointments           individuals with disabil-     group are up and running,      ular music, gender, and
       to Gender and Women’s             ities and other accessi-      with a core project team       sexuality showed me how
       Studies and the Faculty           bility challenges such as     and six working groups         exciting and important
       of Graduate Studies—              deafness or neurodiver-       set up to take on planning     it is to think about queer
       was awarded the Portia            sity. Dalhousie, like other   around the province’s          and feminist histories in
       White Prize, which                post-secondary insti-         priority areas—work that       order to understand how
       recognizes “cultural and          tutions, has an import-       will then be folded up into    we got to where we are
       artistic excellence of a          ant role to play in this      an overall plan for the        now,” says Dr. Jennex,
       Nova Scotian artist who           ambitious undertaking.        university. A new website      now an assistant profes-
       has attained professional         Designated by the prov-       has also been set up with      sor in English at Ryerson
       status, mastery and recog-        ince as a “public body,”      details about the working      University in Toronto.
       nition in their discipline        Dal is required to craft a    groups, terms of reference        His recent book Out
       over a sustained career.”         comprehensive accessi-        and other resources.           North: An Archive of
          “I feel so honoured            bility plan that specifies    —Matt Reeder                   Queer Activism and
       because it recognizes my          the removal of barriers to                                   Kinship in Canada is
       body of work,” says Dr.           participation in each of      Book taps                      co-authored with Nisha
       Cooper. “Often times              the following areas: the                                     Eswaran and shares items
       when you’re working, cre-         built environment, deliv-
                                                                       LGBTQ2+ archives               from the collection of
       ating, you do so in isola-        ery and receipt of goods                                     The ArQuives: Canada’s
       tion. Sometimes you don’t         and services, information     Craig Jennex (BA’10)           LGBTQ2+ Archives to
       even know if the work             and communication, edu-       didn’t expect his music        illustrate the story of
       makes sense. So for the           cation, employment, and       undergrad to set him on        LGBTQ2+ politics in
       community to say, ‘yes, it        transportation.               a path towards becoming        Canada.
       makes sense, we honour               “There are so many         a scholar of the culture,         “Nisha and I dug
       it, we appreciate it,’ it rein-   dimensions to accessibil-     politics and history of        through the archive and
       forces that I’m on the right      ity that we know we need      gender and sexuality in        chose exciting materials
       path… [that I’m] using            to address, and that goes     Canada. But he credits         that allow us to tell a story
       my writing and my art             well beyond the physical      studying popular music         of LGBTQ2+ community
       to bring beauty, to bring         state of our buildings,”      with Jacqueline Warwick        and politics in Canada,”
                                                                                                                                            SUPPLIED

       joy, to bring knowledge           says Susan Spence, Dal’s      in the Fountain School         he says. “It was sort of a
       and understanding to the          vice-provost of planning      of Performing Arts with        dream project—we spent

6 dal mag spring 2021
DAL - Dalhousie University
quoted.
                    about a year exploring the    Leadership from StFX.
                    collection and deciding         “I am looking forward        Dal Experts in the news
                    what we wanted to             to meeting incoming and
                    feature. We got a lot in      current IB&M students
                    the book, but we’ve barely    and getting to know their
                    scratched the surface         future ambitions,” says
                    of the collection and of      Jones. “I am eager to
                    these histories.” Founded     implement the various
                    in 1973, The ArQuives         academic and cultural
                    has grown to become           supports that will help
                    the largest independent       them reach their goals
                    LGBTQ2+ archive in            and see them reach their
                    the entire world. Its         fullest potential. I want
                    collections include books,    IB&M students to know
                    archival papers, artifacts,   that there is someone
                    photographs and art           dedicated to their success
                    related to LGBTQ2+ life       as they traverse law school
                    in Canada. —Janet Dyson       and the legal profession.”
                                                  —Trudi Smith                   global news | Two shots. A waiting
                    New director for                                             period. Why the coronavirus vaccine
                                                  Fountain goes digital          won’t be a quick fix
                    IB&M Initiative
                                                                                 “It’s completely understandable to have
                                                                                 enthusiasm, but this is not going to be
                    In mid-2020, Kelsey Jones     What happens to all of         instantaneous.”
                    (LLB’14) became the           the moments we choose
                                                                                 —Dr. Alyson Kelvin, Faculty of Medicine
                    new director of Schulich      to forget? To the issues we
                    Law’s Indigenous Blacks       would rather ignore? The
                    and Mi’kmaq (IB&M)            parts of ourselves that we     cbc | Scale of Sipekne’katik fishery
                    Initiative. A graduate of     want to turn away from?        won’t harm lobster stocks, says prof
                    the program, Jones’ last      Where do they go?              “I recognize and I empathize with the
                    role was as the African          The Fountain School         commercial fishing sector that this seems
                    Descent Student Affairs       of Performing Arts’            like a conservation risk. I don’t think it is. I
                    Coordinator at St.            first show of the 2020-        don’t think the science would support that.”
                    Francis Xavier University     21 season, Jordan
                                                                                 —Dr. Megan Bailey, Faculty of Science,
                    (StFX). Prior to her time     Tannahill’s Concord Floral,
                                                                                 Marine Affairs Program
                    at StFX, Jones articled       asked these questions both
                    with the Nova Scotia          of its audience and its own
                    Department of Justice         characters as the first ever   ctv | Canadian families will pay up to
                    in Halifax and held roles     online show conceived          $695 more a year for groceries in 2021,
                    with the Canadian Red         through the Fountain           reports says
                    Cross and the CBA Young       School. The show was           “We don’t expect a break at the grocery
                    Lawyers International         streamed online, free          store any time soon. This is the highest
                    Program. In addition          of charge, for a week in       increase that we’ve ever expected.”
                    to her JD, she holds a        October.
SERGIO MEMBRILLAS

                                                                                 —Dr. Sylvain Charlebois, Agri-Food
                    BA in Political Science          With all of Dalhousie
                                                                                 Analytics Lab
                    from Dalhousie and a          transitioning to online
                    Master’s in Education,        learning last Fall, the
                    Administration and            Fountain School adapted

                                                                                                                         dal mag spring 2021   7
DAL - Dalhousie University
news

       its programming online        of studies in the Fountain
       with creativity and enthu-    School of Performing
       siasm. This new format        Arts Theatre program.
       has presented the cast           So when she received an
       and crew with count-          email from the Hnatyshyn
       less challenges, but also     Foundation notifying her
       unique opportunities and      that she was one of the
       chances to explore new        seven young Canadian
       methods of performance        performing artists to
       and production. “[We’re       receive a grant of $10,000
       learning] how to invent       to pursue their studies
       in this medium and keep       for the 2020-21 academic
       it really interesting for     year, to say she was excited
       ourselves,” says director     is an understatement.
       Ann-Marie Kerr.                  Another Dal student,
          Machinal, the second       Dr. Henry Annan (MD’18),
       production of the Dal         will be furthering his
       Theatre 2020-21 season,       education thanks to the
       was pre-recorded and          prestigious Chevening
       available to view for free    Scholarship, a United
       as a private Vimeo link for   Kingdom government
       audiences in December.        funded program that
       Though Sophie Treadwell       targets future leaders.
       wrote the play nearly 100     Recipients of the schol-
       years ago, its underlying     arship are personally
       themes are as relevant        selected by British embas-
       as ever: in a pandem-         sies and high commissions
       ic-ravaged world, a young     throughout the world.
       woman grapples with              As he nears the start
       her increasing sense of       of his own independent
       alienation as a result of     practice, Dr. Annan is
       the encroachment of           taking time away from
       technology into daily life.   his residency to complete
       —Molly Somers and             the Master of Public
       Hannah Whaley                 Policy (MPP) program
                                     at Oxford University.
       Students take top             —Genevieve MacIntyre
                                     and Jason Bremner
       scholarships

       Ella MacDonald is one
       of the many university
       students that lost their
       jobs due to the impact of
                                                                    DALHOUSIE ARCHIVES

       the COVID-19 pandemic.
       This caused her extra
       worries about how she             Get the latest Dal News
       would fund her final year     at dal.ca/news

8 dal mag spring 2021
found.
                                Archiving Dal’s history

                                Are you smarter than a fifth
                                grader? How about a first-year
                                student in 1869? This exam,
                                like others, was printed as
                                an appendix in the university
                                calendar, a practice that acted as
                                a public assurance of Dalhousie’s
                                academic credibility. Daily
                                classes in rhetoric, classics
                                and mathematics made up the
                                first-year curriculum, followed
                                in second year by the addition of
                                chemistry, logic and psychology.
                                If you made it to your third year,
                                you could expect to continue
                                with mathematics and classics,
                                and tag on additional classes in
                                experimental and mathematical
                                physics, metaphysics, Greek or
                                chemistry, and French or German.
                                Fourth-year students had a
                                slightly reduced class load, which
                                included astronomy, experimental
                                physics, Latin, ethics, political
                                economy, history, and French or
                                German. Professor James DeMille,
                                the examiner, was rigorous in his
                                belief that the study of rhetoric
                                was central to education, both
                                to cultivate a pure love of study
                                and to train students in the more
                                utilitarian arts of elocution and
                                persuasive argument. Out of the
                                13 undergraduates enrolled in his
                                class in 1869, only eight passed
                                the exam. You have four hours.
                                Time starts now.
1869 first-year rhetoric exam   —Jennifer Lambert

                                   See other examples of past
                                exams online at dal.ca/dalmag

                                          dal mag spring 2021   9
research roundup
by Alison Auld and Michele Charlton

                                                                                               Social Work

                                                                                               Supporting the
                                                                                               homeless

                                                                                               During the covid-19 global
                                                                                               pandemic, those who find
                                                                                               themselves homeless are
                                                                                               potentially among the most
                                                                                               vulnerable to the spread of
                                                                                               the virus. Citizens have been
                                                                                               asked by federal and provincial
                                                                                               governments under states of
A Caribbean reef                                                                               emergencies to “stay home” to
shark is captured on     Science                             Medicine                          stop the spread of covid-19,
camera as part of the                                                                          but what happens when
Global FinPrint study.
                         Disappearing sharks Learning from                                     there is no home to go to? Dr.
                                             covid-19
                                             covid-19                                          Jeff Karabanow is exploring
                                                                                               the impacts of covid-19 on
                         An ambitious project that                                             individuals experiencing
                         allowed researchers to peer         covid-19 has killed more          homelessness and the responses
                         into the world’s oceans over        than a million people around      by both informal and formal
                         several years provided a grim       the world, infected millions      systems to support the needs
                         assessment of global reef           more and destabilized life        of these individuals, and how
                         shark populations: sharks           as we know it. But scientists     these systems will move forward
                         were absent on many reefs,          are exploring whether there       in disaster recovery. This study
                         indicating they are too rare to     could be a potential benefit to   will significantly contribute
                         fulfil their normal role in the     the deadly virus. Dr. Shashi      to the examination of how
                         ecosystem and have become           Gujar, with Dal’s Department      the pandemic has impacted
                         “functionally extinct.” Dr.         of Pathology, is examining        homeless populations.
                         Aaron MacNeil, an associate         whether the body’s immune
                         professor at Dalhousie and lead     response to SARS-CoV-2 could      Researchers: Dr. Jeff
                         author of the Nature paper,         be repurposed to kill cancer      Karabanow, School of
                         says this first-ever benchmark      cells. When infected with a       Social Work
                         study shows an alarming loss        pathogen, the body’s immune
                         of an apex species that is a        system activates T cells, which
                         vital food resource, tourism        act in a highly precise manner
                         attraction and top predator on      and kill only virus-harbouring
                                                                                                                                  GLOBAL FINPRINT / ELIZABETH WHITMAN PHOTO

                         coral reefs. Their decline is due   cells. The T cells generated in
                         in large part to overfishing and    response to the viral infection
                         the use of destructive fishing      remain in the body for a long
                         practices.                          time and Dr. Gujar and his
                                                             scientific partners believe
                         Researchers: Dr. Aaron              these virus-specific T cells
                         MacNeil, Faculty of Science;        could be redirected to go after
                         researchers from 80+ institutes     cancer cells.
                         and universities
                                                             Researchers: Dr. Shashi
                                                             Gujar, Medicine

10 dal mag spring 2021
Medicine                           Agriculture
                                                                                                                      New CF drug                        Chickens help
                                                                                                                                                         against covid-
                                                                                                                                                                 covid-19
                                                                                                                                                                       19
                                                                                                                      New research out of Dalhousie
                                                                                                                      University, St. Michael’s          Researchers at Dal’s Atlantic
                                                                                                                      Hospital, and the Hospital for     Poultry Research Centre
                                                                                                                      Sick Children forecasts that       helped in the production of
                                                                                                                      delaying access in Canada          antibodies against covid-19
                                                            Leaky blood vessels
                                                            in the brain could be   Medicine                          to a new cystic fibrosis (CF)      that could be used in a device
                                                            related to impaired                                       therapy known as Trikafta          used to test for the virus.
                                                                                                                      could result in avoidable death.   The Faculty of Agricultural
                                                            cognitive function in
                                                            people with lupus.
                                                                                    Lupus ‘brain fog’                 Trikafta is a combination of       in Truro, N.S., collaborated
                                                                                                                      three medications that could       with AffinityImmuno Inc.,
                                                                                    Scientists at Dal have gained     potentially help 90 per cent of    in Prince Edward Island—
                                                                                    new insight into why roughly      the CF population in Canada        one of the first laboratories
                                                                                    40 per cent of people with        because it is designed to target   to manufacture antibodies
                                                                                    lupus lose certain cognitive      and modify the most common         against the novel coronavirus.
                                                                                    functions, such as memory         CF mutation. The study             Dozens of birds were injected
                                                                                    and the ability to concentrate.   showed that making Trikafta        with the virus protein carried
                                                                                    Using a brain imaging             available in 2021 would result     by an adjuvant designed to
                                                                                    technique, they found             in 60 per cent fewer people        stimulate a strong immune
                                                                                    that lupus patients with leaky    with severe lung disease, an 18    response in the birds. The eggs
                                                                                    blood vessels in the brain        per cent increase in people with   from the injected chickens
                                                                                    were twice as likely to have      mild lung disease, and 19 per      were sent to AffinityImmuno
                                                                                    impaired cognitive function,      cent fewer chest infections by     Inc., where the antibodies
                                                                                    compared to those with            2030, compared to if the drug      were successfully harvested
                                                                                    non-leaky blood vessels. The      was not made available.            from the yolks.
                                                                                    discovery involves the blood-
                                                                                    brain barrier—the lining of       Researchers: Dr. Sanja             Researchers: Dr. Bruce
                                                                                    the brain’s blood vessels that    Stanojevic, Faculty of Medicine;   Rathgeber, Faculty of
                                                                                    blocks harmful substances         Dr. Anne Stephenson, St.           Agriculture
                                                                                    from entering the brain. When     Michael’s Hospital
                                                                                    that barrier leaks, foreign
                                                                                    molecules can seep from the
TOP: PROVIDED, RIGHT: ATLANTIC POULTRY RESEARCH INSTITUTE

                                                                                    blood vessels into the brain
                                                                                    and trigger inflammation
                                                                                    that can undermine brain
                                                                                    function. The authors of the
                                                                                    report say the research could
                                                                                    lead to a new generation of
                                                                                    treatments.
                                                                                                                                                                                 The Faculty
                                                                                    Researchers: L. Kamintsky,                                                                   of Agriculture
                                                                                                                                                                                 collaborated with
                                                                                    S.D. Beyea, J.D. Fisk,
                                                                                                                                                                                 AffinityImmuno Inc.
                                                                                    J.A. Hashmi, A. Omisade,                                                                     to harvest corona-
                                                                                    C. Calkin, C. Bowen,                                                                         virus antibodies
                                                                                    A. Friedman, & J.G. Hanly                                                                    developed in eggs.

                                                                                                                                                                             dal mag spring 2021       11
read .watch . listen .
Dal alumni and faculty share their books, television shows,
films, webinars and podcasts.

                                                     � podcast                � book                       � Book
                                                     Sciographies             Images of                    A Guide to
                                                     with david barclay       Language                     Going Green
                                                     Sciographies, a          in Middle                    by hannah solway

                                                     podcast and radio        English                      This eight-chapter
                                                     show produced            Vernacular                   guide to making eco-
                                                     by the Faculty of
                                                     Science and hosted       Writings                     friendly choices began
�                    �                                                        by kathy cawsey              as a undergraduate
                                                     by Dr. David Barclay,                                 Conservation Biology
                                                     an associate professor                                class assignment
                                                     with Dalhousie’s         Dr. Kathy Cawsey,
                                                                              faculty member in            completed by Hannah
                                                     Department of                                         Solway and ended up
                                                     Oceanography,            the Department of
                                                                              English, explores            as an e-book, available
                                                     introduces listeners                                  from Amazon.
                                                     to the stories           the use of images in
                                                     behind Dalhousie         Middle English texts,
                                                                              tracing out what can          Podcast
                                                     scientists.
                                                                              be deduced of a theory       DLJ
                                                                              of language.
                                                     � Book                                                The Dahousie Law
                                                     Black Matters            � Book                       Journal (DLJ) podcast
                                                     by afua cooper and
                                                     wilfried raussert        I Place You                  series is hosted by
                                                                                                           student editors and
              �                                                               Into the Fire                features conversations
                                                     Dr. Afua Cooper of       By Rebecca Thomas            with researchers on the
                                                     the Departments          (BA’09, MA’13)               forefront of Canadian
                                                     of History and                                        law. Topics tackled
                                                     Sociology & Social       The first collection of      include the issues of
                                                     Anthropology,            poetry from former           decarceration, corpo-
                                                     and photographer         Nova Scotia poet             rate responsibility for
                                                     Raussert, collaborate    laureate Rebecca             climate change, and
                                                     in this book of poems    Thomas, I Place You          harm prevention.
                                                     and photographs          Into the Fire explores
                                                     focused on everyday      what it means to be
�                    �                               Black experiences.       a second-generation
                                                                              residential school
                                 Did you know you can order books and         survivor and is a call for
                              more online from the Dalhousie Bookstore?       Indigenous justice and
                              Go to dal.ca/bookstore                          empathy.

12 dal mag spring 2021
events .
                                                                                         AND MORE!
  Leading by example                                                                     Celebrating a milestone
  The second season of Open
                                                                                         In November, the Dallaire
  Dialogue Live kicked off
  in September with Faculty                                                              Institute for Children,
  of Engineering alumnus                                                                 Peace and Security hosted
  and entrepreneur George                                                                a virtual celebration for
  Armoyan who hosted a talk                                                              their 10th anniversary at
  on the power of mentorship
                                                                                         Dalhousie. Guests from
  and the importance of
  empowering the next                                                                    around the world joined
  generation of entrepreneurs.                                                           to share their views on the
                                                                                         institute’s contributions
                                                                                         and impact over the last
                                                         In-depth discussions            decade.
                                                         Open Dialogue Live and
                                                         Sciographies teamed up in       Montreal alumni reunion
                                                         October to welcome NASA         In December, Montreal
                                                         astronaut and ocean explorer
                                                                                         Law Chapter president
                                                         Dr. Kathryn Sullivan (phd’78,
                                                         lld’85). Dr. Sullivan shared    Nathalie Goyette hosted
                                                         how she became an astronaut     a virtual reunion for
                                                         as well as insight into her     alumni in the Montreal
                                                         three space missions and her    area. It was a chance to
                                                         most recent adventure to the
                                                                                         meet new classmates and
                                                         Challenger Deep in 2020.
                                                                                         share memories of their
                                                                                         time at Dal.

                                                                                             Want to receive event
                                                                                         invitations?
                                                                                         Update your address at
                                                                                         alumni.dal.ca/update or
                                                                                         email alumni.records@dal.ca

                                                                                         See the latest events listings:
                                                                                         Upcoming alumni events:
                                                                                         alumni.dal.ca/events
                                                                                         Dalhousie Arts Centre:
                                                                                         dal.ca/artscentre and
                                                                                         click on “Upcoming Events”
                                                                                         Fountain School of Perfor-
  Neighbourly relations                                                                  ming Arts:
                                                                                         dal.ca/performingarts and
  Just days before the U.S. election, experts from the Faculty of                        click on “Our Season”
  Arts and Social Sciences discussed how the election outcome
  could impact Canada and the larger effect of American politics
  on gender, race, class issues, immigration and journalism.

                                                                                                    dal mag spring 2021    13
we are dal

          Sydney Breneol,
          Nursing PhD
          Candidate

                   t was in January of 2010 that I
           I       found a lump underneath my right
                   jaw. I was in Grade 10. I had the
          whole tumour surgically removed from
          under my jaw. Once I had the surgery,
          I was referred to the IWK because at my
          home hospital in PEI they were pretty
          certain from what they could see that it
          was cancerous. Within a couple weeks, I
          started chemo and I was diagnosed with
          Burkitt’s lymphoma, which is a form
          of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. This year
          marks 10 years since my diagnosis.
             I had an amazing group of friends that
          stuck by me. They would come over to
          Halifax every weekend that they could.         “I had an amazing
          I have no idea what I’d do without them,        group of friends
          my mom, and my whole family. Even the           that stuck by
          community in PEI did a lot of fundraising       me. They would
          for me. They knew my mom was a single
                                                          come over to
          parent. They showed me they were there
                                                          Halifax every
          if I needed anything at all.
             When I came over to do my Master of          weekend that
          Nursing, I knew I wanted to do work at          they could.”
          the IWK. I definitely felt a strong draw.
          My original research proposal, when I was
          writing it up to apply to Dal, was all about        We are a
          that reintegration piece. How do you rein-      community of
          tegrate into your life post cancer? Once        doers, dreamers,
          I got over here, my supervisor was doing        learners, teachers,
          research around children with medical           builders,
                                                          neighbours and
          complexity and that transition from hospi-
                                                          more. Read more
          tal to home and how we can better support       at WeAre.Dal.Ca
          them in their home communities. It was a
                                                                                DANNY ABRIEL

          perfect fit and that’s what I’ve been doing
          ever since: focusing on the services needed
          to help these individuals and families
          thrive in their communities and homes.

14 dal mag spring 2021
dal mag spring 2021   15
people

          alisha postma (bsc’12) is                      with heaps of anemones
                                                         and sea peaches. I also
          a scuba diver, underwater                      glimpse some of my
          photographer and author                        favourite photography
                                                         subjects: nudibranchs.
          who loves to dive into a day
          of adventure and deep-sea                      8:00 a.m. I’m at the
          exploring.                                     midpoint of my dive. I
                                                         can feel the push of the
                                                         current as the tide turns

   24 hours                                              and begins to drive me
                                                         back towards my entry
                                                         point. In less than one
                                                         hour this gentle push
          6:00 a.m. Beep, beep. It’s an ungodly          will have turned into a
          hour of the morning and while I’d love to      ferocious flow. Letting
          stay in my warm bed, one of my favourite       myself succumb to the
          shore diving sites on the Bay of Fundy         tide, I backtrack. I see
          calls. My workday actually started the         brilliant red anemones
          previous evening, long before my alarm         and sea stars galore—
          was set to ring, as I sorted through dive      even an itty-bitty spiny
          gear and camera equipment in preparation       lumpsucker. It’s enough
          for dive day.                                  to make me squeal into
                                                         my regulator.
          6:30 a.m. From leggings to my polar
          fleece onesie, I sometimes feel more like      8:30 a.m. My dive
          the Pillsbury Doughboy than an actual          buddy and I remove
                                                                                                        top: Joey and Alisha
          scuba diver in my thermal gear. But I will     each other’s fins and hobble, chilled, to      Postma with their
          need every layer to keep my body warm          the shoreline. While our time underwater       recently published
          against the cold waters.                       was limited, there are few places in New       educational colouring
                                                         Brunswick that match the scuba diving          book, Sharks, Turtles
          7:15 a.m. On Deer Island, the site of the      thrills of this location.                      and Underwater Things.
                                                                                                        middle: A close-up of a
          largest tidal whirlpool in the Western
                                                                                                        sea anemone. bottom:
          Hemisphere, it’s not about being early—or      10:30 a.m. After breaking down our gear,       A small purple spiny
          late. It’s about being smack-dab on time.      we waste no time making a beeline for          lumpsucker.
          Here the tides are no joke and can go from     the ferry. It will take just over an hour to
          lazy river to rip-roaring in the blink of an   travel to the mainland.
          eye. It takes knowledge and experience to      We’ll spend the rest
          dive this area. Wading out into the water,     of the day visiting and
          my husband and I are keen to commence          photographing another
          our dive prior to slack tide.                  dive site—one less
                                                         dependent on tidal
          7:30 a.m. Taking the first breath in my        fluctuation. Then we’ll
          regulator, I drop down into the Bay of         prepare for tomorrow’s
          Fundy with a splash. Right away, I spy         travels, heading to Nova
          urchins and crabs scampering across the        Scotia to photograph
                                                                                                                                  SUPPLIED

          rocky bottom. Kicking away from the entry      and dive Canada’s ocean
          point, we navigate to a cascading wall         playground.

16 dal mag spring 2021
who faced the same fate that I did,” says
                                                                              Meldrum, noting that she was not afforded
                                                                              these types of crucial resources as a victim
                                                                              of abuse at the hands of a family member.
                                                                                 In 2008, Meldrum founded Little
                                                                              Warriors, a non-profit organization
                                                                              that focuses on trauma-informed, sci-
                                                                              ence-backed treatment and prevention.
                                                                              Since then, the Little Warriors Be Brave
                                                                              Ranch has forged new standards for child
                                                                              sexual abuse treatment, with children
                                                                              coming from all over Canada to partic-
                                                                              ipate in their intensive therapeutic pro-
                                                                              grams. Staffed with leading academics and
                                                                              doctors, to date more than 400 families
                                                                              have received support from the Be Brave
                                                                              Ranch clinical team.
                                                                                 “From the outset of developing our pro-
                                                                              grams, we have partnered with researchers
                                                                              at the University of Alberta for ongoing
                                                                              evaluation and quantitative data analysis,”
                                                                              says Meldrum. “Leading the way forward
                                                                              with science-backed clinical care ensures
                                                                              child sexual abuse survivors and their
                                                                              families can receive the best treatment
                         spotlight                                            available today.”
                                                                                 A clinical trial performed at the Little
                                                                              Warriors Be Brave Ranch showed that a
                                                                              four-week intervention program there
                                glori meldrum                                 reduced the psychological impacts of child
                                (bcomm’95) has created a                      sexual abuse. The results, which were
                                safe haven for victims of                     published in the Journal of Child and
                                                                              Adolescent Behaviour, measured reduc-
                                child sexual abuse at long-                   tions in symptoms like child post-traumatic
           Glori Meldrum’s
           book Warrior is an   term treatment centre Little                  stress disorder, anxiety and depression.
                                                                                 An accomplished philanthropist, busi-
           inspiring account    Warriors Be Brave Ranch.                      nesswoman, author and mother of four,
           of overcoming
                                                                              Meldrum is also the CEO of g[squared],
           childhood abuse      Nestled on 120 acres just outside             an advertising and marketing agency in
           and building a       Edmonton is a ranch with a camp-like feel,    Edmonton that she co-founded with her
           world-class          with spaces dedicated to art, Indigenous      husband Gary (who she met at Dal). Her
           treatment centre     heritage, music, play and yoga, along with    work as a community leader and advo-
           for kids who have    cabins and communal areas for meals           cate has not gone unnoticed. Some of her
           been sexually        and celebrations. It’s the Little Warriors    honours include being a 2020 National
           abused. All          Be Brave Ranch—a specialized long-term        Honoree for L’Oréal Paris’ Women of
           proceeds support     treatment centre that provides child sexual   Worth, making Shaw Canada’s 50 Most
           Little Warriors.     abuse survivors and their families with       Outstanding Canadians list in 2017, and
                                dedicated programming and therapy. And        being a Queen Elizabeth II Diamond
                                it’s a dream come true for Glori Meldrum      Jubilee Medal (2012) recipient.
                                (BComm’95), a survivor of child sexual           “I have done a lot of work to heal the
                                abuse herself.                                broken pieces of myself and what I’ve
                                   “Since university I wanted to create       learned is that when you do for others,
SUPPLIED

                                something that provided access to support     your soul is happier,” says Meldrum.
                                and healing for children and their families   —Fallon Bourgeois

                                                                                                              dal mag spring 2021   17
Postbabyhankypanky.com includes a
                                                                           series of videos to help new parents
                                                                           open the lines of communication
                                                                           about post-baby sexual concerns.

                                                                           facility for couples’ sexuality in Nova
                                                                           Scotia and around the world. Their studies
                                                                           focus on everything from men coping with
                                                                           low sexual desire to a couple’s journey
                                                                           with fertility treatment.

                                                                           Foundation: “My research focuses on
                                                                           sexual relationships, particularly during
                                                                           important life transitions, and how
                                                                           couples can maintain sexual satisfaction
                                                                           over time. This research matters because
                                                                           a strong, satisfying sexual relationship is
                                                                           directly linked to people’s overall health
                                                                           and well-being.”

                                                                           Inspiration: “In academia, there is a
                                                                           focus on writing academic papers and
                       innovator                                           presenting at conferences. I wanted to
                                                                           do something different with the data to
                                                                           get the findings into the hands of new
                               Dalhousie clinical                          parents and the health-care providers who
                                                                           work with them. We developed a series of
       “What are the           psychologist, sexual health                 videos based on our research and launched
        sexual problems
        that new mothers
                               researcher and the scientist                the Post Baby Hanky Panky campaign
                                                                           (postbabyhankypanky.com) to help open
        and fathers are        behind the Post Baby                        the lines of communication about this
        having? How            Hanky Panky campaign,                       topic—it’s not something that new parents
        common are they,       dr. natalie rosen is                        talk a lot about. But it’s hugely common
        and are they the                                                   for there to be new sexual concerns after
        same for both
                               helping to end the stigma                   having a baby.”
        parents? It turns      for individuals and
        out that over 90       couples coping with                         Why it Matters: “Everyone’s interested
        per cent of new                                                    in it—it’s a sexy topic—but on the other
                               sexual problems.                            hand, it’s hard to talk about. Sexual health
        parents report
                                                                           is still an area where there’s a lot of stigma,
        between 10–16
                               Innovation: Dr. Rosen is an associate       and a lot of misinformation still persists.
        sexual concerns        professor with Dalhousie’s Departments      As a scientist, I think it’s our responsibly
        that are specific to   of Psychology and Neuroscience and          to correct myths and misinformation.”
        the postpartum         Obstetrics and Gynaecology. Additionally,   —Jocelyn Adams
                                                                                                                             NICK PEARCE

        period.”               she directs the Couples and Sexual Health
                               Research Laboratory, a leading research

18 dal mag spring 2021
why i give
                                                                                     After returning to Canada, he completed
                                                                                     a further two years of study at the college
                                                                                     before going on to graduate studies at
                                        dr. david crowe has                          Macdonald College (now part of McGill
                                                                                     University) and Cornell University.
                                        funded a scholarship that
                                                                                        His area of specialty was plant physi-
                                        grows from his love of                       ology and Dr. Crowe worked as a pomol-
                                        farming.                                     ogist—a botanist studying fruit and its
                                                                                     cultivation—at the Kentville Research
                                                                                     Centre (now called the Atlantic Food and
                                        Dr. Davide Crowe (XFRF’42) has               Horticulture Research Centre).
                                        spent close to a century living, working        One of his proudest accomplishments
                                        and studying farming. Through the            was standardizing apple bins, replacing
               First granted in 2018,   scholarship he has funded, his influence     apple boxes as a superior way to store the
               over the 10-year life    on farming will stretch well into the        fruit. Another was the 14 years he spent
               of the scholarship,      future.                                      going farm-to-farm doing extension work,
               $25,000 is awarded          The seeds of giving were sown early in    translating science into practical improve-
                                        Dr. Crowe, taking root when he was an        ments for fruit growers. His legacy now
               each year to one
                                        agriculture student on scholarship and       also includes the scholarship in his name.
               agriculture graduate
                                        growing even deeper in his retirement.       First granted in 2018, over the 10-year
               student.
                                           Now 97, he established the Dr. A. David   life of the scholarship $25,000 is awarded
                                        Crowe Graduate Scholarship in 2017. It’s     each year to one agriculture graduate
                                        the largest and most prestigious scholar-    student who intends to live and work in
                                        ship at the Faculty of Agriculture. PhD      Atlantic Canada. “When putting that
                                        student Wasitha Thilakarnathna from Sri      kind of money out, you want to keep it at
                                        Lanka has received the renewable scholar-    home,” says Dr. Crowe.
                                        ship three times.                               Thilakarnathna says it’s a “great hon-
                                           “Receiving this scholarship was a major   our” to have received the scholarship. His
                                        milestone of my academic life which          research involves extracting proanthocyan-
                                        enabled me to start PhD studies with con-    idin from grape seeds to see how it affects
                                        fidence,” says Thilakarnathna.               the liver of mice, with the goal of eventu-
                                           Dr. Crowe was raised on a farm in         ally applying his research findings to the
                                        Berwick, N.S. in the 1920s and ’30s and      prevention of liver cancer.
                                        enrolled at the Nova Scotia Agriculture         The two men met in 2018 and
                                        College in 1942. He finished his course,     Thilakarnathna still shares his research
DANNY ABRIEL

                                        enlisted in the navy as a pilot and was      reports with Dr. Crowe.—Alison DeLory
                                        deployed to Europe just as the war ended.

                                                                                                                    dal mag spring 2021   19
as vice-chair of investment and corporate
                                                                          banking and in June 2020 was appointed
                                                                          as the university’s eighth chancellor,
                                                                          succeeding his former cabinet colleague
                                                                          The Honourable A. Anne McLellan.

                                                                          Highlights: Brison is a Commerce
                                                                          alum who discovered politics and started
                                                                          his first business (renting mini-fridges)
                                                                          during his time at Dalhousie. As one
                                                                          of the first generation in his family to
                                                                          go to university, he’s seen first-hand
                                                                          what Dalhousie means to people across
                                                                          the Maritimes who grow up in small
                                                                          communities like his hometown of
                                                                          Chéverie, N.S. “Today, more than ever
                                                                          before, we need strong leaders. I really
                                                                          think Dal plays an important role in
                                                                          helping build the leadership of today and
                                                                          tomorrow.”

                                                                          Why I Do It: The chancellor is a
                                                                          ceremonial position that presides over
                   why i do it                                            convocation ceremonies, something
                                                                          Brison has only been able to do virtually
                                                                          during the COVID-19 pandemic. “As
                                                                          much as a video can hopefully convey
                              The Honourable scott                        my passion for Dalhousie and for Dal
                              brison (bcomm’89) has                       students, graduates and alumni, I really
                                                                          look forward to being able to do so in
                              proudly championed his                      person.” He also hopes to follow in
                              Dalhousie and Nova Scotia                   the footsteps of his predecessors and
                                                                          find unique ways to contribute to the
                              roots throughout his time                   university, citing a particular interest
         “Dalhousie gave
          me an opportunity
                              in politics. Now, he gets to                in education in government and public
          to flourish—        play an even greater role in                service. “Dal has a unique opportunity
                                                                          to cross-pollinate across faculties to
          academically, in    his alma mater as its eighth                produce leaders who can understand
          some ways, and in
                              chancellor.                                 multiple disciplines including business,
          other areas like
                                                                          government and science. I think
          politics and        His BACKSTORY: The Honourable Scott         strengthening the relationships among
          business.”          Brison represented the riding of Kings-     faculties is something that can help create
                              Hants, Nova Scotia in Canada’s House of     a new generation of citizens prepared to
                              Commons for nearly two decades, serving     lead and to tackle the big challenges.”
                              in multiple cabinet positions including     —Ryan McNutt
                                                                                                                        DANNY ABRIEL

                              as President of the Treasury Board. After
                              leaving politics in 2019, he joined BMO

20 dal mag spring 2021
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