Glancing back over the past year, plenty of 'Oh, wow!' moments spring to mind. Whether it was the mirror-like movements of celestial bodies during the total solar eclipse in April or more Earth-bound machinations like the record number of national elections held across the world this year, 2024 was filled with big moments.
A lot happened here at 麻豆传媒, too, as it seems to every year. The hundreds of stories we've published here on Dal News over the past 12 months reveal just how much our university and its people were up to, a lot of it intersecting with the wider world.
Researchers cast fresh perspectives on lingering global problems. Students stepped up for the community and gained new opportunities. Experts helped us understand world events. University leaders and staff members enacted changes to build a better university for all.听听
You'll get a glimpse of this activity by scanning the 35 stories below, which include some of our most-read articles, our biggest news, and stories that help capture the year that was. We hope you enjoy reading or revisiting them as we prepare to embark on a new year ahead. You can visit our full 2024 archives here for a look back at other Dal events and happenings this year.
颁翱惭惭鲍狈滨罢驰/础顿痴础狈颁贰惭贰狈罢听/听January 11
Introducing the Oulton鈥慡tanish Centre: 麻豆传媒 names new event centre after two alumni Tigers
The new home of the 麻豆传媒 Tigers women's and men's hockey teams and the ringette team now has a name: the Oulton-Stanish Centre, named after two alumni who were members of Dal's Sport Hall of Fame.听
CIVIC IMPACT/HEALTH CARE听/听January 29
Dal launches Atlantic Canada鈥檚 first Master of Nursing program in mental health and addictions
The program, which launched this fall, provides nurses currently working in the field with an opportunity to gain advanced skills and deepen their clinical and leadership expertise.
尝贰础顿贰搁厂贬滨笔听/听February 8
Dal鈥檚 new head of people and culture champions respect and openness听
Alum Grace Jefferies-Aldridge (BA鈥�00) draws on her personal and professional experience to help build a more inclusive university where relationships are paramount.
RESEARCH AND INNOVATION听/听March 13
Powering up: First鈥慽n鈥慍anada battery innovation centre to provide critically needed facility for research and industrial development
Canadian battery science is about to get a turbocharge with the creation of the country鈥檚 first university-based battery prototyping and testing facility 鈥� a game-changer that will also be a magnet for industry in urgent need of the sophisticated equipment and the expertise to operate it.
础顿痴础狈颁贰惭贰狈罢听/听April 3
麻豆传媒 launches historic $750鈥憁illion Bringing Worlds Together campaign for transformational change
麻豆传媒 new fundraising initiative, the largest ever among Atlantic Canadian universities, aims to build a better future for everyone.
DAL EXPERTS/POPULAR SCIENCE听/ April 5
Ask an expert: The total solar eclipse, explained听
This year's total solar eclipse fascinated the world. Dr. Manuel Helbig, an assistant professor in the Faculty of Science鈥檚 Department of Physics and Atmospheric Science, explained what causes the phenomenon, why they are so rare, and other questions.听
STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT听/ April 11
Saluting Dal's top student leaders: Introducing the 2024 Board of Governors' Award winners
The Dal community is full of amazing students who inspire their peers, lead by example and make a difference in their communities. But for those students who truly go above and beyond, there鈥檚 麻豆传媒鈥檚 Board of Governors鈥� Award 鈥� the university鈥檚 top honour in student life. Meet the four students recognized this year for their outstanding achievements.听
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COMMUNITY AND CULTURE听/听April 17
Sacred Teachings showcased in new public art on Killam Library听
Seven circular paintings by Millbrook artist Lorne Julien installed on the Killam's exterior are more than just decorative pieces 鈥� they symbolize the Seven Sacred Teachings of the Mi'kmaq or L'nu'k.
CIVIC IMPACT/RESEARCH听听/ April 24
Watershed moment: Atlantic First Nations Water Authority partners with 麻豆传媒 to deliver world鈥慶lass water treatment听
A new $4.3 million NSERC Alliance-Mitacs Accelerate Grant will support a partnership between the Atlantic First Nations Water Authority and 麻豆传媒 to help the organization in its mission to deliver world-class drinking water and treatment guided by Indigenous knowledge and values.
COMMUNITY/CIVIC IMPACT听/听MAY 3
Lifting Nova Scotia workshop showcases Dal鈥檚 impact in surprising new ways
Hundreds of members of the Dal community converged on the Weldon Law Building for a day of learning, connection, and serendipity in April 鈥� bringing forth new ideas for strengthening Dal's connections and impact in Nova Scotia.
STUDENT 尝贰础顿贰搁厂贬滨笔听/ May 17
Bringing everyone on board: 3M National Student Fellow pushes for more inclusive learning experiences听
Basmah Hendy, a third-year Neuroscience student, received one of Canada's top student honours for her impressive efforts to make learning more accessible 鈥� whether that's starting her own high school mentorship program or helping develop visual-assistance tools for a fellow student.
RESEARCH AND INNOVATION听/ May 23
Harnessing the power of viruses to kill cancers听
In collaboration with leading cancer experts, 麻豆传媒 scientists created a roadmap for the safe development of viruses to fight the deadly disease.
COMMUNITY AND CULTURE听/听May 29
Dress code, flexible: A presidential robe reimagined in time for Convocation听
Dal President Kim Brooks recruited a Costume Studies student to create a new design for her ceremonial garb, one that better reflects the land Dal sits on, the university's values, and her own identity.
HEALTH CARE听/听June 12
Bucking the national trend: More Dal med grads opting for careers in family medicine听
Half of 麻豆传媒 Medical School鈥檚 graduates this year began their residency training in family medicine, marking a significant increase since 2018 when only 25 per cent of the class chose that career path.
GLOBAL RANKINGS听/听June 12
Impact Rankings 2024: 麻豆传媒 ranks 65th globally for tackling some of the world's biggest issues听
麻豆传媒 scaled new heights against nearly 2,000 other universities in this year's rankings, placing in the top 20 globally for its work in support of life below water, top 30 globally for zero hunger, and top 50 for life on land.
RESEARCH/DAL EXPERTS听/听July 10
Great White North: Documentary featuring Dal vet explores increase in Nova Scotian shark activity
麻豆传媒 veterinarian Dr. Chris Harvey-Clark was featured in a prominent "Shark Week" documentary exploring the dramatic increase in great white shark activity in Canadian East Coast waters.
RESEARCH/CIVIC IMPACT听/听July 11
Through the looking glass: Dal's Aquatron at 50
Fifty years after opening, Canada鈥檚 largest university aquatic research facility continues to inspire the next generation of researchers and conservation scientists in bold new ways.
RESEARCH/CIVIC IMPACT听/听July 26
Dal Solutions: 麻豆传媒 study helps give Nova Scotia pharmacists the power to directly prescribe HIV prevention drug
Canadians have access to a drug that prevents HIV infection, but it's not getting into the hands of those who need it most. 麻豆传媒鈥檚 Dr. Kyle Wilby is tackling the issue by collaborating with policymakers to make Nova Scotian pharmacists among the first in the country with the ability to prescribe the lifesaving medication.
ALUMNI EXPERIENCE听/听August 19
A fairy鈥憈ale job: Bringing the magic of engineering to the happiest place on Earth听
In a world of timeless tales and Cinderella鈥檚 castle, a young 麻豆传媒 engineering graduate is doing her part to put smiles on the faces of millions of people at the Walt Disney World Resort in Florida.
厂鲍厂罢础滨狈础叠滨尝滨罢驰听/听September 4
Free finds: Dal hosts first Free Store
More than 700 students shopped at Dal鈥檚 first Free Store over move-in weekend, diverting approximately 3.5 tonnes of items from landfill and contributing to a circular economy on campus.
RESEARCH AND INNOVATION听/听September 5
Dal researchers to lead national team to modernize Canada鈥檚 soil data infrastructure
Soil plays a massive role in combating climate change by storing carbon. Now, a historic grant 鈥� the largest ever awarded to Dal's Faculty of Agriculture 鈥� will help a team of Dal researchers improve Canada's ability to make the most of this nature-based solution to a warming climate.
STUDENT LIFE/NEW BUILDINGS听/听September 9
Dal plans new residence to meet growing student housing needs
麻豆传媒 expects to begin site preparation for a new six-storey student residence in Halifax next spring that will accommodate approximately 200 students living on campus.
RESEARCH/SOCIAL IMPACT听/听September 19
Porn鈥檚 new program: Dal legal scholar's new book focuses on the shift to algorithms and legal frameworks to tame them听
Dr. Elaine Craig's Mainstreaming Porn: Sexual Integrity and the Law Online explores how law, policy, and social measures can address the harmful consequences of algorithm-driven mainstream porn.
COMMUNITY/STUDENT EXPERIENCE听/听September 25
Inside 麻豆传媒's first Innovation Week
Fifteen innovation-inspired events. More than 1,500 participants. More bold ideas than you can imagine. Learn more about what went down in September during a week brimming with transformative potential.
RESEARCH AND INNOVATION听/听October 24
Dal Solutions: Breakthrough poised to transform wastewater treatment worldwide
麻豆传媒 researchers and their industrial partners piloted the world鈥檚 first municipal-scale UV LED reactor for wastewater treatment, a groundbreaking innovation that has set the stage for a revolution in how wastewater is treated worldwide.听
STUDENT EXPERIENCE/RESEARCH听/听October 28
New doctoral scholarship program to expand PhD opportunities and research impact at 麻豆传媒
麻豆传媒 established a new $3.2-million 麻豆传媒 Research Excellence Scholarship to support PhD students and increase their enrolment over the next three years.
NATIONAL RECOGNITION听/听November 7
Dr. Rita Orji wins Arthur B. McDonald Fellowship, NSERC's most prestigious prize for early鈥慶areer researchers听
The Arthur McDonald Fellowship recognizes the computer scientist's groundbreaking work in personalized and adaptive digital interventions powered by artificial intelligence and machine learning and is accompanied by a research grant of $250,000 over the next two years.
STUDENT EXPERIENCE听/听November 12
A new era of student support dawns at Dal听
An exciting new support team established this year helps students get back on track after setbacks and identifies ways to improve safety and belonging at Dal.
CIVIC IMPACT/RESEARCH听/听November 14
For the public good: Discovery Award finalists on research that makes a difference
Three Dal faculty members were named finalists for this year's Public Impact Award, recognizing researchers whose work has helped improve the lives of Nova Scotians. What does it mean to have a public impact? We asked them.
TEACHING AND LEARNING听/听November 15
The classroom can be an intimidating place for some students. Dr. Marion Brown of the School of Social Work strives to ensure everyone feels comfortable and connected in their learning.
ON CAMPUS听/听November 22
鈥淒emocracy erodes from the top, not from the bottom up鈥�: Takeaways from this year鈥檚 Stanfield Conversation听
Award-winning journalist Doug Saunders and celebrated political scientist Dr. Debra Thompson visited Dal to dig into a question on many minds this fall: what does Donald Trump鈥檚 re-election as U.S. president mean for the trajectory of democracy worldwide?
STUDENT EXPERIENCE听/ November 25
Able After Dal redefines career support for students with disabilities
A new program at Dal assists students and alumni with disabilities as they transition from university life into the workforce.
CIVIC IMPACT/STUDENT LIFE听/听December 13
Student鈥憀ed food security programs boosted by record鈥憇etting fundraiser听
Post-secondary schools across Nova Scotia stepped up in a big way on Giving Tuesday this year, raising $343,000 to address student food security.
STUDENT EXPERIENCE/ACCESSIBILITY听/听December 18
First wheelchair user admitted to Dal medical school catches attention of Good Morning America
Second-year medical student RJ Roggeveen shared his inspiring story with millions on the top U.S. morning show, hoping to motivate others with disabilities to pursue their med-school dreams.