News

Its officially Convocation month on the Dalhousie Agricultural Campus and the Faculty of Agriculture recently took a moment to honour those who make our students’ success possible.

The accomplishments of faculty and staff who have excelled in teaching, service, advising and research were honoured last Friday at a virtual ceremony.

Early Career Teaching Excellence Award – Joye Sears

Joye became an instructor in the Veterinary Technology program in 2015. She has taught or team-taught in many Veterinary Technology courses where she has made sweeping changes in both content and delivery method. Joye has incorporated universal design elements in her classes in order to provide a learning environment that is both rigorous and more equitable.

Joye is currently enrolled in Dalhousie’s Faculty Certificate in Teaching and Learning where she is learning new teaching strategies and reflecting on her personal teaching philosophy which she sums up in the following themes:

Learning is a lifelong journey;
Effective learning requires engagement and attention;
Students are individuals and highly diverse, so I must structure their experience to promote successful learning for all.

Joye has also made numerous contributions outside of the classroom. She is the driving force behind the AC Theatre Society and is active in the profession, having served as Past-President of the Eastern Veterinary Technician Association where she continues to serve as the Secretary.

Experienced Research Excellence Award – Dr. Sean Myles

This award recognizes and celebrates Dr. Myles’ many contributions to research at the Faculty and was selected based on the originality, independence of thought, overall quality and impact of his research program.

Dr. Myles began conducting research at the Faculty in 2011 and has worked hard to build what he calls “a research environment that stimulates original and creative thinking that leads to impactful insights recognized at an international level”.

Although his research in grapes, cannabis and apples have contributed significantly to their respective fields, his passion for sharing this knowledge with the broader scientific and lay communities is equally impressive and has helped raise the profile of both this important research and the Faculty of Agriculture. Since 2011 he has given 50 invited talks, many of which were keynote speeches at international conferences and his research has been featured in the popular media over 70 times. In addition, his research group’s Twitter account has almost 4000 followers and was named one of “the 27 best feeds to follow in the world of science” by Wired Magazine.

In 2018, he was elected as a member of the Royal Society’s College of New Scholars, Artists and Scientists.

Part-time Academic Teaching Excellence Award – Mike Horwich

Mike has been teaching at the Faculty of Agriculture for over ten years in a variety of degree and diploma programs. In the early years he was also working with the NS Provincial Government as the Director of Food Safety. His industry knowledge and subject matter expertise have made him a key contributor to the development and ongoing evolution of our Bachelor of Agriculture, International Food Business program.

He has given many guest lectures, taught several courses, assisted numerous students with their fourth-year research projects, contributed to the ongoing curriculum review and redesign of the INFB program and represented the department in a number of activities with our INFB partner in the Netherlands, Aeres University.

The combination of his expertise in the area of food safety and quality assurance, his passion for teaching and his commitment to students and programming at Dalhousie make him a tremendous asset to our university community.

Undergraduate Advising Award – Dr. Nancy McLean

Nancy has been teaching at the Faculty of Agriculture since 1986. She is a dedicated teacher and academic advisor, seeing the two roles as interlinked and critical to student success. In her role as academic advisor in the BSc (Agr) Plant Science and Plant Science Honours programs she has helped numerous students with course selection and registration, program planning and degree audits, planning for semesters abroad on letters of permission and understanding academic regulations and appeal process.

Nancy has always been a strong advocate for students, ensuring that their interests are front of mind when policies or academic programs are being developed or redesigned.

It is her experience as an academic advisor that helped prepare Nancy for her current role of Assistant Dean, Students where she oversees the academic advising program and continues to serve as an advisor for students, instructors and academic leaders, helping them understand and navigate complex academic regulations.

She is honest and open. She cares about the student’s well-being. She is not afraid to tell you that you are doubting yourself. She strives to provide all options and accommodations for any student.”

Staff Excellence Award – Mike Main

Mike has made numerous contributions to our academic programs, teaching both lectures and labs and sharing his considerable technical skills with our degree and diploma students. He is constantly seeking ways to make labs more interesting and creative, while ensuring that students learn practical skills that they can use in their future careers. He is passionate about plants, sharing his love with students, staff and colleagues. His diverse abilities, technical skills and field expertise makes him a favorite with students which is reflected in his high SRI scores.

Mike is a key lead for the PFES Department for field research, overseeing facilities such as Plumdale, helping ensure the equipment is working and that everything is ready for our field related courses and research activities.

Mike has somehow also found time to lead one of our key Faculty initiatives, our Chef’s Garden, which contributes to our campus spirit and our goals of building community and being sustainable. As Coordinator of the Chef’s Garden he provides hands-on activities for students, staff, faculty and visitors who learn about this unique sustainability project. Under his leadership the Chef’s Garden provides food for our campus and a unique experiential education for our students.

A colleague noted “Mike has dedicated his life to service for as long as I’ve known him with little regard for personal recognition or gain. He has always been personable, dedicated, passionate about his work and committed to the greater good of this campus.”

Friend of the Faculty Award – Mr. Charles Purdy

Charles is an alumnus who has continued to make impactful contributions to the Faculty of Agriculture. Charles is an aquaculture pioneer and the owner/operator of Bay Enterprises Ltd in Malagash. He is a key supporter of our BSc (Agr) Aquaculture program, sharing his knowledge and expertise with instructors and students. For more than 20 years he has hosted informative and entertaining field trips which have been the highlight of the academic year for many students and which include a vessel ride on his self-designed eco-harvester. This year he even had an open campfire pit and freshly cooked/steamed oysters when the students arrived.

Charles is the ultimate volunteer. If there is a need he is there to help. He has volunteered during our annual Community Day, sharing his enthusiasm and expertise with both young and old. He also assisted with a beach sweep conducted by the Aquaculture Student Society. And super critical for the Aquaculture program, he is a great source of raw material.

It is clear from the letters of nomination, both from colleagues and students, that Charles has enriched their lives with his passion, humility, spirit of giving and service. I think this is best summed up in the words of one of our aquaculture students:

“Charles is a special person and the world would be better off if there were more people like him.…his passion is contagious and has led me to increasingly consider working in the industry. I could write a whole letter on Charles’ passion alone. He’s passionate about his community, industry, and his AC family.”

Congratulations to all!