Dal News: 2015 in review

It was another busy year at Dalhousie University.

That’s probably self-evident to everyone who works and studies at the university, but if you needed evidence to prove it, look no further than here on Dal News. Last year, we published nearly 500 articles (491 to be exact) covering a wide range of stories — from campus events and student life to research accomplishments and university news.

It was certainly not a year without challenges. The Dentistry Facebook issue, which broke in the final weeks of 2014, continued to be a story of focus in 2015. It generated reports from both the Restorative Justice process and the external task force chaired by Constance Backhouse, and led to an increased focus and discussion on topics of diversity and inclusiveness throughout the year. This included the release of the “Belong” report and further work related to Dal’s Strategic Initiative on Diversity and Inclusiveness, but also work looking at retention and support for African Nova Scotian and Aboriginal students and consideration of the university’s role in responding to the calls-to-action of Canada’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

There was also much cause for celebration in 2015. The university welcomed its seventh chancellor, the Honourable A. Anne McLellan. Chemistry’s Axel Becke received NSERC’s Herzberg medal, marking the second year in a row that a Dalhousie professor received what is considered Canada’s top prize in the sciences. Alumnus Arthur McDonald won the Nobel Prize in Physics for his groundbreaking research into nutrinos. Dal’s Faculty of Agriculture was announced as the lead on an $18-million development project to train the next generation of farmers in Ethiopia. Water researcher Jeremy Schmidt received SSHRC’s top postdoc prize, as the university celebrated new members of the Royal Society of Canada (both fellows and members of its college for new scholars) and its first Trudeau Fellow. Science's Jeff Dahn launched the first Canadian university collaboration with Tesla Motors. Dalhousie upgraded its rating in the STARS sustainability rating system for universities/colleges, moving from silver to gold. And we saw students getting involved in their communities in all sorts of exciting ways, from Red Cross Humanitarian Award winners to our own student-life superstars receiving Dal's Board of Governors Awards.

Then there were the new developments within our Dal community. The university finalized plans for a fall study break starting in 2016-17. Dal opened two new major facilities — the Wallace McCain Learning Commons in October and the Collaborative Health Education Building in December — as work also got underway on renovations to the Student Union Building. We paid tribute to Halifax’s Eliza Ritchie Hall residence in its final days and were relieved when everyone was safe in a fire at Truro’s Ruminant Animal Centre. Dal’s new minor in Aboriginal Studies launched as well as its associated Elders-in-Residence program, and Dal rolled out its new PhD program in Health. We welcomed new deans in the Faculties of Medicine and Computer Science as well as the Schulich School of Law. We saw Dal considering how it can continue and increase its efforts to support Nova Scotia’s social, cultural and economic future, and learned a whole lot about the university with the 13-week "Know Your Dal" campaign. And Dal launched the projectDal crowdfunding site, which at year’s end was used to help raise more than $30,000 for the Dalhousie Student Refugee Fund.

Here’s our list of the 10 most-read Dal News stories of 2015:

1. When ‘forever’ fades but the ink stays: PhD student develops tattoo removal technology (February 11)
2. Sea the potential: Dal to launch world’s first underwater campus – April Fools' Day story (April 1)
3. Charging onward: Dahn’s next move marks first Canadian university collaboration with Tesla Motors (June 17)
4. Student life superstars: Meet this year’s outstanding Board of Governors Award recipients (March 26)
5. The little residence that could: Bidding farewell to Eliza Ritchie Hall (August 28)
6. Response to Dentistry Facebook comments continues (January 5)
7. Introducing Dal’s honorary degree recipients for Spring Convocation 2015 (April 15)
8. Revolutionizing agriculture in Ethiopia: Dal to lead $18-million development project (February 2)
9. A student space where education blooms: Wallace McCain Learning Commons opens its doors (October 15)
10. Campus development update: A look at Dal’s current capital projects (July 20)