In a year when natural disasters, violent conflict and the cost-of-living crisis dominated headlines around the world, finding encouraging news proved challenging at times.
Scanning through the past year of Dal News stories, you’ll find lots of examples where our faculty, staff and students were working together to help understand and address these heavy, weighty issues. But there were also stories that showcased hope, inspiration, and possibility.
There was that time in the spring when Conor Scott, a Dal management student, helped save an elderly Nova Scotian man whose life was in danger from the wildfires burning through his neighbourhood — this just days before Conor walked the stage to receive his parchment at Spring Convocation. Then there was the Government of Canada's announcement in April that it would invest $154 million in Dal-led research exploring the ocean’s role in mitigating climate change.
A new Dalhouise president, the university's 94th Rhodes Scholar, important research discoveries — there was plenty of big news to celebrate, even as we acknowledged the year's many challenges. And our experts were there along the way to help explain and offer guidance on issues ranging from homelessness to the frontiers of articial intelligence.
Dal News published more than 500 articles this year, 35 of which are showcased below. These 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 2023 archives here for a look back at other Dal events and happenings this year.
RESEARCH AND INNOVATION / January 16
Dal researchers' chance discovery could help extend gadget battery life
Thanks to a discovery in a Dal lab, manufacturers of laptops and other tech devices now have an explanation for why the batteries that power their gadgets tend to lose some of their charge over time and a path forward to fixing the problem.
RESEARCH / HEALTH / January 25
Ask an expert: How to interpret Canada's new guidance on alcohol consumption
Mark Asbridge, a professor in Dal's Department of Community Health and Epidemiology, was on the expert panel that compiled the report and explains how it can help people make informed decisions about their alcohol consumption.
RESEARCH / February 23
Killer whale observed caring for pilot whale in remarkable first
For the first time in recorded history, an orca was observed caring for the offspring of another species — an unusual interaction outlined by a Dal PhD candidate in a new paper.
CIVIC IMPACT / HEALTH CARE / March 15
Province funds new medical school campus in Cape Breton
The campus, the province’s second and the third campus for Dalhousie Medical School, will train 30 new doctors every year.
STUDENT EXPERIENCE / LEARNING / March 22
Making it happen: Presenting Dalhousie's top co‑op students of the year
Thousands of Dalhousie students unlock their potential through co-op work terms with some of the most exciting companies and organizations across Canada and beyond. Meet just a few who've made the most of their work-integrated learning experiences this past year.
STUDENT LIFE / March 24
Student leadership with purpose: Get to know Dal's 2023 Governors' Award winners
Dal's Board of Governors' award winners embody what's possible when passion meets purpose, each contributing in their own important ways to building community on campus, serving the broader community, improving diversity and inclusion, and so much more.
COMMUNITY AND CULTURE / April 21
Dal deepens ties with Indigenous peoples by setting up physical office in Mi'kmaw community
Dalhousie officially opened the doors on its new Indigenous engagement office in Millbrook First Nation, the first time it has taken such a step to connect directly with prospective and current Indigenous students in their own community.
RESEARCH AND INNOVATION / April 28
Powered by the largest research grant in Dal’s history, provided through the Government of Canada’s CFREF grant program, Dalhousie and its partners are set to launch Transforming Climate Action — the most intensive investigation ever into the ocean’s role in mitigating climate change.
RESEARCH / HEALTH / May 1
Dal psychiatry researcher discovers unique treatment for bipolar disorder
Dr. Cynthia Calkin won an international award for a journal article on findings that are helping to change the lives of people experiencing treatment-resistant bipolar disorder.
RESEARCH / May 8
Dal scholar honoured with Molson Prize for outstanding contributions to bioethics
Dr. Françoise Baylis, the first Dalhousie researcher to receive the prestigious Canada Council for the Arts Molson Prize, has become an influential voice in the field of bioethics and a leader in advocating for the ethical application of science, with the goal of bettering society.
COMMUNITY / ADVANCEMENT / May 10
Major gift propels creation of new ocean science centre that will draw community to campus
A transformative $8.2-million gift from entrepreneur and conservationist Ross Beaty will fund the development of new interactive centre for marine biodiversity set to open in Dalhousie’s Steele Ocean Sciences Building in early 2025.
GLOBAL RANKINGS / June 1
Dal shows strength in 2023 Impact Rankings, claims top spot in Canada for life below water
Dalhousie earned top 100 placements for seven categories and a spot in top 100 overall in this year’s Impact Rankings, moving into first place in Canada— and eighth globally — for its work on the Life Below Water goal.
STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT / June 9
A wish fulfilled: Long sidetracked by family matters, 92‑year‑old finally receives Dal degree
Marie Jones left Dal to take care of her sick teenaged son in the mid-1970s. Nearly a half century later, she crossed the stage to receive her parchment — one of 11 degrees her family has earned from the university.
COMMUNITY IMPACT / June 12
Firefighter grad helps save elderly man in week of staggering blazes
Conor Scott was at the centre of the battle against one of Nova Scotia's most devastating wildfires and in the middle of a frightening rescue to save a man's life in the days leading up to his Convocation ceremony.
RESEARCH AND INNOVATION / June 23
Long‑lasting impact: Battery research icon earns top international award
Dr. Jeff Dahn, one of the world's most-watched battery scientists, was named the 2023 recipient of the Olin Palladium Award — a prestigious international prize whose past recipients include Nobel Prize winners and nominees.
GLOBAL RANKINGS / June 28
Dalhousie enters world’s top 20 per cent in latest QS World University Rankings
Now ranked at 298 globally, Dalhousie maintained twelfth place among Canadian universities and remains the top-ranked university in Atlantic Canada.
UNIVERSITY LEADERSHIP / June 28
Community champion: Dalhousie University welcomes Rustum Southwell as its ninth chancellor
One of Nova Scotia’s most prominent community and business leaders, Rustum Southwell — best known as founding CEO of the renowned Black Business Initiative — took on the mantle of Dalhousie University's top ceremonial role this year. For Southwell, it represents another chapter in a legacy of lifting people up to grow, thrive and succeed.
RESEARCH / June 30
Humans exact 'supersized' toll on world's ecosystems, international study finds
Humans are exploiting more than one-third of the world's vertebrates and threatening the existence of more than 5,000 species, according to a global study looking at how human predation impacts biodiversity through consumption, trophy hunting and other activities.
COMMUNITY / LEARNING / July 7
Stone‑cold stellar: Campus rock garden garners major international accolades
Dalhousie's rock garden on the Agricultural Campus in Truro serves as a scenic setting for pictures, an educational resource for students and visitors, and, now, as another badge of honour for the university after it took home a top international award from the North American Rock Garden Society.
UNIVERSITY LEADERSHIP / July 19
Kim Brooks appointed as Dalhousie’s 13th president and vice‑chancellor
In July, we shared the news that Dalhousie University's Board of Governors had appointed the university’s own Dr. Kim Brooks its as president and vice-chancellor. Dr. Brooks began her term in August — you can also read more in the latest DAL Magazine cover story.
TECHNOLOGY / GOVERNANCE / July 25
Dal's AI lead aims to spark conversation and connection on our rapidly evolving information future
Dal's institutional lead for AI strategy may be a computer scientist by trade, but the conversations he's facilitating are much more about people — and how the Dal community can work through the opportunities and challenges of a fast-moving frontier of digital disruption.
CIVIC IMPACT / HEALTH CARE / August 8
Dalhousie set to launch new physician assistant training program for Nova Scotia
The Province of Nova Scotia, in partnership with the Faculty of Medicine, announced the development and funding of a Master of Physician Assistant Studies (MPAS) program at Dal that is poised to help alleviate some of the burden faced by physicians and provide a pathway to meet the health-care needs of Nova Scotians.
COMMUNITY AND CULTURE / August 31
Dalhousie and King’s celebrate 100 years together
On Sept. 1, 1923, the governors of Dalhousie University and King’s College signed articles of association, entwining the two institutions academically and culturally. Now, 100 years later, community leaders pause to reflect on their shared history and path forward.
CIVIC IMPACT / HEALTH CARE / September 14
The Government of Nova Scotia committed funding for a new Dal-operated clinic in Halifax that will provide mental health and addictions services for Nova Scotians who do not have access to coverage through private insurance.
COMMUNITY / September 29
Art for community: Neighbours and university collaborate on street mural
Residents, students and the Dalhousie community came together to bring a colourful street mural to life at the intersection of Larch and Jennings in Halifax designed by Mi’kmaw artist Tayla Fern Paul.
UNIVERSITY INITIATIVES / October 4
Dalhousie to offer free menstrual products in campus restrooms
This fall, Dalhousie launched a new initiative that will offer free menstrual products in nearly 100 restrooms across its campuses.
COMMUNITY / DAL EXPERTS / October 25
Dr. Jeff Karabanow, one of Dal's leading experts on homelessness, set the stage for a series of public discussions on the housing crisis facing Halifax and Nova Scotia.
ON CAMPUS / SUSTAINABILITY / October 26
Attaining the highest level of certification from the globally recognized Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program vaults Dal into a new orbit with a small group of other post-secondary peers in Canada leading the way in green building.
ACADEMIC LEADERSHIP / COMMUNITY AND CULTURE / October 30
New Dal major uncovers long‑hidden Black experience in Canada and beyond
Dal’s Black and African Diaspora Studies major — the first of its kind at a Canadian university — touches on everything from experiences of oppression and racial injustice to narratives of resilience and empowerment.
ON CAMPUS / RESEARCH / November 3
Dal Computer Science writes exciting new chapter with downtown expansion
The Faculty of Computer Science unveiled its new space in downtown Halifax last month, a state-of-the-art venue intended to meet the needs of one of Dal's fastest-growing Faculties.
STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT / RESEARCH / November 15
Dal PhD candidate Joseph Bedard won the prestigious Falling Walls global competition in Berlin, Germany for his pitch on using air to create plastics. Read our Q&A with this researcher on the rise.
STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT / November 21
Diana’s golden ticket: Dal’s newest Rhodes Scholar is Oxford‑bound on a life‑changing opportunity
Through hard work and perseverance, Medical Sciences student Diana Adamo has overcome substantial challenges in her own family life to carve a path forward to academic success and community impact.
CIVIC IMPACT / DAL EXPERTS / November 27
"In search of a better tomorrow": Dal innovators celebrated at Discovery Awards
Leading researchers and innovators from across Nova Scotia were celebrated at the 21st annual Discovery Awards, including several members of the Dalhousie community.
RESEARCH / December 7
Canada’s Food Price Report 2024 predicts Canadians will finally get relief from “sticker‑shock”
Everyone is talking about the cost of living, particularly at the grocery store. The researchers behind Canada’s most-watched food-price forecast insist that some relief is coming.
COMMUNITY AND CULTURE / ATHLETICS / December 12
Dal signs charter to combat systemic racism in sports and recreation
Dal became the first university in the province to sign onto Recreation Nova Scotia’s anti-racism charter, which provides guidelines on addressing systemic racism in sports and recreation programming.
Now read...
2023: A groundbreaking year of firsts and achievements for Dal’s alumni community
The Fall/Winter issue of DAL Magazine is now available. Find all the stories here.