Today@Dal

Dr. David Gray, a native of Truro, England will be arriving in Truro, Nova Scotia with his family July 15th and will officially become Dean, Faculty of Agriculture and Principal, Dalhousie Agricultural Campus August 1, 2013.   We sat down with this father of three in an effort to learn more about the man behind the position.

Did you know…..

1. David Gray is a talented musician

David Gray began playing musical instruments when he was seven-years-old and began to learn to read and play music on the recorder before moving on to piano and brass instruments.   

“Most of my playing has been in Brass Bands which are big in the mining areas of the UK and are graded depending upon their standard into “sections” for contests. I played in Championship section bands (top level) and have played against some of the best bands in the world including Black Dyke and Grime Thorpe.”  

David also plays Tuba in various orchestras but most recently has been playing with the Lerwick Brass Band and the Shetland Orchestra.  David has also played on a number of musical CD recordings including a Jazz Band while in South Africa.   

“My daughters play too. Rebecca and Emma both play brass whilst Bethan is learning the violin though her real passion lies in the direction of the drums!!!”
 
2. David Gray is a certified Trekkie

 “I LOVE Science Fiction and so Star Wars, Star Trek, Babylon 5 and Firefly are all up there as some of my favourite viewing....of course nothing compares to the BBCs Dr. Who though!”

3. David Gray has an adventurous spirit
 
“I have travelled quite a bit having lived in South Africa for seven years.  I have spent time in the Falkland Islands and also Hong Kong whilst on a research scholarship to the University of Hong Kong. I have swum with killer whales and great white sharks and I have a scar from where I was bitten by a tarantula when it was in my sleeping bag on a hiking trail in South Africa.”

“I’ve also had my clothes stolen by Vervet monkeys and had to chase them through the African bush to get them back!”

4. David Gray is a Judo enthusiast

“I love Judo and have been trying desperately to get a Judo club up and running in Shetland but due to distance from the mainland that has proved difficult.  I hold a 1st Kyu (top Brown Belt) grade and will be looking to get involved in the local club in Truro and work towards my 1st Dan Black Belt.”

5. David Gray is a proud Cornishman
 
David Gray is Cornish and even has a passing acquaintance with the Cornish language.  Being Cornish allows him to wear the Cornish tartan and kilt which he does on formal occasions.
    
“My girls and I are all very proud of our Cornish roots and regularly have homemade Cornish pasties for tea. The Cornish are a bit touchy on whether Cornwall is actually part of England or not. Cornwall is the historic site of Camelot (Tintagel) and the seat of the first truly British Monarch. The Cornish also have their own language…A wre'ta kewsel Kernewek?”