Today@Dal

Three questions, each answered in 150 words or less. One-Minute Meeting is a quick and easy way to get to know more about your colleagues, new and old. Learn how you can nominate someone at the bottom of this post.

Today's meeting is with Alexandra Fenton, Executive Director of SuperNOVA, a not-for-profit initiative of Dalhousie that provides STEM education for youth in Atlantic Canada.

What’s your favourite thing about working at Dal?

I love that in my role I get to meet and work with students from a wide variety of backgrounds. Their interests, talents and expertise make for a very interesting, exciting workplace. Our student staff at SuperNOVA develop curriculum based on what they’re interested and excited about, and it really shows through on all levels of our work.
 

What’s the most surprising thing we might see on your resume/cv?

I have a Master of Arts in History. Although my role is Executive Director of a STEM outreach organization, my background is in history. I wrote my thesis at Dalhousie under the guidance of Dr. John Kirk about Vilma Espín, the leader of the Federation of Cuban Women (FMC), a revolutionary and feminist. Although this may not seem like a terribly applicable field of study for what I now do, my experience with research and writing has been invaluable to me in communicating SuperNOVA’s work.
 
What’s the strangest job experience you’ve ever had?

When I first started at SuperNOVA I was the only person who worked here, so I was on my own trying to figure out what was happening with the organization. I started by trying to take stock of everything that was in the office, which was an interesting experience for an organization that works with kids. I remember that under my desk there was a bin that turned out to be full of preserved eels for dissections, and that the filing cabinet next to my desk was full of fossils. A very different office environment than I had been used to!

Now, nominate someone you'd like to see on One-Minute Meeting.

Is there someone at Dal you'd like to know more about? Email today@dal.ca to suggest them for a One-Minute Meeting. Please provide contact information for the person you are nominating and let us know if you are comfortable with them knowing you nominated them (in case they ask). We'll then send the nominee an email seeing if they'd like to participate.

Previously on One-Minute Meeting:
 

James Martin, Program Manager, University Preparation in the Faculty of Open Learning and Career Development

San Patten, Instructor in the College of Sustainability

Alisha Johnson, Manager of Alumni Relations in the Faculty of Agriculture

Sarah Peddle, Program Manager for Service Learning in the Office of Community Partnerships and Global Health

Mateo Yorke, Assistant Director of Facilities Operations with Ancillary Services

Steve Morley, IT architect with MedIT in Dal's Faculty of Medicine

Linda Parker, Director of Housing and Conference Services at Dal

Jake MacIsaac, Assistant Director of Security Services