The Atlantic Health Promotion Research Centre (AHPRC) is a leading Canadian health promotion research centre based at Dalhousie University. AHPRC was established in 1993 to conduct interdisciplinary, collaborative population health and prevention research that informs policies and programs to improve the health of Canadians.
The centre is conducting research on health services and health systems, healthy eating and physical activity, knowledge translation, prevention of chronic illness and disability, oral health of seniors, youth obesity, aboriginal health, and harm reduction.
The AHPRC is currently supported by the Faculties of Health Professions, Medicine, and Dentistry at Dalhousie University. Support for specific research projects comes from agencies such as Canadian Institutes for Health Research, Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, Nova Scotia Health Research Foundation, and Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada.
The Atlantic Institute of Criminology was established to provide a centre for research in the areas of criminology, policing, and other concerns of the justice system. Associate memberships are available to interested and qualified persons.
Established in 1967, the ARC conducts basic biomedical research in the fields of lipid metabolism and cell signalling, areas of fundamental importance to a variety of disorders including cancer, neurological, heart and infectious diseases. It also provides education and expertise in these fields to undergraduate and graduate students, other researchers, and the general public. The ARC houses state-of-the-art facilities for biochemical and molecular biological research, including a regional proteomics service facility (DalGEN, http://genomics.medicine.dal.ca/pms), and is affiliated with the IWK Cheminformatics & Drug Discovery Laboratory. The Centre’s staff hold appointments in the Departments of Pediatrics and Biochemistry & Molecular Biology in the Faculty of Medicine. Research at the ARC is supported by agencies such as the CIHR, NSERC, CFI, Heart and Stroke Foundation, National Cancer Institute, Atlantic Innovation Fund, and the IWK Health Centre.
The Brain Repair Centre (BRC) is a collaboration of Dalhousie University, the Capital District Health Authority and the IWK Health Centre. The BRC is a multi-disciplinary unit focusing on research that can lead to the diagnosis, treatment, and repair of the brain to overcome the effects of neurological and psychiatric disorders such as Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), Epilepsy, Muscular Sclerosis (MS), stroke and spinal cord injury. The BRC grew out of the clinical Neural Transplantation Program, collaboration between basic neuroscientists and clinicians interested in treating Parkinson's disease. The success of the Neural Transplantation Program led clinical and basic neuroscientists to decide to form the Brain Repair Centre. The BRC was formed in 1999 and has focused on stem cell transplantation, Parkinson’s disease, spinal cord injury, psychotic disorders, stroke and neuroimaging as areas of innovation at Dalhousie University, Capital Health and the IWK Health Centre.
Examples of BRC achievements include:
| • | Attracted capital funding from private donors, institutions and the public sector to support construction and fit-up of the new Life Sciences Research Institute scheduled to open in early 2011. When the LSRI is completed, the Brain Repair Centre will become the anchor tenant of this new research and commercialization building with state-of-the-art research, equipment and facilities. | ||
| • | Establishment of collaboration agreements with research teams at McLean Hospital/Harvard University; Jilin University, China; Cardiff University, Wales; and Neurodyn, Inc. | ||
| • | Establishment of a $12 million magnetic resonance imaging facility with the national Research council’s Institute for Biodiagnostics (NRC-IBD). | ||
| • | In 2006, the BRC was awarded $5.5 million for infrastructure from the Canadian Foundation for Innovation, the largest such award to date in Atlantic Canada. Also in 2006, BRC received a $3 million Atlantic Innovation Fund award for research, a follow-on to an earlier $3 million research award. | ||
| • | Dr. David Clarke, a member of the Brain Repair Centre used a virtual model of a patient’s brain to remove a simulated brain tumour before removing the actual tumour the following morning. Developed by a partnership of the National Research Council and a team of about 50 people in 10 Centres across Canada, this was the first such surgery performed in the world. | ||
| • | Medtronic Canada, Capital District Health Authority, QEII Foundation, and the Brain Repair Centre established a Canadian Centre of Excellence and Training at the Halifax Infirmary. This new $3.5 million centre provides important new clinical facilities for training and development in imaging, spinal cord and neuromodulation. | ||
| • | In the neurotransplantation field, the BRC is unique in Canada and one of only four centres worldwide involved in clinical application of neural transplantation, with the “Halifax Protocol” accepted as the world gold standard. | ||
| • | The BRC is an innovative collaboration that integrates its research expertise with pioneers in the fields of imaging, neurology, stem cell neurobiology, vision, molecular neurobiology, pharmacology, psychiatry, clinical trials and cognitive neuroscience. | ||
| • | The BRC brings together the expanding fields of neuroimaging and stem cell technologies with application to the treatment of neurological and psychiatric disorders. | ||
| • | The BRC is the Atlantic Canada presence in the Stem Cell Network, a National Centre of Excellence in stem cell research. | ||
CIFT was established in 1979 at the former Nova Scotia Technical College (later TUNS). The federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans provided much of its early specialized laboratory and seafood pilot scale processing equipment, and Industry Canada provided start-up funding and designated CIFT a centre of excellence. As a government-approved laboratory for advanced technology, it also provides R&D services on a cost-recovery basis to industry and to various governmental agencies. The Institute promotes technology transfer and the development of advanced technologies aimed at more effective commercial utilization of both marine and terrestrial resources in Canada and throughout the world.
In addition, CIFT offers unique opportunities for post-graduate training and research through the Food Science program. Major areas of emphasis are: food biochemistry and microbiology; fats, oils, nutraceuticals and other bioactives; physical properties of foods; fish/food process engineering; food safety and preservation; food rheology, food fermentation and beverage science.
| • | fats and oils laboratory | ||
| • | food chemistry laboratory | ||
| • | food development laboratory | ||
| • | sensory evaluation laboratory | ||
| • | food process engineering pilot plant | ||
| • | low temperature storage facility | ||
| • | food physical properties laboratory | ||
| • | food microbiology laboratory | ||
These areas contain specialized instrumentation and food processing equipment to enable experimental processing, laboratory analysis, and product storage evaluation. In addition to a computer- controlled cold-storage facility, the pilot plant is equipped for experimental processing including freezing, chilling, thermal processing, drying, centrifugal separation, and meat-bone separation.
The pilot plant is well equipped for thermal processing with an automated retort capable of steam, steam-air, or water immersion processing research. The specially designed cold-storage facility is computer controlled and particularly useful for the study of changes in foods as a result of frozen storage history. The pilot plant is also equipped with a custom-built computer-controlled heat pump dryer that is used in food dehydration experiments.
Specialized laboratory equipment includes: automated high performance and fast protein liquid chromatography systems, gas chromatography/mass spectroscopy system, preparative ultracentrifuge, multi-purpose refrigerated centrifuge, microtube centrifuge, analytical and preparative electrophoretic/isoelectric focusing equipment, pulsed field electrophoresis system, thermocycler, DNA gel electrophoresis, Hoefer Daltsix for 2D eletrophoresis, Image Master 2D elite software, capillary electrophoresis system, ultra-low temperature freezer, universal texture testing machine, various colorimeters, U.V. and visible spectrophotometer, spectrofluorometer, electrokinetic analyzer, workstation for mathematical modelling and computer simulation, Linkham shearing stage/microscope, Nikon microscope (various attachments), controlled stress rheometer with a high temperature/pressure attachment, controlled rate rheometer, Viscomat, and a rolling ball viscometer.
This Centre, established in 1975, advances instruction, publication, research and development education programs in African Studies. Associated faculty offer classes through the Departments of History, International Development Studies, Political Science, French, Sociology and Social Anthropology and Philosophy. The Centre organizes academic and informal seminars and public policy conferences on Africa and encourages interdisciplinary interaction at all levels on African subjects and issues. It co-operates with the International Development Studies department and with the International Research and Development office.
The Centre for Comparative Genomics and Evolutionary Bioinformatics (CGEB) at Dalhousie University encompasses an interdisciplinary group of researchers in the Faculties of Medicine, Science and Computer Science. Although microbial genome evolution and diversity is at the heart of many of the CGEB researchers' activities, our work spans computational biology, computer science, statistical modeling and comparative genomics, with a strong focus on method and theory. The application of DNA sequencing technologies to characterize the genomes of a wide diversity of microbes has generated vast quantities of genome sequence data. Now the intellectual challenge is to develop from this enormous resource more comprehensive and theoretically robust phylogenetic, genetic and ecological models to further our understanding of the many roles of microbes in the biological world.
CGEB researchers are united by the common goal of using this vast resource of genomic information to elucidate evolutionary patterns and processes: the pathways by which microbial organisms have diversified over the last 3.5 billion years of Earth's history and through which they continue to shape the global environment. Only through the integration of experimental genomic approaches and sophisticated bioinformatic modeling will we be able to achieve this goal.
CGEB researchers and trainees are supported by grants from the Canadian Institutes for Health Research (CIHR), Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC), the Nova Scotia Health Research Foundation (NSHRF). The Centre itself is supported by funding from the Tula Foundation ( http://www.tula.ca), the Faculties of Medicine, Science and Computer Science. CGEB is also supported by a large grant from the Tula Foundation (http://www.tula.ca) that provides funds for training top-notch postdoctoral and graduate trainees in the CGEB research specialties. We also have a regular seminar series that brings world renowned scientists to speak at Dalhousie University and interact with faculty members and trainees.
This Centre was originally founded as the Centre for Marine Geology in 1983 to promote interdisciplinary studies of various types of problems in marine Geology, capitalizing on our unique position in Canada with links to related departments such as Oceanography, Physics, Biology, the Bedford Institute of Oceanography and our hosting of the Canadian office of the Ocean Drilling Program. Since 1983 the role of the Centre has changed, reflected in the new name, which better describes the work being done now where marine geology is combined with environmental problems. We have 3 new faculty that expand our expertise into new chronological techniques and permafrost as well as strengthening our capacity in the petroleum-related environmental geology. Some of the objectives of the Centre are to: 1) continue to expand our participation in a revitalized east coast offshore energy related problems; 2) continue our climate-change work with a variety of approaches both offshore and on land; 3) expand into Arctic regions both with major oceanographic and shore-based programs; and 4) expand our capacity to help solve some of the many environmental geology problems associated with urbanization.
The Centre for European Studies was established in 2007 to promote research on all aspects of European society and its relations with the rest of the world. The Centre facilitates the work of Europeanist scholars at Dalhousie, including the participating Canada Research Chairs in European Studies, enables research collaboration with scholars from Canada and around the world on projects related to Europe and the European Union, and serves as the administrative home for the European Studies program.
Established in 1971 the Centre is concerned with teaching, research, publication, policy advice and other professional activities in the various aspects of foreign policy, security studies and international politics. It is funded through the Security and Defence Forum of the Department of National Defence and other foundations, government agencies, international organizations, publication sales, and contracts.
The Centre’s work is concentrated in the areas of Canadian and comparative maritime security and oceans policy, Canadian and American foreign and security policies, and global security and international development. Its geographical specializations include Canada, North America, Europe, and the South (especially Africa, Asia, and the Caribbean). The Centre encourages activities in these areas by Faculty, Research, and Doctoral Fellows, and advances communication among local and international communities in these fields through seminars, workshops conferences and colloquia, often in collaboration with local, national, and/or international organizations. It publishes occasional papers and monographs on Maritime Security, Canadian Defence and Security, and Global Security issues.
The Centre is an integral part of the Department of Political Science. Centre faculty offer classes through the Department in foreign and defence policy, international relations and development, and maritime affairs at both undergraduate (majors & honours) and graduate (MA and PhD) levels. They also supervise masters and doctoral theses in these fields.
For further information, consult the Centre’s website:
http://centreforforeignpolicystudies.dal.ca.The Centre for Innovation in Infrastructure is an industry-oriented research centre with the Faculty of Engineering and with strong affiliations with the Department of Civil and Resource Engineering. Established in 1983 as the Nova Scotia CAD/CAM Centre, the Centre originally focussed on assisting Atlantic Canadian industry with the integration of computer added manufacturing and computer aided design technology in their operations. Since the 1990's the Centre has continued to evolve to meet the needs of industry in other areas and to take a more active role in research and development in civil infrastructure.
Today the Centre act as a focal point for research, innovation and technology transfer in Civil Infrastructure related areas. The major funding partnerships are with the Atlantic Canadian departments of transportation, industries related to bridge and structural engineering and with companies developing new materials and products for infrastructure.
Our combined areas of expertise and research interests include:
| • | Structural Analysis and Design | ||
| • | Structural Health monitoring | ||
| • | Bridge engineering and innovations | ||
| • | Soil-steel structures | ||
| • | Fibre reinforced polymers | ||
| • | Fibre reinforced concrete | ||
| • | NDT of bridge decks and pavements | ||
| • | Sustainable asphalt technology | ||
The Centre has acquired and maintains significant testing equipment related to these research areas and contributes to the maintenance and operation of the research facilities within the Department of Civil and Resource Engineering.
The Centre was established in 1975 with a mission to foster international business teaching and research and enhance Canada's global competitiveness through innovative programs and outreach services. CITT supports a wide range of learning experiences including academic exchanges, the Student Export Awareness Program, the Student Research Symposium, the International Case Competition. CITT also offers research fellowships to students interested in international business. The Centre recently partnered with Michigan State University's Canadian Studies Program to work towards increasing global trade between the US and Canada (the world's largest trading partners).
The Centre for Water Resources Studies was established in December, 1981, by a resolution of the Board of Governors (TUNS). The objectives of the Centre are to carry out applied research which contributes to the effective and sustainable protection of water resources in Atlantic Canada, nationally and internationally, and to facilitate the transfer of new knowledge to potential users. Research programs directed by the Centre address the design of cost-effective on-site wastewater systems, soil erosion processes, drinking water treatment, the use of roofwater cisterns for domestic water supply, eutrophication, watershed management and the computer modeling of hydrodynamic and hydrochemical processes. The Centre also has a number of research advisory panels, which involve professionals from industry, government and academia in applied research related to water use and water management.
Established in 2008, the Dalhousie Institute on Society and Culture serves as the virtual home for the many divergent research activities and initiatives within the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Its primary function is to support research within the Faculty through various fellowship programs, publicity and fund raising initiatives, publishing ventures, conferences and lecture series, and cross-disciplinary exchanges.
The Institute encompasses two broad and overlapping research clusters: Societies in Local, National, and Global Contexts, and Cultural Representations and Presentations. The former cluster aims to develop new knowledge about political, social, and economic transformations, about national and regional identities, and about global relations, whereas the latter seeks to investigate and preserve cultural traditions, literatures, and languages, to foster studies and theories of cultural identity, to stimulate artistic innovation, to examine the shaping influence of beliefs and religions, and to contribute to the cultural life and profile of the province. These two clusters, with a flexibility and breadth unequalled in Eastern Canada, are uniquely equipped to analyze social and cultural change.
The Eco-Efficiency Centre (EEC) was established in 1998 as a partnership with Nova Scotia Power, Inc., and in 2005 was approved as a university centre in the Faculty of Management. It is currently linked to business, engineering, and resource and environmental studies programs. The EEC has achieved a national and international profile for its work in promoting research and action in relation to eco-efficiency and industrial ecology, especially in its application to industrial parks.
The objectives of the Centre are to:| 1. | develop and sustain eco-efficiency, industrial ecology, and corporate sustainability research programs at Dalhousie University; | ||
| 2. | provide education, research and employment opportunities for students; | ||
| 3. | develop and provide information and resources related to eco-efficiency, industrial ecology and corporate sustainability to business and government; | ||
| 4. | develop models of environmentally sustainable industrial development thereby improving environmental and financial performance of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and larger corporate entities; and | ||
| 5. | foster sustainable business practices as models and develop local case studies for teaching purposes. | ||
The research of the Centre provides small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with the tools necessary to increase the overall sustainability of their operations by investigating and applying techniques such as pollution prevention, life cycle analysis and eco-industrial networking. At the same time the Centre researches the drivers and barriers to sustainability strategies providing data that influences the development of new government policies at all levels. The EEC provides opportunities for students to learn, faculty to collaborate in new action research initiatives and businesses to improve their environmental performance.
Areas of collaboration in research include:Business - input/output analysis, supply chain management, reverse logistics, environmental accounting, eco-efficiency studies, supply chain management, education of personnel, and corporate sustainability.
Engineering - process optimization, energy and material balances, pollution prevention, industrial symbiosis, environmentally friendly building materials, product and process design.
Planning - green building design and construction, industrial park planning, zoning, land use standards, infrastructure design.
Information Management - geographic information systems, life cycle and industrial metabolism database management.
Public Policy and Law - economic and industrial development policies, regulations, economic instruments.
The continuing involvement of students and the increased focus on graduate research and research partnerships will assist in developing the research capacity and promote long term progress towards sustainability in Atlantic Canada and Canada generally. Co-op students from the Faculty of Management and Faculty of Engineering are hired regularly as are interns from the Master of Resource and Environmental Management and Master of Environmental Studies Programs.
Sustainability has been identified as a priority at all levels of government, particularly the federal government and agencies such as the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency and Industry Canada. The Centre has had working relationships with the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, Natural Resources Canada's Office of Energy Efficiency, Environment Canada, the Nova Scotia Department of Environment, the Nova Scotia Department of Economic and Rural Development, and the Resource Recovery Fund Board Nova Scotia Inc.
Established in 2006, the European Union Centre of Excellence in Canada gives Dalhousie University recognition from the European Union to carry out projects and activities that promote greater awareness of the EU in Canada. During the period 2006-09 there have been three other centres in Canada with this title, located at Carleton University, the University of Toronto, and a joint centre at Université de Montréal/McGill University. While based in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, with special emphasis on the Department of Political Science, this centre coordinates exchanges of faculty and students, conferences, workshops, symposia, and other projects and activities from other faculties as well, including Law, management, and Science.
The centre had its agreement with the European Commission renewed for the next three years (2009-2012). This agreements include research activities on the Arctic policies of Canada and the EU, trade negotiations between the EU and Canada, various aspects of migration policies in Europe, EU Copyright legislation, the EU and the economic crisis, trade relations within the EU, public health policy in EU and Canada, merger control in EU and Canada, etc. The agreement also foresees a major annual conference on the following three topics: the EU's Area of Freedom, Security and Justice (including immigration and asylum policies), the Lisbon Treaty and Transatlantic Relations. The budget will also allow the centre to invite speakers from EU countries. There is further some support for teaching activities, as well as graduate students through fellowships and research assistantships.
The Global Health Office is recognized regionally, nationally and internationally for interprofessional opportunities that prepare health care professionals for lifelong learning in global health.
There are many ways for students, residents and faculty to engage with our office. We coordinate predeparture training, global health electives, summer global health experiences and a global health course. We also lead global health events including films, journal club, speaker series and conferences. We present annual awards to a student, a resident and a faculty member who demonstrate leadership in global health.
An Interdisciplinary Institute of the Faculties of Law, Medicine, Health Professions, and Dentistry, the Institute is committed to the advancement of health law and policy and the improvement of health care practice and health systems through scholarly analysis, professional education, and public service. Its objectives are:
| 6. | To foster strong and innovative health law and policy scholarship by: | |||
| • | contributing to research in health law and policy | |||
| • | providing external consultation services on matters having a significant impact on health law or policy | |||
| 7. | To advance health law and policy education by: | |||
| • | designing and implementing education programs for law, medicine, health professions and dentistry students | |||
| • | providing continuing education opportunities for health professionals and legal practitioners | |||
| 8. | To serve the public in our areas of expertise by: | |||
| • | contributing to the societal understanding of health law and policy issues | |||
| • | providing expertise to organizations in the public sector | |||
| • | engaging in the policy-making process at local, regional, and national levels. | |||
Established in 2002, IRM is made up of about 100 faculty members in seven faculties (Science, Engineering, Dentistry, Medicine, Architecture and Planning and Management and Health Professions) and seventeen departments. The goals of the Institute include advancing the collective interdisciplinary research efforts in materials science and engineering at Dalhousie University, facilitating interdisciplinary teaching in materials science within the existing discipline structure, and enhancing interactions between materials researchers at Dalhousie University with relevant government laboratories and industry, especially within the region. The Institute leads collaboration within the university on interdisciplinary applications to funding agencies for major equipment and research infrastructure, and collaborates with external organizations to pursue research opportunities.
All Dalhousie University faculty members carrying out research in the area of materials are eligible to be Members of IRM. Postdoctral fellows and graduate students associated with these research groups are invited to become Associate Members of IRM. See http://irm.dal.ca/Opportunities/Graduate_Students.php for details.
In addition to equipment operated by individual members of the Institute, IRM has established (2003) the Facilities for Materials Characterization, an $11 million suite of instruments managed by the Institute.
The equipment includes:
| • | High-field solid-state NMR spectrometer (managed jointly with the Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Research Resource) | ||
| • | Scanning electron microscope | ||
| • | Focused ion beam | ||
| • | X-ray photoelectron spectrometer (XPS) | ||
| • | Secondary ion mass spectrometer (SIMS) | ||
| • | Sputtering system | ||
| • | Ultra-high speed optical systems | ||
| • | Physical properties measurement system (PPMS) | ||
| • | Scanning thermal microscope (SThM) | ||
| • | Ultrasonic immersion testing equipment | ||
| • | Hot press | ||
| • | Grindo Sonic | ||
| • | High-speed motion recorder/analyzer. | ||
These facilities are open to external users. Please contact IRM@dal.ca for details.
IRM offers an NSERC CREATE program called DREAMS (Dalhousie Research in Energy, Advanced Materials and Sustainability). Students accepted into the program carry out collaborative interdisciplinary research in world-leading laboratories with innovative new courses and direct experience working with industrial partners. DREAMS scholarships are available to graduate students in Chemistry, Physics and Mechanical Engineering. See DREAMS website for details at DREAMS.irm.dal.ca
The Law and Technology Institute was established at Dalhousie Law School in 2001 to provide teaching, research, and continuing education on technology law issues to students, faculty members, and the practicing Bar. The Institute participates, with the faculties of Computer Science and Management, in Dalhousie’s Master of Electronic Commerce Program, and has been involved in collaborative projects with the private sector and governments on information technology issues. Also, in conjunction with Dalhousie’s Industry Liaison and Innovation Office, the Institute offers a student placement program in intellectual property and commercialization. Its faculty members provide graduate supervision to students interested in the developing field of technology law issues, and are active in law and technology organizations, such as IT.Can, and the International Society for Law and Technology. Faculty members of the institute are writers of the English edition of IT.Can bi-weekly newsletter. The Institute hosts an Eminent Speakers Series, which brings leading IT lawyers and academics to Dalhousie to share their expertise. The Institute is home to the Canadian Journal of Law and Technology, co-edited by Professors Deturbide and Reynolds. The CJLT is the pre-eminent technology law review in Canada.
| • | Law and Technology | ||
| • | Internet and Media Law | ||
| • | Privacy Law | ||
| • | Intellectual Property Law | ||
| • | Information Technology Transactions | ||
| • | Entertainment Law | ||
| • | Intellectual Property and Commercialization Placement | ||
| • | Special Topics on Intellectual Property (IPII) | ||
| • | Copyright Law | ||
| • | Patent law | ||
Students also have the opportunity to pursue specialized interests in fields such as health law and alternate dispute resolution, as they relate to law and technology.
The Institute, which is housed in the Law School, carries out research capacity-building and consultancy activities and also directs the MELP academic specialization. The current Director is Dr. Aldo Chircop. In addition to their scholarly research and publication activities, MELAW faculty, associates and staff carry out research projects and provide advisory services to agencies of the United Nations, international non-governmental organizations, and regional organizations as well as assisting government departments, private sector institutions and non-governmental organizations in Canada and overseas.
The Marine & Environmental Law Institute is also the editorial office of the Ocean Yearbook, a major international interdisciplinary annual, devoted to ocean affairs published in collaboration with the International Ocean Institute in Malta. Dalhousie law students have the chance to gain experience working as research assistants on the Institute's research projects and workshops, and assisting with editing the Ocean Yearbook.
The Schulich School of Law also hosts two other research institutes, the Health Law Institute and the Law & Technology Institute, and offers concentrations in the fields of international law, business law and public law. In addition to the required courses in the MELP specialization students are also encouraged to undertake research/courses in these and other fields in the JD curriculum. This allows students to engage with emerging and cross-cutting topics such as biotechnology, environment and health, ethics, indigenous rights, animal rights, international trade law and human rights.
MELAW supports student collaboration in addressing environmental issues through the Environmental Law Students Society and the East Coast Environmental Law Association, a non-governmental organization dedicated to environmental law education and advocacy. MELAW encourages interdisciplinary collaborations within the Dalhousie community including the School for Resource and Environmental Studies (SRES), the Marine Affairs Program (MAP), the International Development Studies (IDS) Program, the Centre for Foreign Policy Studies, the Ocean Tracking Network (OTN) led by the Department of Oceanography and the recently established Halifax Marine Research Institute. MELAW also promotes national collaborations, for example, through the Ocean Management Research Network (OMRN). International linkages include among others, the Global Forum on Oceans, Coasts and Islands and the IUCN Academy of Environmental Law as well as numerous sister institutions in Asia, Caribbean, Europe, South America and the United States.
The Minerals Engineering Centre was established from the Laboratory for the Investigation of Minerals. The Minerals Engineering Centre provides research, analytical and advisory services to industries, universities, and government bodies in Atlantic Canada, Canada and International. The Centre is located in G Building on Sexton Campus and is affiliated with the Materials Engineering program. The services offered include:
| • | Sample preparation of ores, soils, silts, rocks, cores, clay fraction and wood pellets | ||
| • | Size analysis, including screening, sieving, and sub-sieve analysis | ||
| • | Minerals separation using dense liquids | ||
| • | Physical and chemical analytical methods using atomic adsorption, XRD, ICP, AA, x-ray fluorescence spectographic and wet chemical techniques | ||
| • | Analysis of samples including geological, metalliferous ores, industrial minerals, coals, metals, alloys and water | ||
| • | Mineral processing test work covering the whole range of investigative techniques from bench scale to pilot plant, including crushing, grinding, classification, gravity separation, dense medium separation, magnetic separation, electrostatic separation, flotation, flocculation, thickening, filtration, and drying | ||
| • | Evaluation of biomass fuels. | ||
The Minerals Engineering Centre provides opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students to learn various analytical and testing techniques applicable in their course of studies. It also offers services to faculty members to assist in their teaching and research activities.
Further information may be obtained from the Director of the Centre.
The Neuroscience Institute was founded in 1990 to promote and coordinate research in neuroscience, the modern interdisciplinary study of the brain and nervous system.
It serves as an umbrella organization to foster research and training in neuroscience at Dalhousie. A major objective is to increase understanding of the functions of the nervous system in health and disease. To this end, the Institute coordinates the activities of neuroscientists in the Faculty of Medicine, the Faculty of Science, the Faculty of Computer Science and the School of Biomedical Engineering, facilitating collaboration between clinical and basic scientists in these Faculties. Some foci of current research activity include: development and plasticity of the nervous system; cognitive neuroscience; motor control; autonomic function; synaptic function; and sensory physiology. The Institute also provides a vehicle to seek new sources of funding, and encourages new initiatives in all areas of neuroscience research at Dalhousie. In addition, the Institute promotes and coordinates training programs in neuroscience currently offered through its constituent departments at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. It sponsors seminar series annually, and coordinates a variety of community outreach events.
The Norman Newman Centre for Entrepreneurship resides within the Faculty of Management and through its activities in the domain of entrepreneurship supports the cornerstones of the faculty - managing with integrity and inculcating within our students an acceptance of their need to make a difference. Through programs like ACE/SIFE and the Entrepreneurial Skills Program (ESP), the North American Rural Entrepreneurship initiative (NAREN), the annual Enterprise conference and business plan competition, the presentation of guest speakers and lunch and learns supports the student community in achieving their entrepreneurial aspirations. The Centre is working with other on campus units like the Industry Liaison office (ILI) to contribute to the commercialization of research and off campus with InnovaCorp (the provincial incubator for technology and technical businesses soon to be located on campus) and with the Centre for Entrepreneurship Education and Development (CEED). The Centre engages with the business community through executive briefings on germane topics, subject matter presentations on creativity and creative problem solving and inclusion of the public in the Enterprise conference. Finally the centre contributes to the community at large through their work with Shad Valley (a national month long residential program for grade 10-12 students with strengths in the sciences), support of the Sierra Leone project in support of a school in Sierra Leone and contribution to the Construct the Future Project aimed at employment opportunities in the construction trades for African Nova Scotians. Research and teaching concentrate on understanding the successful identification, evaluation and exploitation of entrepreneurial opportunities by both new and established companies.
Established in 1982 with assistance from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council, the Resource is located in the Department of Chemistry and is used by faculty, researchers and graduate students in all Maritime universities, the NRC, local industry and many Dalhousie Departments. It is concerned with applications of magnetic resonance spectroscopy to problems in chemistry, materials science, biology, biochemistry and related areas. Its current instrumentation includes Bruker AC-250 (Tecmag upgrade), Avance 300 and Avance 500 NMR spectrometers for liquids and Bruker Avance DSX 400 and Avance 700 NMR spectrometers for solids. NMR-3 users also have direct access to a Bruker Avance III 700 NMR spectrometer with cryoprobe capabilities for liquids experiments. The Avance 500 and Avance 700 NMR spectrometers were installed in 2003 with funding from NSERC, the Canadian Foundation for Innovation and the Atlantic Innovation Fund. The cryoprobes on the Avance III 700 were purchased in 2009 by Dalhousie University through an Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency Grant. The Resource offers facilities for hands-on use by researchers and also provides NMR spectra and expertise to scientists throughout the Atlantic Region and beyond.
For more information see: http://nmr3.chemistry.dal.ca
The Trace Analysis Research Centre (TARC) was established in 1971 with the assistance of a grant from the National Research Council. Its mission is to train analytical chemists and, through research, to contribute to the advancement of analytical chemistry. Members of TARC from Dalhousie and associated institutions comprise a group with expertise in a wide range of chemical analysis techniques in areas such as spectroscopy, chromatography, mass spectrometry, electrochemistry, and nuclear analytical chemistry.