Dalhousie University

It’s World Menopause Day this Sunday, Oct. 18. Dalhousie’s Dr. Shawna O'Hearn, a menopause leader, would be justified in taking a moment on Sunday to reflect on strides she’s made advocating for menopause support in workplaces—including Dalhousie’s. But there’s so much work in progress and to come that a moment to reflect may be all she can afford.

Food often conjures up feelings of togetherness and indulgence, but what about those who aren't invited to the table? Culinary historian Michael W. Twitty encouraged attendees at Dalhousie’s 2026 Irving Glovin Lecture last week to dig a little deeper into understanding how people cultivate, cook, and share food. He challenged the idea that food automatically brings people together. For that to happen, he said people have to actively make space for one another.

Dalhousie's strengths propelled it into third spot overall in Canada in the mid-size university category in the 2027 Maclean's University Rankings released this week. Universities in the category — defined as schools with between 10,000 and 30,000 full-time equivalent students — are ranked on 15 indicators across four key areas with different weights.

In an area of science filled with complicated memorization, this professor has succeeded in keeping students coming back for more. Dr. Akram Jaffar, a University Teaching Fellow in the Department of Medical Neuroscience, is well known by students and colleagues for raising the bar in teaching and accessibility in subjects such as anatomy and dentistry. Dr. Jaffar’s simple explanations and entertaining videos are no accident.

Dalhousie's Be Counted campaign kicked off earlier this month encouraging faculty and staff to participate in a revised university census organizers say will allow more people to see themselves accurately reflected. Now in its ninth year, the census provides valuable insight into the diversity of Dalhousie's community. The information helps inform programs, services, and initiatives that advance equity, diversity, inclusion, accessibility, and belonging (EDIAB) across the university.

Dalhousie student Zeen Ali felt inspired by her own experience as a child with a critical illness to launch a new student society to raise money, gather volunteers, and spread awareness for Make-A-Wish Canada, a national charity that creates life-changing wishes for children between the ages of 3 and 17. When she was just eight-years-old, Syrian-born Zeen was diagnosed with nephrosis — a kidney disease that required transplant surgery and for which her father's kidney was a match.

When Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, the world watched as neighbouring European countries opened their borders to Ukrainian refugees — a welcome that stood in sharp contrast to the reception often given to refugees fleeing Africa and the Middle East. Many observers pointed to race as the reason. A new book from Dalhousie University's Dr. Raluca Bejan argues the real story is far more complex.

As Canada increases its focus on defence, security, sovereignty and Arctic capability, it is turning to the talent and expertise developed at universities such as Dalhousie for help. President Kim Brooks sent a message this week that Dalhousie stands ready to answer the call.

For more than a century, water towers have been part of the landscape of the Agricultural Campus. The former Nova Scotia Agricultural College had 60,000 gallons of elevated water storage supplied by five wells on campus from as early as 1906. Following the 1946 science-building fire, the campus went through a major period of rebuilding and expansion in the early 50s. Students returned from their temporary Debert location in 1953 with the opening of Harlow Institute and a central heating plant.

Dal’s 16th annual Mawio’mi brought Indigenous and non-Indigenous people from throughout Mi’kma’ki and beyond to Dalhousie to celebrate Indigenous cultures. Daniel Jardine and Alexa Cude from Dalhousie's Creative Studio were on hand in the McInnes Room at the Dalhousie Student Union building to capture the atmosphere.