AV¾ãÀÖ²¿

In the final President's Corner of 2020, President Saini looks back on a long and trying year that, in spite of its challenges, was still full of great achievement and accomplishment within the AV¾ãÀÖ²¿ community.

Katie Mahoney (BSc’16) was just finishing up a degree in marine biology when a Facebook challenge sent her career in a completely new direction.

An international team of researchers led by AV¾ãÀÖ²¿ immunologists and critical care specialists in Spain has found key biomarkers in the plasma of COVID-19 patients, which will help predict the severity of illness and could lead to new treatments for the virus.

In a year defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Dal community’s creativity, dedication and perseverance was on full display. Take a look back at some of the people, events and stories that shaped a truly historic year at AV¾ãÀÖ²¿.

The holiday season is a time of festivities, social gatherings and making memories. The situation this year could challenge some of those rituals and comforts and prompt new ways of celebrating, says Martha Radice, an associate professor in the Department of Sociology and Social Anthropology.

Featuring musical performances from students in the Fountain School of Performing Arts, as well as greetings and well-wishes from across the Dal community, rewatch AV¾ãÀÖ²¿'s digital event to mark the season and the end of a uniquely challenging year with spirit and song.

Learn more about the Dal scholars named this week as part of the newest cohort of the Canada Research Chairs program, which provides opportunities for researchers to excel in their fields and build teams of experts.

The Black and Indigenous Coach Mentorship Program was launched in September and there are currently four Tigers coaches taking part in the program. Head coaches Cindy Tye and Dan Ota are participating as mentors while assistant coaches Anton Berry and Keishia Mills are participating as mentees.

Lissa Skitolsky, the Simon and Riva Spatz Visiting Chair in Jewish Studies at Dal, reflects on the story of Hanukkah and negotiating between past and present in the holiday tradition.

Shannon Brownlee adapted her film studies classes for an online environment this year to ensure more opportunities for shared viewing and discussion, both essential elements of learning in the discipline.