It was a historic announcement.
On April 2, an enthusiastic crowd filled Dal鈥檚 McInnes Room for the launch of Bringing Worlds Together鈥擜V俱乐部鈥檚 campaign for transformational change. With a goal of $750 million, it is the largest fundraising campaign ever among Atlantic Canadian universities. The energy in the room was palpable when Dal鈥檚 President, Dr. Kim Brooks, revealed that nearly half of the campaign goal had already been raised. That is more than Dal raised during the university鈥檚 previous fundraising campaign, Bold Ambitions.
鈥淔or more than 200 years, our extraordinary community of alumni, donors, and partners have enabled AV俱乐部 to do the extraordinary鈥攖o become a national university with global impact,鈥� Dr. Brooks told the crowd.
鈥淭oday, I鈥檓 here to share with you what extraordinary looks like for our third century.鈥�
鈥淭oday, I鈥檓 here to share with you what extraordinary looks like for our third century.鈥�
The vision Dr. Brooks shared is one in which Dal reaches across disciplines, cultures, and organizations to achieve exceptional, far-reaching results that benefit everyone.
Next-level extraordinary
Bringing Worlds Together builds on the tremendous success and growth AV俱乐部 is experiencing. As the largest research-intensive university in the region, Dal has become a hub for collaboration, bringing together people and organizations from across Nova Scotia and beyond for research and projects that tackle major issues and seize opportunities. They range from improving health outcomes to strengthening relationships with Nova Scotia鈥檚 African Nova Scotian communities. Bringing Worlds Together has also enabled the university to have an impact in areas such as ocean sustainability, food security, and climate change, which has earned AV俱乐部 widespread recognition.
鈥淎V俱乐部 is a place where worlds come together,鈥� Dr. Brooks said. 鈥淲here scholarly excellence meets hands-on learning. Where students get to know world-leading researchers in their classes. And where groundbreaking research is helping us achieve a better and more sustainable future that leaves no one behind.鈥�
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Left: Honorary campaign co-chairs Fred & Elizabeth Fountain celebrate the launch of Bringing Worlds Together. Right: More than 400 Dal alumni and friends came together in Halifax for the campaign launch. (Cody Turner photos)
Bringing Worlds Together creates a strong foundation for AV俱乐部 to take all this activity to the next level, delivering solutions to pressing societal issues on a larger scale and faster timeline. The campaign鈥檚 three pillars highlight how the university will make that happen. 鈥淚nspiring Future-Ready Leaders鈥� creates a clear path for student success. 鈥淓ngaging in High-Impact Research鈥� aims to solve some of the most complex issues facing humankind. And 鈥淟ifting Our Communities鈥� will result in more outcomes that matter provincially and internationally.
鈥淥ur ambition for this campaign is to share our capacity and talent with the world in a way that profoundly shapes [the world],鈥� Dr. Brooks said. 鈥淭his isn鈥檛 about making AV俱乐部 better; this is about coming together to bring about a more just and equitable future. It鈥檚 about making the world better. And it starts here in Nova Scotia.鈥�
This is the story of how AV俱乐部 will achieve that goal by Bringing Worlds Together.
Inspiring future-ready leaders
Dr. Frank Harvey, provost and vice president academic, believes every AV俱乐部 student has the potential to be a leader, advocate, and professional who contributes to a better society. The key, he says, is to ensure they are ready to take on these roles when they graduate.
鈥淲e are preparing students for so much more than jobs,鈥� Dr. Harvey says. 鈥淲e want them to be the leaders that the world needs for tomorrow. Bringing Worlds Together will enable us to help students gain the experiences, skills, and mindsets to take on a future where the only constant is change that continues to accelerate.鈥�
Dr. Harvey says the campaign will enhance AV俱乐部鈥檚 ability to inspire future-ready leaders in several ways. It will enable the university to offer more financial supports so that students can focus on their education. It will facilitate the creation of specialized skills training and experiential learning opportunities that prepare students to launch successful careers and businesses. It will fund more initiatives and supports focused on students鈥� overall well-being. And it will enhance the university鈥檚 efforts to engage and support students from around the world and from equity-deserving communities.
鈥淥ur goal is to be Canada鈥檚 most student-centric research-intensive university,鈥� says Dr. Harvey. 鈥淭his means ensuring every student has the opportunity to have an exceptional experience. It means creating a clear path to student success.鈥�
A stellar achievement
That鈥檚 what happened for Arad Gharagozli (BEng鈥�20). Fascinated by space from a young age, he found an opportunity to explore his passion while working on his master鈥檚 degree in Mechanical Engineering. Gharagozli joined the Young Innovators program at AV俱乐部鈥檚 Emera ideaHUB, which supports students in pursuing innovative commercialization opportunities. The experience opened his eyes to the possibility of creating and launching spacecraft as part of the second wave of the space race. Buoyed by the mentorship and funding available through Young Innovators, Gharagozli started GALAXIA Mission Systems, which designs and manufactures on-board computers for small satellites.
Fast forward to December 2022, when GALAXIA launched the first satellite ever designed in Atlantic Canada from NASA in Houston, Texas. This shoebox-sized satellite is part of a network of highly intelligent satellites performing autonomous tasks such as earth observation, telecommunication, and connecting the 鈥渋nternet of things鈥濃�攁 network of connected devices听that exchange data鈥攆rom space. The Canadian Space Agency backed the company with $1.7 million to build and launch the intelligent nanosatellites as part of a commercial satellite constellation for Canada.
鈥淚 can say with confidence it is by far one of the most daring and ambitious undertakings that we have done at AV俱乐部,鈥� says Gharagozli. 鈥淚t cleared a path for a whole new industry to blossom in our region.鈥�
Gharagozli is working to realize that potential through his company, and Dal is helping him in that effort both through partnerships with researchers and access to talent. 鈥淒al has one of the strongest engineering programs in Atlantic Canada,鈥� Gharagozli says. 鈥淚t prepares students like me to solve real-world challenges and contribute to economic growth in our region and beyond.鈥�
The goal of Bringing Worlds Together is to expand and enhance programs, facilities, and resources to help students like Gharagozli develop entrepreneurial and innovative mindsets to succeed. 鈥淭he more we can ensure that Arad and the thousands of AV俱乐部 students like him are future ready, the more we can enable them to make the world a better place for everyone,鈥� says Dr. John Newhook (DEng'86, BEng'89, MASc'93, PhD'97), dean of the Faculty of Engineering.
Engaging in high-impact research
As AV俱乐部鈥檚 Vice-President Research and Innovation, Dr. Alice Aiken (BScPT'94) knows the university鈥檚 researchers are engaging in work that has the potential to be transformative on a large scale. Through Bringing Worlds Together, both Nova Scotia and the world will soon experience the benefits of that work in profound ways.
鈥淲e have researchers who have a steadfast commitment to working together to find solutions to the biggest challenges of our time,鈥� says Dr. Aiken. 鈥淲e have a vibrant and uniquely collaborative research environment that inspires outcomes that matter. As a result, we have become a research powerhouse. This campaign will enable us to accelerate this vital work and the results that we are able to achieve.鈥�
Big ambitions, bigger impact
Dr. Aiken says that Bringing Worlds Together will accelerate research efforts in six key areas鈥攕ustaining the ocean, developing climate technology solutions, improving health outcomes, increasing food security, leading social innovation, and advancing artificial intelligence (AI) and digital innovation. These are areas that both pose significant threats and offer unparalleled opportunities. They are also areas where AV俱乐部 has developed extensive expertise and achieved notable breakthroughs.
鈥淚mpact is important for us in all the work we do,鈥� Dr. Aiken says. 鈥淲e always ask ourselves, 鈥楬ow can this have an impact globally?鈥� Bringing Worlds Together enhances our ability to answer that question. It helps create a stronger, more vibrant collaborative research environment where we are not just imagining a better future; we are achieving it.鈥�
Energized by possibilities
Dr. Chris Burns (MSc鈥�11, PhD鈥�15) is helping to achieve that future as the founder and CEO of NOVONIX, a sustainable battery technology company that spun out of research at AV俱乐部.
Originally from the United States, Dr. Burns came to AV俱乐部 in 2009 to study under Dr. Jeff Dahn (BSc'78), a globally recognized leader in lithium-ion battery research. Now supported by Tesla, Dr. Dahn and his team have made significant advancements in improving the affordability, durability, and lifespan of this technology, which is essential for devices ranging from cellphones to electric vehicles. Reflecting on his time in Dr. Dahn鈥檚 laboratory, Dr. Burns was inspired by the potential for societal impact: 鈥淲orking with Jeff, I recognized the chance to effect real change that resonates with people,鈥� he says.
As part of his PhD work, Dr. Burns contributed to the development of materials aimed at prolonging battery life. With NOVONIX, he has leveraged that experience to drive innovation in manufacturing synthetic graphite鈥攁 vital component of lithium-ion batteries鈥� through a cleaner process. This method could decrease the global warming potential of the process by as much as 60 per cent relative to conventional manufacturing methods employed in China, which currently supplies over 90 per cent of the world鈥檚 demand. Through NOVONIX, which has operations in Nova Scotia and Tennessee, Dr. Burns is bringing that technology to market, not only with lower environmental impacts, but also with longer life and higher energy efficiency. This innovation has attracted significant attention from industry leaders, resulting in investments exceeding $400M from Phillips 66, LG Energy Solution, the US Department of Energy, and others.
鈥淭here are very few companies in our space outside of Asia,鈥� Dr. Burns says. 鈥淥ther people saw risk where we saw opportunity.鈥�
Fueling climate tech research
Bringing Worlds Together will raise funds to build a new Physical Sciences Centre, creating more opportunities for game-changing research, and potentially more spinoffs like NOVONIX. Equipped with state-of-the-art technology, the facility will be a hub for climate technology research that accelerates sustainable solutions. It will also enable AV俱乐部 to increase research capacity, create more opportunities for post-doctoral studies in climate technology, and offer students more access to innovative thinking on climate issues.
Further reading:听New physical sciences facility for green energy innovation planned for Dal
鈥淣OVONIX is just one example of the kind of global effect our future-ready leaders are able to bring to market when immersed in high-impact research during their time at Dal,鈥� says Dr. Chuck Macdonald (BSc'94, PhD'98), dean of the Faculty of Science. 鈥淭his is what enables AV俱乐部, as an institution and a community, to lift our communities.鈥�
Lifting our Communities
How do you honour a legacy of lifting the intellectual, cultural, and economic vitality of communities across Nova Scotia and beyond that spans more than 200 years? For Dr. Brooks, the answer is clear: you amplify it.
鈥淪erving communities is in our DNA,鈥� says Dr. Brooks. 鈥淪upporting our communities the way they have supported us means we grow stronger together. Bringing Worlds Together will make it possible for us to do even more for our communities. We see opportunities to combine different knowledge and skills in innovative ways that help communities address the challenges they need to solve and make real progress on the goals they want to achieve.鈥�
Inspiring smiles
AV俱乐部 Faculty of Dentistry students, faculty, and community partners know what can be accomplished by bringing worlds together. They are working to provide free oral care to community members who otherwise might not be able to afford it through three permanent outreach clinics, one of which is located at the North End Community Health Centre (NECHC) in Halifax.
Anna Quon (BA鈥�89) is one of many community members who have received care through the NECHC dental clinic. The novelist and poet laureate of Halifax says that when she was a child, her teeth were a small sign there was something special about her. 鈥淲hite, bright, and nearly almost perfect is what my dentist said,鈥� she recalls. 鈥淚 never had a cavity. I didn鈥檛 need braces.鈥�
By age 20, Quon had her first cavity and the following year, she chipped a tooth. In the years that followed, her oral health was further impacted both by teeth grinding in her sleep and by psychiatric experiences. Cost was another factor, with Quon only able to afford sporadic听care for 30 years until she connected with the clinic. Realizing how lucky she was to have access to low-barrier dental care, Quon featured the NECHC dental clinic in Me and My Teeth, a short film that highlights the parallels between dental and mental health.
鈥淎ccess to regular dental care helps people not only improve their mental and physical health, but in a society that judges us on appearance, also helps us feel better about ourselves, have access to jobs and other opportunities, and smile more,鈥� she says.
Further reading:听In conversation with Anna Quon
Limitless possibilities
Dr. Ben Davis, dean of the Faculty of Dentistry, says Bringing Worlds Together will help fund a new community clinic that will not only expand access to oral care among underserved populations across Nova Scotia, but also to the legal and social work services offered by AV俱乐部鈥檚 existing clinics. It will also enhance the university鈥檚 ability to graduate more highly trained professionals that meet industry demands for talent and grow the economy. And it will enable AV俱乐部 to dedicate more initiatives, professors, and researchers to helping new entrepreneurs transform innovative ideas into successful businesses.
Faculty of Dentistry students, faculty, and community partners are making oral care more accessible. (Nick Pearce photo)
For AV俱乐部鈥檚 Vice-Provost of Equity and Inclusion, Dr. Theresa Rajack-Talley, Bringing Worlds Together also creates opportunities for AV俱乐部 to address historic wrongdoings and become a more inclusive and equitable place for everyone. That means partnering with equity-denied and underrepresented communities on outreach programs to create increased pathways to higher education. 鈥淲e know that much of what we achieve in advancing communities here at home will have application elsewhere in the world,鈥� says Dr. Rajack-Talley.
Bringing Worlds Together
Having made history with the announcement of Bringing Worlds Together on April 2, Dr. Brooks and AV俱乐部 are focused on what鈥檚 next. Already, the campaign has passed the halfway mark, the momentum is there to raise the rest. That will allow the university to not just imagine a better future, but also make it happen.
鈥淥ur ambitions for this campaign are to work together to grow exponentially and meaningfully change the world,鈥� she says.
Achieving that change will take extraordinary effort, but AV俱乐部 is ready to rise to the challenge. The university continues to inspire future-ready leaders, engage in high-impact research, and lift communities in ways that are transformative. And it continues to enjoy the support of extraordinary partners and donors who see this campaign as the best possible opportunity for addressing challenges and realizing possibilities, and doing that now.
鈥淚f we have learned anything in the last 200 years, it is that we can only create meaningful paths forward when we work together,鈥� Dr. Brooks says.听
鈥淚f we have learned anything in the last 200 years, it is that we can only create meaningful paths forward when we work together,鈥� Dr. Brooks says.听
鈥淭hat鈥檚 why we are Bringing Worlds Together. We are seeking partners who want to drive meaningful and lasting change that leaves no one behind, who want to accelerate talent and create impact with distinction, and who know that community matters. We can make a better world. And we can do it when we Bring Worlds Together.鈥�
This story appeared in the听DAL Magazine Spring/Summer 2024听issue. Flip through the rest of the issue using the links below.