A Summary of the 1st Annual Environmental Research Symposium

The first annual Dalhousie Environmental Resarch Symposium was a Success!!!

A Brief Summary:
The first annual Dalhousie University Environmental Research Symposium was a success in that it brought together researchers from across campus and other affiliations outside campus to share their research on issues relating to the environment. In bringing together various faculties- from earth science to biological engineering to nursing- the symposium reflected the very interdisciplinary nature of environmental issues. The symposium gave researchers from the various disciplines a chance to come together on some of these issues, and plant the seeds for future collaborations. See the poster archive for more information on all of the posters submitted.

The keynote address by Alanna Mitchell fit well into this general theme. As a science journalist and author Mitchell has had a lot of experience researching environmental issues - from gathering scientific data to actually interviewing key actors involved with the issue. By addressing the many facets of environmental issues around the globe today, Mitchell's experience with environmental research is one that brings together issues of past and present cultural paradigms as well as the exisiting science within these paradigms. In presenting environmental issues from a broad standpoint, Mitchell reflected the complex matrix of history, culture and science that underlies these issues, and must be addressed in seeking their resolution. Her speech provided the symposium with a message that made the coming-together of the researchers all the more significant.

Event Attendance
200 researchers attended the poster session
120 people attended the keynote address

Awards
The 2005 Senate Environmental Award is designed to award those individuals or groups for their achievements in environmental pursuits at Dalhousie university. The 2005 award was given to the organizing committee of the the 1st Annual Dalhousie Environmental Research Symposium. Dr. Shannon Bard (Environmental Programmes), Prof. Ray Côté (School for Resource and Environmental Studies) and Dr. Graham Gagnon (Facullty of Engineering) have been awarded for their initiative, time and dedication that made the Environmental Research Symposium a success.