Share.Learn.Inspire.Transform
“I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived.”
Henry David Thoreau
Lower Seymour Conservation Area, North Vancouver, British Columbia
SAVE CORAL REEFS BY ERADICATING… RATS?
by Patti Lewis,
Yellow and blue fusiliers shoal over a reef in the Chagos Archipelago. (Nick Graham photos)
Rats have long been considered deadly pests that spread disease. They are synonymous with death, destruction and despicable and deceitful character traits. Because they are prolific breeders, rats are also known to cause enormous environmental degradation to the land.
And now research has identified another reason to dislike rats: the long-tailed rodent has a negative consequence on the ocean.
Aaron MacNeil, an associate professor at Dalhousie University and a researcher with the Ocean Frontier Institute, has, along with his scientific colleagues, discovered that rats are responsible for damaging coral reefs. Their new study, published in the journal Nature, concludes that rat control should be an urgent conservation priority on many remote tropical islands.
“Eliminating the rats that infest these islands would benefit terrestrial ecosystems and enhance coral reef productivity and function,” says Dr. MacNeil. “It could tip the balance for the future survival of these reefs and their ecosystems.”
Researchers smell a rat
The coral reef issue caused by the rats, begins higher up the food chain — with seabirds.
When seabirds return to their island homes they roost and breed, depositing guano (bird droppings) on the soil. This guano is rich in nitrogen and phosphorus, and as it makes its way to the sea it benefits macroalgae, filter-feeding sponges, turf algae and fish that live on, and around, coral reefs.
But when invasive predators such as rats feed on the seabirds, and their eggs and chicks, the population declines and so does the important nutrients they provide to the surrounding coral reefs from their guano.
The research was conducted at the Chagos Archipelago in the Indian Ocean, which provided a perfect setting for a large-scale study as some of the islands are rat-free, while others are rat-infested. The comparison discovered:
In addition to earning accolades from Nature, Dr. MacNeil was appointed in May as a new member of the Canada Research Chair program, which recognizes excellence in science. In July, he also received the Fisheries Society of the British Isles medal which recognizes ground-breaking research and conservation.
The research was led by Lancaster University (UK) with the ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies (Australia), Dalhousie University, Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions, Perth, Australia, University of Western Australia, Australia, Zoological Society of London, UK, University of Exeter, UK, and the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea, Denmark.
Article by Patti Lewis, July 12, 2018, republished from Dal News, with permission.
Photo Credit: David Foster
David Foster @fosterd3, a PhD student at Dalhousie University in interdisciplinary environment studies recently tweeted “Dr Peter Duinker speaks to a crowd about the findings of last year’s inventory of the #trees of @TownBridgewater by @DalManagement students. This year we’re working with Nat. Res. Tech. students from @NSCC_Lunenburg to continue the effort.”
Dr. Peter Duinker and his team have a passion for urban forests and sustainable city planning as evidenced by the #DAL200 Tree Planting Party on June 9, 2018. CEGE Connection reached out to Dr. Peter Duinker for his insights on why conducting a spatial inventory of trees is essential for the well-being of communities.
Dr. Peter Duinker
When a person or organization owns assets, it is always prudent to know something about those assets. A dairy farmer has data on every milking cow in the herd – it is important to know how that cow is faring and how it is contributing to the milk-production enterprise. A naval fleet commander knows a lot of things about every vessel in the fleet – is each one capable of making its unique contribution to a defense initiative when called upon?
So too must a municipality know about the trees in the street rights-of-way. Each of these trees is owned by the municipality, each tree has a cost profile for maintenance, and each tree confers a wide range of benefits on the people who use the street. Knowing something about each tree helps the municipality plan for the ongoing maintenance of the tree population it owns – which trees require immediate attention, and which trees are likely to die in the next decade or two and require takedown and replacement.
My students and I have been implementing tree inventories during the past decade in the City of Halifax, the Village of Pugwash, and the Town of Bridgewater. We get valuable learning experiences when we do the inventories, and the municipalities get high-quality, low-cost datasets for their use in planning future improvements to the tree canopy in their respective streetscapes.
Peter N. Duinker, PhD, P.Ag.
Professor
School for Resource and Environmental Studies
Faculty of Management
Dalhousie University
Photo Credit: David Foster
They shall not grow old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.
Laurence Binyon – September 1914
The Cenotaph: Halifax War Memorial
“Autumn carries more gold in its pocket than all the other seasons.”
Jim Bishop
“Information is what we are all about. We are passionate about data management, information literacy, accessibility, preservation, connecting communities and many more current information topics. This blog is a reflection of that passion: Stories from our community of innovative information managers who are turning their knowledge into action, within Dalhousie and beyond.” INFORM
The Year 2018 celebrated #DAL200, the beginning of Dalhousie’s third century, a profound testament to the resilience of scholarship that has been passed down from generation to generation. The year 2019 heralds another Dalhousie milestone. The School of Information Management will commemorate its 50th anniversary. Our sister blog, INFORM, will be featuring the event in the coming months. We highly recommend a visit to this exciting virtual space.
Kim Humes, Editor & Blog Coordinator, INFORM
CEGE Connection reached out to Kim Humes, INFORM’s Editor and Blog Coordinator, to share her thoughts on creating a virtual space that discusses cutting-edge research within the complex world of information management.
Kim Humes:
INFORM is a wonderful way to keep up-to-date about information management. Our blog articles are mostly about people in the School of Information (SIM) and what they are up to. We love to highlight the accomplishments of our students, faculty and alumni whenever possible. Feedback from our readership indicates that these articles attract the greatest interest. For example, a recent post highlighted a public lecture given by Anatoliy Gruzd & Philip Maia.
INFORM advertises upcoming events, such as the SIMAA Welcome Reception, and recaps past ones (both our events, and external events that may be of interest those in our community). We also advertise IM-related jobs or volunteer opportunities and share updates about our faculty research projects and awards. We may be a small school, but our faculty and alumni are remarkable. SIM’s stellar research and accomplishments are prolific, relative to our size, and are well-known within academic and business circles. INFORM blog is rarely at a loss for content!
My 5-year anniversary as Editor and Blog Coordinator for INFORM is only a few months away. I have enjoyed being involved in this exciting project that continues to respond to an ever-changing technological environment. Over the years, INFORM has transitioned from a biannual newsletter to a dynamic virtual space. Back issues of the newsletter are available on the School of Information Management website. Our blog was separate and entitled “SIMCast”. In August 2016, we renamed the blog “INFORM” and discontinued the newsletter in an effort to streamline our communications. The blog provides a more active way of sharing news in real-time, and provides readers with a more accessible, central place for news coming out of SIM.
SIM50 promises to be an outstanding celebration. We have many plans for SIM50! Most are still in flux, but the anniversary will run officially from September 2019 to August 2020 (as in the 2019-2020 academic year, which aligns with our usual timelines). We hope to hold a signature event here on campus in October 2019, to coincide with Dalhousie Homecoming, but there will be lots of other fun things happening throughout the year. In the meantime, we recommend people keep an eye on the SIM50 pages of the Blog and Website and the #SIM50 hashtag on Facebook/Twitter.
Stay tuned for more information, which will be sent via e-mail to those on our mailing list. If you would like to know more about SIM50 or add your name as a volunteer, we encourage you contact us at sim@dal.ca. We appreciate your help in creating a memorable celebration.
Kim Humes,
November 2018
Kim also coordinates Master of Library & Information Studies (MLIS) applications. If you want to learn more about the MLIS degree, visit the website, sign up for our email list, or email sim@dal.ca.
If you are interested to find out more about the (MIM) degree, visit the website:
or
Call or email the Centre for Executive & Graduate Education (CEGE) to schedule a 30-45-minute phone/Skype appointment with either a recruiter or admissions advisor. If you are in the Halifax area, call or email to schedule an in-person appointment.
Phone: 902-494-6391 or 1-800-205-7510
Email: cegeRSVP@dal.ca
Ann Etter, Class of 2001
John-David Etter, Class of 2018
As the Class of 2018 graduation approached, I had the opportunity to reflect on the MBA (FS) program, a three-year journey which offered rigorous challenges while achieving personal success. Throughout my MBA(FS) years, I met professors and classmates who left a lasting impression in my life and provided an endless amount of camaraderie as we travelled our journey together.
What sparked my interest to pursue the MBA (FS) degree was somewhat unconventional. As many colleagues, mentors, leaders, and friends have taken their path through the program, it was a family legacy that truly guided me to DAL. Seventeen years ago, my mother, Ann Etter, graduated from the MBA (FS) program. As a high school student at the time, we could be found doing our homework collectively at the dining room table. Her discipline in managing work, school, a home, and an emotional teenager seemed effortless. Looking back, I recognize the many challenges she faced in completing her MBA(FS). During those formative years, my identity was created, including my belief in life-long learning. I have a huge respect and appreciation for my mother’s mentorship. It is a privilege to be able to complete this program and walk in the footprints of such an accomplished woman.
Ann Etter, Class of 2001
Applying for a graduate program was intimidating, particularly since I had been out of school and in the workforce for over a decade. Studies were stimulating and difficult but worth every second. The MBA(FS) gave me the skill-sets to recognize opportunities and participate within a complex, evolving environment.
Since moving to Ontario, my journey is slightly different. I have started my own family. My wife’s enthusiastic encouragement was truly remarkable, especially given the amount of time and financial resources that were devoted to achieving my goal. I look forward to moving forward, as a family, to the next steps in life.
I am proud to have Dalhousie University as my alma mater. My heritage is the East Coast of Canada; there are many in my family who are graduates of Dalhousie. As for the future, I am excited to see what it brings. With no immediate plans, health and well-being are important.
As I collected my degree, the Chancellor of Dalhousie, The Honourable A. Anne McLellan asked a profound question: if health and well-being would be for me, or for the world? I responded with an unequivocal – BOTH. I believe that question will be a guiding thought as I move forward.
I will continue to dream big, read more, and always attempt to be a better derivative of myself. While the future is wide open, I can always look back, with gratitude, at the path I have travelled to help define my future.
John-David Etter, Class of 2018
CEGE Connection is delighted to advise that John-David Etter has graciously agreed to be a repeat contributor on CEGE Connection.
“I have very fond memories of the class of 2008; so much spirit, engagement and a wonderful camaraderie.” Michelle Hunter
MBA(FS) Class of 2008
Class of 2008 BMO
CEGE Connection would like to recognize the contribution of the MBA(FS) Class of 2008 as they celebrate their tenth-year anniversary. All our best goes out to the Class of 2008 on this very special milestone year. Thank you for your commitment to excellence, life-long learning and the communities in which you live and work.
Michelle Hunter & Rebecca Budd
MBA(FS) Class of 2008
“You cannot get through a single day without having an impact on the world around you. What you do makes a difference and you have to decide what kind of a difference you want to make.”
Jane Goodall
Wallaback Lake, Nova Scotia (River view), Photo Credit Michelle Hunter
Michelle Hunter, Rebecca & Thomas Budd, Graduation Day, Class of 2003
As CEGE Connection enters our third year of existence, Michelle Hunter and I want to express our thanks for the positive and encouraging feedback that we have received from students, graduates and professors. Our blog has been designed as a space for ongoing dialogue and shared interests, which has enabled us to be ever more connected to our readers and supporters. This coming year, we will continue to feature our remarkable alumni and the pioneering research that is being conducted at Dalhousie University.
A special thanks to Michelle Hunter who celebrated her 25 years of service at Dalhousie University, the same year as #DAL200. Her compassionate support and invaluable advice have been appreciated by all who have been privileged to know Michelle.
“Universities are deeply entwined in the lives of their community, and the history of Dalhousie has been made rich and varied by its people. Dal’s history is shaped by esteemed students, faculty, staff, and alumni – poets, prime ministers, and a Nobel laureate – and by groundbreaking discovery across two centuries of engagements with community.”
President’s Message, A 200th Anniversary Portrait Dalhousie University.
Dr. Richard Florizone, Dalhousie’s 11th President