Dalhousie's contributions to science and innovation were front and centre Thursday (Nov. 20) at the 23rd annual Discovery Awards in Halifax as its researchers scooped up four awards.听
Dal scholars emerged as the winners in the following categories: Emerging Professional, Innovation, Science Champion, and the Hall of Fame. Four additional Dal individuals were also honoured as finalists across a range of categories.听听
Learn more about the Dalhousie award winners and finalists below:
Emerging Professional 鈥� Ejemai Eboreime (Psychiatry)
An individual who is early in their career and demonstrates research excellence, knowledge sharing, and potential for ongoing growth and development.
Dr. Ejemai Eboreime is an assistant professor and interim co-director of research in Dalhousie鈥檚 Department of Psychiatry and program director for the Master of Clinical Psychiatry and Global Mental Health. His work centers on implementation science, mental health interventions, and global health, aiming to strengthen health systems and inform policy. He leads the EMBRACE Program to reduce mental health care barriers for African Nova Scotians and newcomers and spearheaded CIHR-funded research on wildfire-related mental health impacts. Author of more than 100 publications, he holds editorial roles with PLOS Global Public Health and BMC Public Health. Dr. Eboreime's honours include fellowship in the Academy of Public Health (West African Institute of Public Health). He also sits on the board of the Global Implementation Society, promoting research-to-practice worldwide.
Dr. Ejemai Eboreime said in an acceptance speech at the awards:
鈥淚 wrote in an article in Lancet, authentic partnership with communities doesn't just advance science, it advances justice. Tonight's recognition shows that we can make mental health care truly accessible to all.鈥�
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Innovation 鈥撎鼵arbonRun (Shannon Sterling, Edmund Halfyard, Luke Connell)
An enterprise that has developed a commercially viable product or service, either market-ready or in its early-stages.
is a Halifax-based climate technology company founded by Dalhousie scientist Dr. Shannon Sterling (learn more below about Dr. Sterling, who was also a finalist for the Public Impact award). The company pioneers river alkalinity enhancement, a process that restores acidified waterways while removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Built on decades of research into watershed restoration, CarbonRun鈥檚 approach uses limestone to rebalance river chemistry, improve water quality, and boost aquatic biodiversity. Its scalable, cost-effective solution delivers significant co-benefits, including healthier ecosystems and community employment. CarbonRun has launched the world鈥檚 first full-scale pilot of this technology in Nova Scotia and is attracting global investment as a promising carbon removal strategy with megaton-to-gigaton potential. Recognized for innovation and impact, the company collaborates with Indigenous communities, governments, and conservation organizations to advance climate solutions.
Dr. Shannon Sterling said in an acceptance speech alongside Dr. Edmund Halfyard, a Dal PhD alum:
鈥淥ur company is trying to address a big problem. We need to draw down billions of tonnes of carbon. Nova Scotia has developed a whole new category for the way we need to do this, and it wouldn't have happened anywhere but here. So thank you to 91探花平台 and the talent we have."
Hall of Fame 鈥� Jean Gray (Professor Emerita of Medical Education, Medicine and Pharmacology)
Eminent scientists who have made a major, internationally recognized, impact on science and/or technology.
Dr. Jean Gray is professor emeritus of medical education, medicine, and pharmacology at 91探花平台 and a leader in clinical pharmacology and medical education. She was the founding head of Dalhousie鈥檚 Division of General Medicine and served as associate dean of postgraduate and continuing medical education. Dr. Gray helped create Therapeutic Choices, a widely used prescribing guide, and championed evidence-based drug safety and effectiveness. She has held national leadership roles, including presidencies of the Canadian and American Societies of Clinical Pharmacology and the Canadian Association for Medical Education, and chaired advisory boards for CIHR and Cochrane Canada. Her honours include induction into the Canadian Medical Hall of Fame, membership in the Order of Canada, and fellowship in the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences.
Dr. Gray spoke about when she moved on from her role as the founder and inaugural editor-in-chief for Therapeutic Choices, an evidence-based guide for health-care professionals making clinical decisions:
鈥淲hen it went electronic, it was a continuous updating process. It was at that point that I decided it was time to step away. And they appointed-a six member panel who took over.鈥�
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Science Champion 鈥� Paola Marignani (Biochemistry and Molecular Biology)
An individual, organization, or program that promotes science and technology education and STEM careers, and/or makes science better understood by the public.
Dr. Paola Marignani is a professor in Dalhousie鈥檚 Faculty of Medicine, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. She directs the Marignani Discovery Research Laboratory, which investigates tumour suppressor proteins, cancer metabolism, and precision-medicine strategies. Her research has advanced understanding of the LKB1 kinase 鈥� a protein linked to cancer growth 鈥� and its role in breast and lung cancers, and neurodegenerative diseases, integrating single-cell transcriptomics and machine learning to identify disease vulnrabilities. With this knowledge in hand, she and her team aim to develop precision therapies. Dr. Marignani also co-lead on an initiative that investigates听 cancer disparities in Black Canadian communities and serves as scientific director of the QEII Lung Tumour Biobank. A mentor with Creative Destruction Lab, both Atlantic Prime and Cancer Streams, and founder of Canadian Women in STEM where she has advocated for STEM support in Ottawa, she promotes equity and public engagement in science. Her research is recognized internationally that include leadership roles with the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer, American Association for Cancer Research and Breast Cancer Canada.听听
Dr. Paola Marignani said in her acceptance speech:
鈥淚 want to thank those living with cancer and those that have passed away. Your generosity with myself and my team and consent to study your tumours will hopefully enable us to create a future without cancer.鈥�
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Finalists
Learn below about some of the other Dalhousie scholars who were finalists for this year's awards.听
Dr. Isabel Smith (finalist for Professional of Distinction Award)
Dr. Isabel Smith is a Professor in Pediatrics and Psychology & Neuroscience at Dalhousie and former Joan & Jack Craig Chair in Autism Research. She leads the Autism Research Centre at IWK Health, focusing on the development and well-being of individuals with developmental disabilities, particularly autism. Her work spans longitudinal studies, intervention development, and health and education systems and policy. She led research on Nova Scotia鈥檚 early intervention model for preschoolers with ASD beginning in 2005, shaping best practices nationally and internationally. A core member of the Pathways in ASD research network for more than 25 years, she also advanced partnerships for earlier ASD identification. Her honours include the inaugural Lifetime Award in Pediatric Disability Research (Bloorview Research Institute, 2025) and an IWK Research Award.
Dr. Robert Lennox (finalist for Emerging Professional Award)
Dr. Robert Lennox is an associate professor in Dalhousie鈥檚 Department of Biology and scientific director of the Ocean Tracking Network, a Canada Foundation for Innovation major science initiative headquartered at Dal. His research focuses on movement ecology, biotelemetry, and conservation physiology, using global animal tracking data to guide fisheries management and policy. He has published more than 120 papers on fish migration and aquatic ecosystem resilience and previously established the Bergen Telemetry Network in Norway to study salmon, trout, lobster, and cod. Dr. Lennox鈥檚 work integrates big-data approaches to understand animal movement under climate and human pressures. His honours include the Governor General鈥檚 Gold Medal for outstanding graduate work.
Shannon Sterling (finalist for the Public Impact Award)
Dr. Shannon Sterling is an associate professor in Dalhousie鈥檚 Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences and founder of the Hydrology and Climate Change Research Group. Her research examines carbon dioxide removal, climate change, and water resources, with a focus on mitigating acidification in forests and rivers and restoring aquatic ecosystems. Dr. Sterling鈥檚 work led to the creation of CarbonRun, a startup developing technologies to draw down atmospheric carbon while improving water quality. She has published widely on hydrology and biogeochemical cycles and served as keynote speaker for major conferences, including the Gordon Research Conference on Catchment Science. Dr. Sterling's honours include Marie Curie and Chateaubriand fellowships and recognition as one of Dalhousie鈥檚 top environmental science educators.
Dr. Kristina Boerder (finalist for the Science Champion award)
Dr. Kristina Boerder is a senior research scientist in Dalhousie鈥檚 Department of Biology and leads the Community Eelgrass Restoration Initiative, which restores coastal habitats to boost biodiversity and carbon storage. Her research focuses on marine conservation, spatial planning, and human impacts on oceans, integrating big-data approaches like satellite vessel tracking to inform global fisheries management. She has co-authored high-impact papers in Science and Science Advances on fishing patterns and climate-resilient marine networks and collaborates with Indigenous partners on nature-based climate solutions. Dr. Boerder also promotes science education and public engagement through community programs and youth outreach as part of CERI. Her work with international organizations such as Conservation International and the Blue Nature Alliance advances global marine protection.