There are more than 800 PhD students currently enrolled at Dal. Dalhousie Research Excellence Scholarships are expected to increase the number of these research students, adding significantly to the university's research enterprise. The initiative delivers on a key element of the university's strategic plan, Third Century Promise, and is designed to increase research impact and enhance opportunities for innovation and commercialization.
Impact funding for the Dalhousie Research Excellence Scholarship was secured in early 2024 through an application submitted as part of the Integrated Planning process that was supported by all of Dalhousie's Faculties. Dalhousie's current PhD student support is funded from several sources, including the university's Killam Trusts endowment, a more than $190-million fund that contributes roughly $5 million annually towards student scholarships and supports. Dalhousie is one of just five universities in Canada with a Killlam Trusts endowment and we hold the largest share of the funds.
"This is about attracting and supporting Dalhousie's next generation of leaders," says Adam Donaldson, dean of the Faculty of Graduate Studies (acting) at Dal. "PhD students are at the forefront of research and innovation; their work can have a significant impact on local, national and global challenges."
New directions in knowledge
An initiative that will touch each of Dalhousie's faculties, this strategic investment will see new PhD students working alongside the university's leading researchers, pursuing solutions to critical challenges in health care, green energy, food security, sustainable communities, and emerging technologies, to name a few.
"In order to meet this moment, the world needs big ideas and innovation," says Kim Brooks, Dalhousie's president and vice-chancellor. "Those often come from students in PhD programs who have the time and creativity to approach challenges in new ways. We have a responsibility to help Nova Scotia, Canada, and the world by creating new possibilities and this is one of the ways we can respond to that imperative."
Dalhousie is a research powerhouse, with scholars addressing critical issues that promise to make our world healthier, more sustainable and prosperous. And working alongside each of these scholars are PhD students who are advancing knowledge in new directions and in new ways.
"From world-leading battery research that's made Nova Scotia an international destination for academics and industry, to research exploring the depths of the ocean to understand its critical role in climate change, to scholars commercializing medical discoveries that extend lives, PhD students are an essential part of our research enterprise," says Dr. Alice Aiken, vice-president research and innovation. "This new funding is the fuel we need to push our ambitions even higher, while providing the next generation of scholars with the experiences and expertise to safeguard the future of humanity and the world we live in."
For interested candidates, applications can be submitted through the Faculty of Graduate Studies' Harmonized Scholarship Process. To learn more about award details, value and eligibility, visit: dal.ca/research-excellence-scholarship.
To learn more about specific Dalhousie PhD research opportunities, visit: dal.ca/research.
You can visit Dalhousie's Faculty of Graduate Studies's Meet our community page to learn more about our current PhD students and their exceptional work.
