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Three of Dal’s top academics have been awarded the prestigious designation of University Research Professor.

Each year, up to three Dal professors are awarded the title in recognition of the significant contribution to research and scholarship they have made throughout their career. With 15 professorships in total, it is an acknowledgement of a faculty member’s research productivity and impact.

Here are the newly announced University Research Professors.

Susan Kirkland

Faculty of Medicine

Dr. Kirkland’s academic leadership, research profile and scholarly work is impressive both nationally and internationally. Her research lies in the areas of chronic diseases and aging, and she is particularly interested in understanding the interplay of social, physical, and genetic factors that lead to individual differences in the way people age and develop chronic conditions. As one of the three principal investigators leading the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging, Dr. Kirkland’s determination, fortitude and insightful thinking are evidenced in her collaborative and productive approach. This landmark study will provide positive benefits in the lives of Canadians and the world at large and influence interdisciplinary research in the field of aging for decades to come. In addition to the CLSA, Dr. Kirkland is the Director of the Atlantic Interdisciplinary Research Network (AIRN), and she continues to apply for and receive funding from multiple agencies, mentor students and contribute positive impacts to the larger academic community in various roles.

David Burton

Faculty of Agriculture

Dr. Burton is a leading researcher in soil nitrogen dynamics with an impressive career spanning more than three decades. His research programs involve an examination of the production and consumption of greenhouse gases in natural and agricultural landscapes, sustainable manure management practices, and the assessment of the quality of the soil biological environment and its influence on overall soil health. His body of research is important in finding answers to today’s most pressing problems and has resulted in practical tools that improve farm management and generated important impacts in science, policy, and land management. His collective efforts on all fronts — HQP, scholarly publications, collaborations and funding pilipiliÂþ»­ — have contributed to raising Agriculture’s status to national prominence and in establishing its reputation as an invaluable resource for regional agriculture.

Janice Graham

Faculty of Medicine

Dr. Graham is an anthropologist of science, technology and medicine. Her exceptional career is critically important for these times. Interested in the cultural, technical and moral tensions in health regulation, she studies the construction of evidence for the safety and effectiveness of emerging therapeutics and vaccines. Exploring the commercialization of publicly funded health innovation, Dr. Graham's research shows that fault lines appear at the intersection of regulatory policies and scientific practices that can compromise safety and efficacy when corporate interest directs innovation. Drawing from social science, bioethics, epidemiology and medicine, Dr. Graham’s highly productive and internationally acclaimed scholarship has had a direct and meaningful impact on global and public health. Known for providing her students with a rich learning and research environment, she is currently working on transparency, openness and trust in global vaccine research.

A full list of Dalhousie’s University Research Professors can be found here.