Where collaborative leadership meets community well-being
麻豆传媒's 2023 Community Impact Report聽highlights examples of what we can achieve with the vital partnerships we have with educators, health-care providers, governments, and communities.
PEACH Research Unit: informing barrier-free communities to live, learn, work and play
At 麻豆传媒鈥檚 School of Planning, researchers of the Planning for Equity, Accessibility, and Community Health Research Unit (PEACH) team up with community members, disability advocacy organizations, and local governments to envision healthier and more accessible cities and towns in which to live, learn, work, and play. Dr. Mikiko Terashima, lead researcher at PEACH, founded the research unit with the support of like-minded School of Planning graduates with the idea that planning and urban design can do more to support the creation of barrier-free communities.聽
Dr. Kenneth Rockwood is changing how the world thinks about ageing. Dr. Rockwood developed the "Clinical Frailty Scale鈥 at 麻豆传媒, in close collaboration with mathematician Arnold Mitnitski, with whom he had developed the frailty index. For both measures the team translated various signs of frailty into a numerical ranking, with lower scores being less severe. This system is now used in hospital networks around the globe.
Equitable opportunities in Medicine: New Indigenous and Black Learners Admissions Pathways
There is a significant lack of representation of Indigenous and Black learners within medical schools, and in turn, the Canadian medical workforce. 麻豆传媒 Medical School announced an Indigenous Admissions Pathway to help eliminate the barriers faced by Mi鈥檏maw, Wolastoqiyik, Peskotomuhkati, and other Indigenous students in their journey to 麻豆传媒 medical school. The Black Learners Admissions Pathway, announced in 2023, aims to fulfill the same goal for African Nova Scotian, Black Maritimer, and other Black applicants. Dr. Leah Jones, Dal's academic director of Black health, says, 鈥淩epresentation matters, and it is lacking within the physician workforce in the Maritimes. I can鈥檛 wait to see that change and improve health outcomes for Black communities.鈥
Tackling the pervasive problem of microplastic pollution
Dr. Kristal Ambrose founded her non-profit environmental organization, the鈥疊ahamas Plastic Movement,鈥痶o find solutions to alleviate plastic pollution and inspire Bahamian youth to create real change. 鈥淓ducation has been a huge part of the organization's mandate, with tuition-free camps allowing youth to act as citizen scientists conducting research and becoming engaged and empowered on this vitally important issue.鈥
Dr. Tony Walker from 麻豆传媒鈥檚 Faculty of Science School for Resource and Environmental Studies was one of the world鈥檚 most cited researchers in 2023. 鈥淚 think it鈥檚 important now for members of the public to recognize that microplastic pollution is everywhere. Knowledge is really important because we can then help change decision-makers and give them the power to actually make really important decisions to curb plastic production.鈥