Alice Aiken Dalhousie University

W100 Representative

Dr. Alice AikenVice-President, Research & Innovation


Dr. Alice Aiken is the Vice-President Research & Innovation at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Canada. She is an active researcher focused on health systems transformation and evidence-informed policy-making. Dr. Aiken is currently the Vice-Chair of the Governing Council of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) and chairs the board of Research Nova Scotia. She is elected to the College of New Scholars, Artists and Scientists of the Royal Society of Canada.

She was formerly the Dean of the Faculty of Health at Dalhousie. She is a co-founder and the former Scientific Director of the Canadian Institute for Military and Veteran Health Research, a unique consortium of over 41 Canadian and 7 international universities dedicated to researching the health needs of military personnel, Veterans and their families.

She received her PhD and Master from Queen’s University, Canada, her Physical Therapy degree from Dalhousie University, and a BSc in Kinesiology from the University of Ottawa. She also proudly served in the Canadian Armed Forces for 14 years, first as a ship’s navigator in the Royal Canadian Navy, then as a physiotherapist.

She is currently the Honorary Captain(Navy) for Canadian Forces Health Services Atlantic, and a Dame of the Order of St George. For her commitment to the health and well-being of military personnel, Veterans, and their families, she has received the Canadian Minister of Veterans Affairs Commendation, the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal, and the Chapel of the Four Chaplains Legion of Honor Bronze Medallion (USA).

Dalhousie University is located in Halifax, Nova Scotia which is ranked one of the friendliest cities in the world. Founded in 1818, Dalhousie is one of Canada’s oldest universities, attracting more than 20,000 students from around the world. They make a lasting impact by blending transformative academic programs with pioneering research on Canada’s East Coast.

Dalhousie University is located in Mi’kma’ki, the ancestral and unceded territory of the Mi’kmaq.

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Thinking andacting globally

Dalhousie’s global connections enhance the quality and impact of education and research at local, national, and international levels. The university’s international strategy is built on cooperation and partnerships to support learning and research that is interdisciplinary, cross-cultural, global in reach, and oriented toward solving problems that extend across national borders.

Key areas of internationalization include:

The university has over 300 partnership agreements with universities from 67 countries. The Office of International Relations helps oversee the implementation of the international strategy and coordinates partnership agreements, visiting delegations, and visits abroad.

Vision and Values

Dalhousie inspires the diverse community to serve Nova Scotia, Canada, and the world through innovative and impactful teaching and research, world-class scholarship, a passion for learning, and a deep sense of social responsibility

  • Academic freedom
  • Commitment to excellence in teaching, research and service
  • Equity, diversity, inclusion and accessibility
  • Future-ready leaders
  • Impactful community engagement
  • Social responsibility and sustainability
  • Wellness, accessibility, respect and support

Excellence in academics, leadership, research and innovation

$181m

Awarded annually in external research grants and awards

92%

of faculty have a PhD or doctorate

Dalhousie has a rich history of excellence in research and innovation. Their researchers are recognized through the institution, across the province, the country, and on the global stage for their many achievements.

What are Dalhousie’s research strengths? Their research efforts focus on five Signature Research Clusters and are informed by two cross-cutting themes, Big Data and Innovation & Entrepreneurship.

Dalhousie combines the prestige of a big-name university with a hands-on, collaborative education — all students have access to experiential learning opportunities in their programs and nearly 90% are taking advantage of it.

Dalhousie has received a five-star rating overall, and specifically in Teaching, Employability, Learning Environment, and Innovation, from QS Stars, one of the top global university rating systems.


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