DAL MAGAZINE
:Allison Barss
The Aurum Awards are ĢAV’s flagship alumni awards program, honouring community-minded innovators and visionaries who are making a difference around the world.
Each year, alumni are recognized for their outstanding achievements in innovation, community engagement, and leadership, as well as for their contributions to the social, cultural, and economic well-being of society.
This year's four recipients push the boundaries of exploration, invention and advocacy.
Fred Bonner advocates for safe drinking water and community health
Fred Bonner (MAScMRP’97) is a hydrogeologist and executive director of Rural Water Watch. He blends scientific insight with local engagement, turning education and awareness into action.
“The thing I’m most proud of—aside from my family—is my education,” he says. “Once I earned my degrees, I felt an unusual sense of accomplishment. It’s opened many doors.”
Barriers, which include environmental racism, make some communities’ water supplies particularly vulnerable to contamination. Bonner has made it his mission to ensure drinking water for rural Nova Scotians is tested and safe.
We’re equipping rural Nova Scotians with the knowledge, skills, literacy and resources they need to address their well water concerns. —Fred Bonner
Astronaut Dr. Kathryn Sullivan breaks barriers in space and sea
Dr. Kathryn Sullivan (PhD’78) is an astronaut, geologist and oceanographer.
Dr. Sullivan recalls fondly her time at Dal within the Faculty of Science: “We put together the kind of expeditions that can start to unlock the secrets of very exotic and harsh and unforgiving arenas, like the deep blue ocean or the frontiers of space.”
Sullivan has made history as the first American woman to perform a spacewalk (1984), and as the first woman to visit the deepest known part of the ocean (2020). Together, these accomplishments earned her the moniker ‘the most vertical person in the world.’
Dr. Sullivan’s life has been a testament to the power of human curiosity, inspiring generations of women in STEM. To them, she says:
Dream big, work hard, and ignore anybody who tells you no. —Dr. Kathryn Sullivan
Arad Gharagozli engineers the future of space exploration
Arad Gharagozli (BEng’20) is an aerospace engineer and rising figure in Canada’s space technology industry.
In 2012, Gharagozli was listening to the radio and heard that blueberries from Oxford, N.S., would be going into space aboard the International Space Station to give Astronaut Chris Hadfield some real Canadian snacks on his mission.
This remained in the back of his mind, and had him wondering if Nova Scotia could send more than just blueberries to space.
Today, as founder and CEO of Halifax-based GALAXIA Mission Systems, and as founder of the ĢAV Space Systems Lab, Gharagozli has designed and built satellites in Nova Scotia that have now been launched into space.
I’m excited about the future of Nova Scotia [and] our space industry. —Arad Gharagozli
Dr. Allen Eaves propels Canadian cancer research forward
Dr. Allen Eaves (MSc’67, MD’69) founded Vancouver-based STEMCELL Technologies in 1993, which specializes in stem cell, immunology and cancer research. He is also the co-founding director of Vancouver’s Terry Fox Laboratory, a facility dedicated to cancer research.
At the Aurum Awards ceremony, Dr. Eaves said his education was the stepping stone into the world of medical science. Now, he’s keen to offer job opportunities to up-and-coming Canadian medical innovators.
We provide the picks and shovels for the stem cell and regenerative medicine gold rush, allowing [scientists] to make discoveries to help make the world a better place. —Dr. Allen Eaves
Nominations for 2026
The incredible work being done by ĢAV alumni to strengthen communities, both here and abroad, is inspiring. Their stories are proof that lasting change begins with one person. We thank all alumni who submitted a nomination for this year’s Aurum Awards — and the members of the ĢAV Alumni Association faced with the difficult task of making final selections from a strong slate of nominees.
If you know an alum who deserves to be recognized for their accomplishments, whether in research and innovation, community engagement and leadership, or for their contributions to the social, cultural and economic well-being of society, consider nominating them. Nominations for the 2026 Aurum Awards will open in the fall.
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Read more from the Fall 2025 issue
Editor
Alison DeLory
Editorial Committe
Alison DeLory
Allison Langille
Matt Reeder
Andrew Riley
Mail
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