Research chairs

The Canada Research Chairs Program stands at the centre of a national strategy to make Canada one of the world's top five countries for research and development.

In 2000, the Government of Canada created a new permanent program to establish 2,000 research professorships — Canada Research Chairs — in universities across the country by 2008. The Canada Research Chairs Program invests $300-million a year to attract and retain some of the world's most accomplished and promising minds.

Chairholders, including two associated with Dalhousie University Schulich School of Law, advance the frontiers of knowledge in their fields, not only through their own work, but also by teaching and supervising students and coordinating the work of other researchers.

Jocelyn Downie

Jocelyn G. Downie, Canada Research Chair in Health Law and Policy, is analyzing and recommending appropriate regulation to govern health research involving human subjects. Her findings will provide a better foundation on which to base future public policy in these critical areas.

David VanderZwaag

David VanderZwaag, Canada Research Chair in Ocean Law and Governance, is evaluating global ocean governance; examining the effectiveness of regional agreements for managing fisheries and protecting the arctic marine environment; studying issues raised by sustainable development, community-based management, indigenous rights and ecoystem-based management. His research aims to develop legislative and regulatory reforms for supporting more principled decision making in ocean governance.

Dawn Russell is the second holder of the Purdy Crawford Chair in Business Law. Established in 2001 with a $2-million endowment, the chair was made possible by the generous contributions of Dalhousie alumni and friends, as well as organizations with an interest in ensuring an ongoing commitment to business law at the Schulich School of Law.