First year Master of Design student Shima Soltani demonstrated the power of design thinking as part of a winning team at this year’s .������

��Organized by the Halifax Partnership and Dalhousie University, the 5th Annual Halifax Innovation Challenge provided students from Halifax universities an opportunity to demonstrate their ability to innovate and collaborate within interdisciplinary teams to solve real-life business challenges.��

All teams were given one of three challenges to work on and present their solutions to executive leaders and academics. Winning teams received a cash prize of $1,200. ��

Working with five Dalhousie students, Soltani’s team competed against ten other teams on a challenge called “Building Client Relationships and Trust with Al RBC.” They were asked how the bank might “safely and ethically use data & Artificial Intelligence to provide best-in-class financial solutions, advice, planning and recommendations to support the diverse needs of all of our clients.” ��

“My teammates were so talented in their majors and knew a lot about AI, marketing, investing, banking and data science,” Soltani says. “The initial challenge inside our team was how to put all our expertise on a direct path to focus on the problem.”����

They spoke with clients about RBC’s current situation and their relationship with clients, about RBC services and issues around the RBC phone application. Then they hit upon a solution: to use NOMI InvestPro, empowered by AI, to bridge the gap of RBC’s services. It proved to be a winning idea.����

��

‘Teamwork is truly important’

“My role in the team was to help my team to focus on the main point of trust: what it means, and what happens when people lose their trust in a company. I looked at who the RBC’s clients are, their age groups, social groups and what their needs are and their expectations,” says Soltani.����

Soltani’s teammate Zack Holroyd says that having someone with design expertise was very important to their success.������

“We were able to have someone to make recommendations on what the application could do. With Shima’s help we were able to make an application that was reasonable to create based on her knowledge of design.”����

“Sometimes technical people are focused more on the technical side while the management people care more about the presentation and business proposal. Designers are concerned more with people and that helps,” adds teammate Almasfiza Anwar Hussain. ��

The inclusion of ��ܽ����Ƶ design students at the Halifax Innovation Challenge began when Huschang Pourian, an assistant professor of design took his class to a pitch competition in September.������

“I encouraged my MDes students to participate in this 2-day event, stressing the importance of entrepreneurial thinking, networking, and collaborative working across disciplines. But I did not supervise them – it was a completely self-directed initiative,” says Pourian.����

“Teamwork is truly important,” says Soltani. “I learned how to deal with different points of view and put them in one direct way to address the challenge. I also learned how to manage my time in a short period of time, how to present my ideas, and how to support my ideas.”�� ��

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A dignity journey: design for health and aging��is a retrospective of Glen Hougan’s design and research work over the last 10 years. This includes design classes on aging, research into ageism and product adaptations, and designs of assistive aid products to aging suits. This exhibition highlights his design journey taken in health and aging.

Glen Hougan is an Associate Professor of Design at ��ܽ����Ƶ University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and principal of the design consultancy Wellspan Research and Design. His work in the area of design for health, aging and dignity has been covered in the New York Times and Wall Street Journal. He has been awarded a��Research Fellowship in Healthcare Innovations��from the Center for Innovation (CFI), at the Mayo Clinic and was made the��Sun Life Financial Chair in Design in Health and Aging��in Canada.

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Preparation Suites  — Celeste Cares & Alex Sutcliffe, undergraduate exhibitors — Gallery 1

Celeste Cares paints a mushy, girlish muse in various states of activity. Applying lipstick; combing hair; spilling coffee – these states of getting ready prove to be messy, chaotic, and fun. Alex Sutcliffe’s oil paintings abstract figures and forms in nebulous, unreal landscapes. Muted colours and rich brushwork reveal hazy figures that wait, withdraw, and dance in a visualized space of existential malaise, suspended on a stage where they prepare for nothingness.July 17, 2019
Noon Talk
Anna Leonowens Gallery, 1891 Granville Street

Ocean Treasures: Anthropocene Artifacts —
Jennifer McLatchy, IDPhD Candidate— Gallery 2A

Artist-researcher Jennifer MacLatchy combs shorelines in Nova Scotia by kayak and by foot, searching for and collecting marine debris, or, anthropocene era artifacts. This exhibition is a museum-like display of artifacts that have been documented and preserved with great care in order to study the relationship between humans and the ocean in a time of great change and loss. This work is an enactment of small acts of great care aimed at addressing massive and overwhelming environmental problems. In doing this, it engages with feelings of futility, grief, and maybe hope.Not Place
Heather Murray & Caitlin Secondcost, organizers — Gallery 3

This exhibition presents paintings, sculptures and audio works by Heather Murray, Caitlin Secondcost, Lauren Hodder, Jennifer Litsas, Bryson Mckenzie, Hila Peleg, Kizi Spielmann Rose, Anna-Lisa Shandro, Mitchell Wiebe and Twyla Zoe.

Exhibition: July 9 – 20, 2019

Alcuin Awards for Excellence in Book Design in Canada, travelling exhibition  — Gallery 2B

The Alcuin Society has announced the 2018 winners of its annual winning books, which will be exhibited in Germany at the Frankfurt and Leipzig Book Fairs; at the Canadian Embassy in Tokyo; and in nine Canadian provinces. The Alcuin Society is a Vancouver based non-profit society for the support and appreciation of fine books. For more information and list of winners visit

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Preparation Suites����— Celeste Cares & Alex Sutcliffe, undergraduate exhibitors��— Gallery 1

Celeste Cares paints a mushy, girlish muse in various states of activity. Applying lipstick; combing hair; spilling coffee – these states of getting ready prove to be messy, chaotic, and fun. Alex Sutcliffe’s oil paintings abstract figures and forms in nebulous, unreal landscapes. Muted colours and rich brushwork reveal hazy figures that wait, withdraw, and dance in a visualized space of existential malaise, suspended on a stage where they prepare for nothingness.July 17, 2019
Noon Talk
Anna Leonowens Gallery, 1891 Granville Street

Ocean Treasures: Anthropocene Artifacts —
Jennifer McLatchy, IDPhD Candidate— Gallery 2A

Artist-researcher Jennifer MacLatchy combs shorelines in Nova Scotia by kayak and by foot, searching for and collecting marine debris, or, anthropocene era artifacts. This exhibition is a museum-like display of artifacts that have been documented and preserved with great care in order to study the relationship between humans and the ocean in a time of great change and loss. This work is an enactment of small acts of great care aimed at addressing massive and overwhelming environmental problems. In doing this, it engages with feelings of futility, grief, and maybe hope.Not Place
Heather Murray & Caitlin Secondcost, organizers��— Gallery 3

This exhibition presents paintings, sculptures and audio works by Heather Murray, Caitlin Secondcost,��Lauren Hodder,��Jennifer Litsas,��Bryson Mckenzie,��Hila Peleg,��Kizi Spielmann Rose,��Anna-Lisa Shandro,��Mitchell Wiebe and��Twyla Zoe.

Exhibition:��July 9 – 20, 2019

Alcuin Awards for Excellence in Book Design in Canada, travelling exhibition�� — Gallery 2B

The Alcuin Society has announced the 2018 winners of its annual winning books, which will be exhibited in Germany at the Frankfurt and Leipzig Book Fairs; at the Canadian Embassy in Tokyo; and in nine Canadian provinces. The Alcuin Society is a Vancouver based non-profit society for the support and appreciation of fine books. For more information and list of winners visit

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Alcuin Awards for Excellence in Book Design in Canada
travelling exhibition�� — Gallery 2B

The Alcuin Society has announced the 2018 winners of its annual winning books, which will be exhibited in Germany at the Frankfurt and Leipzig Book Fairs; at the Canadian Embassy in Tokyo; and in nine Canadian provinces. The Alcuin Society is a Vancouver based non-profit society for the support and appreciation of fine books. For more information and list of winners visit July 9 – 13, 2019
Opening reception: Monday, July 8, 5:30 – 7PM
Anna Leonowens Gallery, 1891 Granville Street

JIAN — Koei Kao
MFA Thesis Exhibition — Gallery 1

Kao’s MFA thesis exhibition explores concepts of negative space, translation between human race and animal species in embossing works, and ink and oil paintings. Emphasis on negative space and breathing rooms through transparent embossed text pieces and Xieyi paintings, the artist draws attention to the distance created through every translation and an ESL interpretations. These works invite viewers to engage with further translations that go beyond the artist’s lenses. How much or how less is needed for us to communicate? How long does it take to see a creature?North Block — Rachel Anzalone
graduate exhibitor — Gallery 2A

During her studies at ��ܽ����Ƶ, Rachel Anzalone traveled up and down the North Block stairway, continuously leaving from and arriving at her studio. She noticed paint chips bubbling and departing from the walls. With curiosity, she peeled the chips, only to discover the layers of paint underneath. With sheets of mylar, acrylic paint, and the paint chips collaged together, Anzalone has documented a piece of the building’s history and someone’s attempt at patching up the walls.

On Thursday, June 20th at 9:30PM, the artists will host a brief discussion followed by a musical performance as Tangent at Art Bar +Projects.Clifton Deposits — Sage Sidley
graduate exhibitor — Gallery 3

This exhibition explores digital and physical location-based data collection and its influence on experiencing place. Sidley’s interdisciplinary drawing research concerns the intangible transformation of public and semi-public spaces into digital data harvesting sites and the proliferation of social surveillance practices. The gallery space will swarm with forms such as: found objects and notes, drawings, prints, and sculptures to investigate the traces of these unseen influences.

On Thursday, June 20th at 9:30PM, the artists will host a brief discussion followed by a musical performance as Tangent at Art Bar +Projects.

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Dirty sweep — Lauren Schaffer
visiting artist — Gallery 1

“Less than twelves paces from Toronto artist Lauren Schaffer’s kitchen door lies the entrance to her studio backing onto an alleyway at the end of the yard. The two portals bookend this brief passage through the outdoors with its microbes and leaf mold, its insects and animal life-stations of the day and seasons. One of the doors marks the threshold to the familial and domestic routine while the other opens onto the discipline and solitude of artistic practice. Over the past several years, Schaffer’s traversal along this circuit with its infra-think natural barrier has provided much fodder for her work in digital videos and sculpture through which she has consistently engaged in entomological and domestic themes.” – Jennifer McMackon

Lauren Schaffer is a multidisciplinary artist living in Toronto. Inspired by the limits of perception and research around the intersection of human and animal behaviour, her work encompases sculpture, installation, audio and video. She has received her undergraduate degree from the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design and her Master of Fine Arts degree from Concordia University. Her work has been exhibited across Canada and been featured in Canadian Art, C Magazine and Espace Magazine.May 21 – 25, 2019
Opening reception: Tuesday, May 21, 5:30 – 7PM
Anna Leonowens Gallery, 1891 Granville Street

Brand Flavours — Design Studio 4
group exhibition — Gallery 2

Students in Huschang Pourian’s Design Studio 4 have spent a semester developing concepts and visual identities for restaurants, cafés and bars. In their exhibition, they aim to push the boundaries of the food and beverage market in Halifax.Coda: Language and Art
group exhibition — organized by Anita Joh and Liam Ross — Gallery 3

Students in Bruce Barber’s Language Into Art class present works that explore conversation, confession, deception and communication. Their exhibition asks the viewer to consider the gap between deeply personal and subjective experiences, and the supposedly objective nature of codified languages.May 22- 26, 2019
Port Loggia Gallery, 1107 Marginal Road

At Home — Kyla Gilbert
undergraduate exhibitor

Gilbert explores intermediary surfaces as bonds/barriers between the internal and the external. Using air and gravity as activating forces, the artist highlights the changeability of matter and the fusion of organic and industrial materials, in parallel to the human body within its environment.

Kyla Gilbert will present two 20-minute performances daily at 2 and 3pm, May 22 – 26th.

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��ܽ����Ƶ University Portfolio Day is a prospective student’s best opportunity to visit our campuses, tour the unique and generous facilities, learn more about our programs, and meet our faculty and students and learn from them what they do here and what you might want to do here too.

If you have work of your own, bring it along and select the option for Portfolio Review when you register. You will have a one-on-one appointment with faculty who will review your work and give you feedback and suggestions of ways you can improve and develop your work further leading to the preparation of successful portfolio.

Our next Portfolio Day is Saturday, February 16, 2019. If you wish to attend, Once you have completed the registration, we will send you an email detailing the day’s activities and additional information.�� Don’t forget to indicate whether or not you would like to bring a Portfolio or some work to be reviewed. Last day to register will be Friday, February 15.

offers visitors to ��ܽ����Ƶ a discounted rate of stay!

If you have any questions, please email admissions@nscad.ca

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STUDENT EXCHANGE PRESENTATIONS
Monday, January 28,��12:15 pm

Presentations from returning students Zhan Zhan (jewellery and metalsmithing) and Zhen Ma (interdsciplinary design).AFTER ANNA
Mondays during openings, 5:00 – 8:30 pm

We’re here during every single Anna opening! Come warm up!MFA FORUM
Wednesday 6:00 – 8:00 pm

This winter, the MFA forum will host a discussion series. The intention is to foster increased collaboration between faculty and graduate students, and to host and event for exploration, experimentation and discussion of a variety of topics within the University Community.

MFA Forum is open to the public!

STUDENT EXCHANGE PRESENTATIONS
Thursday, January 31,��12:15 pm

Presentations from returning students Sorrel Van Allen��(jewellery and metalsmithing) and Borguesse Mozaffarian (jewellery and metalsmithing).VINYL COLLECTION LISTENING SERIES
Fridays this semester,��12:00 pm

Join the Library every Friday at noon to listen to and discuss the sounds found in the ��ܽ����Ƶ Library Vinyl Collection.

To check out the full list of records go to

For more information or to make a record request for the series contact Lelland Reed ��at��lreed@nscad.ca

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VINYL COLLECTION LISTENING SERIES
Fridays this semester,��12:00pm

Join the Library every Friday at noon to listen to and discuss the sounds found in the ��ܽ����Ƶ Library Vinyl Collection.

To check out the full list of records go to

For more information or to make a record request for the series contact Lelland Reed ��at��lreed@nscad.caAFTER ANNA
Mondays during openings, 5 – 8:30pm

We’re here during every single Anna opening! Come warm up!MFA FORUM
Wednesday 6 – 8:00PM

This winter, the MFA forum will host a discussion series. The intention is to foster increased collaboration between faculty and graduate students, and to host and event for exploration, experimentation and discussion of a variety of topics within the University Community. This week’s theme is translate and the group members include Phillip Kanwischer, Alex Linfield, Maddie Alexander, Drayden DeCosta, Merryn Tresidder, David Clark, and Lelland Reed.
Thursday, January 24, 7 – 10PM

Join GDC Atlantic January 24 at ��ܽ����Ƶ Art Bar +Projects for their��2019 Annual General Meeting and a fun night of design trivia. Test your design nerdiness and hangout with fellow graphic designers. The fun starts at 7 PM… with great prizes to be won!

* All creative types and non-members are welcome.

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