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Each year, Dalhousie’s Golden Eagle Lifetime Achievement Award and Aurum Awards celebrate outstanding alumni who are making contributions to the betterment of society. They are awarded annually during Dal Alumni Days. We are proud to introduce you to this year’s five recipients.

Golden Eagle 

This award (est. 2023) celebrates a remarkable alum with a long-standing connection and commitment to the advancement of academic excellence at Dalhousie.

Dr. J. Donald “Don” Hill (MD’60, LLD’87) is the 2025 Golden Eagle recipient. He is a renowned cardiac surgeon, medical researcher and inventor. He has made an indelible mark on Dalhousie through his establishment of the Donald Hill Family Postdoctoral Fellowships which aim to ease the transition from doctoral studies to tenured professorships. 

Read more about Dr. Don Hill and watch his video.

Aurum Awards

The Aurum Awards honour community-minded innovators and visionaries who are making a difference around the world. Each year, many incredible alumni are nominated for an Aurum Award by their peers, with winners selected by the Dalhousie Alumni Association. 

This year’s selection—a water safety advocate, a space entrepreneur, a cancer researcher, and a NASA astronaut—share a dedication to exploring, understanding and sharing their discoveries. Their passions contribute to solving community-based and global challenges for a better, stronger future. 

Fred Bonner (MAScMRP’97) is a hydrogeologist and executive director of Rural Water Watch. A community-based changemaker, he has made it his mission to ensure safe drinking water for rural Nova Scotians. Through his work, he blends scientific insight with local engagement, turning education and awareness into action.  

Read more about Fred Bonner and watch his video.

Arad Gharagozli (BEng’20) is an aerospace engineer and a rising figure in Canada’s space technology industry. As the founder and CEO of Halifax-based GALAXIA Mission Systems and the founder of the Dalhousie Space Systems Lab, he has led the development of Atlantic Canada’s first satellites, launching Nova Scotia into the future of space exploration. 

Read more about Arad Gharagozli and watch his video.

Dr. Kathryn Sullivan (PhD’78) is a geologist, oceanographer and former NASA astronaut. As the first American woman to perform a spacewalk and the first woman to reach the deepest known part of the ocean (and the first human being to ever do both), she has carved a legacy in space and sea, helping to pave the way for current and future women in STEM. 

Read more about Dr. Kathryn Sullivan and watch her video.

Dr. Allen Eaves (MSc'67, MD'69) is a distinguished Canadian scientist, renowned for his groundbreaking contributions in cancer research and stem cell biology. As the founder of STEMCELL Technologies and co-founder of the Terry Fox Laboratory, Dr. Eaves has significantly advanced medical science and biotechnology, transforming the landscape of regenerative medicine. 

Read more about Dr. Allen Eaves and watch his video.

Going forward

We are proud of the incredible work being done by our alumni to strengthen and understand our communities, both here and abroad. Their stories are proof that it only takes one person to make a difference and create lasting change.

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 — stay tuned for nomination information for the 2026 Aurum Awards, which will open this fall.