Sydney native named science dean of University of Brandon
When she was in grade primary at South Bar Elementary, Bernadette Ardelli was given a book by her teacher about Eugenie Clark, a marine biologist also known as the shark lady.
“But in that book she was caught in a giant clam and she was doing all sorts of really neat things and so that’s what got me interested in science — I wanted to be a marine biologist from the Ardelli day I read that book in 1975,” Ardelli said in an interview last week, noting she recently shared that story with her son, Luca, who is in kindergarten.
That set the path that Ardelli was to end up following, completing a bachelor of science in biology at the University College of Cape Breton, and a master of science and a PhD in zoology from the University of Guelph, before becoming a senior researcher and post-doctoral fellow at McGill University’s Institute of Parasitology. She joined the University of Brandon in 2006.
Over the years, her area of concentration expanded from the study of fish diseases to human health.
Now, the 47-year-old is taking on another new challenge, as the next dean of science at the University of Brandon. The university’s board of governors approved the appointment for a term of five years, beginning Jan. 1.
“At first I kind of felt like throwing up in my garbage can,” Ardelli said of her initial reaction to the news. “I feel pretty good, I’ve been doing a lot of hard work and I think it’s now being recognized by being selected to be the next dean of science.”
Ardelli grew up on Lingan Road, the daughter of John and Linda, and still has family here.
She noted her educational path had a few bumps along the way.
“When I started at UCCB, the then-dean threatened to throw me out because my marks were so bad,” Ardelli said. “It was a struggle, I had a big adjustment from the way we were sort of taught to study
in high school versus university expectations.”
However, she stuck with it, and she encourages anyone interested in pursuing science to also persevere.
“Don’t be intimidated by the material. If it’s something that you really are interested in, you really want to do, you should do it. Don’t let anything stand in your way,” Ardelli said.
“At first I kind of felt like throwing up in my garbage can. I feel pretty good, I’ve been doing a lot of hard work and I think it’s now being recognized by being selected to be the next dean of science.”
Bernadette Ardelli
She noted that CBU’s current dean of science David McCorquodale was one of her undergraduate professors, while she describes professor emeritus Cheryl Bartlett as her mentor.
Among her goals as dean will be to expand program offerings, especially at the graduate level, and to support the university’s new co-op program.
Ardelli noted that universities and colleges in Manitoba have signed an Indigenous education blueprint, which came out of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
“Essentially, we need to do something with Indigenous education and science and that’s going to be one of my priorities as well,” Ardelli said.
She added that, if a professional opportunity was to arise, she would love to be able to come to Cape Breton.
“I miss home,” she said.