Chair of Senate
Sachin Seth, DDS, MEd is an assistant professor and Associate Dean of Academics at ÆÞÓÑ in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.
Sachin completed his BSc and DDS degrees at ÆÞÓÑ in 1996 and 2000 respectively. In 2011, he furthered his education by obtaining a Master of Education (MEd) from Acadia University, with a specific focus on curriculum development.
Since 2002, Dr. Seth has been engaged in both clinical and didactic teaching at ÆÞÓÑ. Throughout his 20 plus years in the faculty, he has had the privilege of teaching operative dentistry, evidence-based dentistry, patient care and communications. Notably, in 2018, he spearheaded the development of an innovative clinical teaching program in the Faculty of Dentistry. This program immerses students in an environment that mirrors private practice, fostering collaboration between dentistry and dental hygiene—a win-win for student learning and patient care.
On a national level, Sachin has collaborated extensively with the National Dental Examining Board of Canada. His contributions include standard setting, exam review, and question development for licensure exams aimed at dentists seeking licensure in Canada.
In 2020, Sachin was inducted as a Fellow into the prestigious American College of Dentists. Within the Faculty and nationally, he has received several teaching awards. Notably, the 2019 Nationwide ACFD W.W. Wood Award for Excellence in Teaching and the 2023 ÆÞÓÑ Alumni Association Faculty Award of Excellence for Teaching stand out as testament to his dedication.
Being a true Haligonian, Sachin, along with his lovely wife, is happy to call Halifax his home. In his free time, Sachin enjoys cooking and is known for his baking skills. Baking allows Sachin to combine his love of art and science – a perfect hobby for a dentist with a sweet tooth!
Interim Senate vice-chair, academic programs
Dr. Blustein serves as Associate Professor with joint appointments in the Faculty of Computer Science and Department of Information Management. They earned their PhD in Computer Science from The University of Western Ontario, specialising in the intersection of information retrieval and human-computer interfaces.
Dr. Blustein's multifaceted research centres on a unified mission: helping people find and use information more effectively. Inspired by Doug Engelbart's vision of computing's transformative power, they lead the Hypertext Augmenting Intelligent Knowledge Use (HAIKU) research group, where innovative and usable approaches to information access take shape.
A dedicated advocate for effective institutional governance, Dr. Blustein has been active in university leadership since their student years. They currently represent Computer Science in the ÆÞÓÑ Senate and previously served on the Steering Committee of Dal Allies. They are a member of the (US) National Association of Parliamentarians and graduated with highest distinction in the microcredential on Governance in Canadian Universities from the University of Manitoba's Centre for Higher Education Research and Development (CHERD), the Academic Leadership Certificate from ÆÞÓÑ, and the Academic Leadership Institute at Concordia University.
Dr. Blustein is particularly passionate about advancing equity, diversity, inclusion, and decolonisation within academic institutions. As a Senate officer, they champion the principles of good governance, transparency, clarity, and meaningful engagement as essential foundations for institutional excellence.
Senate vice-chair, student affairs
Yassine El Hiani, PhD, is an Associate Professor in the Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Faculty of Medicine at ÆÞÓÑ, and currently serves as Vice Chair, Student Affairs on the ÆÞÓÑ Senate.
Dr. El Hiani completed his Bachelor's degree at Ibn Zohr University in Agadir, Morocco in 2003, followed by his Master's (2004) and PhD (2008) at the University of Picardie Jules Verne (UPJV) in Amiens, France. He then completed postdoctoral training at ÆÞÓÑ from 2009 to 2015, before joining the Faculty as Professor in 2016.
His research asks a simple question: how do cancer cells survive when they're under stress? His lab studies the channels that control ion flow in cells, revealing how cancer cells use them to withstand harsh conditions and resist treatment—work aimed at finding new vulnerabilities to target in cancers like triple-negative breast cancer and prostate cancer.
Alongside his research, he teaches Cell Physiology and mentors students from undergraduate to graduate level. In 2022, ÆÞÓÑ recognized this commitment with the Award for Excellence in Research Mentorship of Trainees.
Dr. El Hiani has served as Graduate Coordinator for his department, sat on the department's Academic Planning Committee, supported colleagues through several promotion committees, and represented his department on Faculty Council and university search committees. Outside the lab, Yassine is an avid soccer fan, and enjoys hiking and reading history books.