Dr. Hewitt is a full Professor in the Department of Physics & Atmospheric Science, and Chair of Senate (2015-19) at Dalhousie University. In the classroom, Dr. Hewitt strives to link Physics to the everyday lives of the learner. In his Molecular imaging lab, he has developed novel nanoparticle probes for cancer imaging and treatment, new optical imaging approaches and a prototype medical diagnostic tool for liver steatosis.
Dr. Hewitt has also held visiting professor positions at Stanford University, Laurentian University, Universidade do Valedo Paraíba, British Columbia Cancer Agency, Simon Fraser University, and Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia.
Dr. Hewitt completed his B. Sc., Physics Specialist & Biology Major, University of Toronto (UofT) (1992) and was active in student politics and received the UofT Physics prize. In graduate school at Simon Fraser University, he helped establish several university and community organizations and programs. He married his deep and abiding interest in science and community engagement at Dalhousie by co-founding the Imhotep’s Legacy Academy, a STEM outreach program for African Canadian students from junior high to university; a program he grew from a small room in the Physics building to a provincial program with an annual budget approaching $0.5M. These contributions have been recognized by a Youth Community Service Award (1999), Science Champion Finalist (2008, 2011, 2012,2017) and the Harry Jerome Award for Professional Excellence (2014).
Dr. Hewitt has attracted more than $3M in research funding, published over 30 papers, delivered over 60 invited presentations in Canada, US and Brazil; universities in China, Ethiopia, the US and Canada; and supervised numerous students. He is co-inventor of an instrument to diagnose liver steatosis.
Dr. Hewitt was elected to positions on the Canadian Association of Physicists and the American Physical Society and has a history of establishing innovative programs and organizations serving the African Canadian community.