Everyone will participate in a total of six project sessions. You will be able to prioritize four projects from the following list. We will do our best to accommodate all 4 choices. The remaining 2 projects will be randomly selected for you.

Biology

 DNA Fingerprinting
A crime was committed in the ’70s and circumstantial evidence presented at the trial was instrumental in the sentencing of the accused to life in prison. The convicted declares his innocence. After 30 years in prison, key evidence left behind at the scene holds the clue to determining the innocence of the accused. Students will generate a genetic profile of themselves and the victim using actual forensic techniques and in the end, who knows, you may even solve a crime!

 The World’s Your Oyster
The resilience of Earth’s ecosystems and the services it provides (e.g. clean air, food, fertile soils, etc.), are currently threatened by many human induced threats (e.g., climate change, pollution, overexploitation, etc.). It is very difficult to truly understand these human induced threats and their impact on the ecosystem, as the ecosystem itself is governed by many complex interactions. To get around this problem, ecologists can make artificial ecosystems and study the impact of human induced threats one at a time. In this project, you will become ecologists and attempt to build your very own artificial ecosystem! You will get the chance to learn about the major players (i.e., the primary, secondary producers, and the consumers), and then you will get to build a self-sufficient ecosystem YOU GET TO TAKE HOME!

Oenology and Viticulture

 Tasting and Testing

Why are juice and pop so delicious?  It’s the balance between the sugar and the acid.  Join researchers from Brock University’s Cool Climate Oenology and Viticulture Institute (CCOVI) in an exploration of what makes these drinks so tasty.  We will do some blind taste tests in our sensory evaluation laboratory using specialize software called Compusense® and then we will move to the chemistry lab to analyse the samples we just tasted to see how much sugar and acid they have.   When we compare these data, we’ll know which chemical composition tastes best!

Chemistry

 Flames, Fireworks and Explosions
You can choose from many spectacular experiments – The Volcano Reactions, Barking Dogs, Instant Fire and Coloured Fireworks among them – to learn more about how fireworks are made and some common causes of explosions and fires in science labs. Demonstrators will help you set up these exciting reactions so that you can perform them safely.

Analytical Testing of Snack Foods (NEW for 2024)
Analytical testing is a powerful tool used in product development and research. Have you ever wondered how scientists test for heavy metal contamination in soils or pollutants in the air? How do you measure something that is in the parts per billion (ppb) or parts per million (ppm)? As a point of reference 5 ppm would be equal to a can of Pepsi in a backyard swimming pool and 1 ppb would be equal to 6 transport trucks in Lake Erie. Although these are odd references the instruments that you will use in this project are capable of quantifying at these levels with high accuracy and precision. The first instrument that you will observe is a Microwave Plasma Atomic Emission Spectrometer (MP-AES) and you will quantify the amount of Sodium in potato chips. The MP-AES is so sensitivity that it can detect residual Sodium from clean glassware. For the second instrument you will use High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) to determine if there is a difference in the amount of caffeine in Pepsi and Coca Cola. This project will allow you to do some hands-on wet bench chemistry as well as use analytical equipment used in industry and research.

Computer Science

 Build Your Own Space Invaders
This workshop will guide you through the development of a Space Invaders clone using the 2D game development system GameEditor. You will learn basic logical skills in order to create a game. Depending on the level of the workshop, you will also obtain basic programming skills in C. After this fun class you will be able to play your game on your PC, your Mac, or even your iPhone.

Earth Sciences

 Go Fish!
Bring to life the ancient remains of fossilized fish from the Green River Formation in Wyoming! Using fossil preparation tools and techniques employed by paleontologists and curators in museums worldwide, you will have the opportunity to uncover and prepare your own specimen of a fossilized fish. Each specimen is different – so you may uncover other fossils during your preparatory work! We will discuss how these unique fossils formed and how studying the environments of the past give us a glimpse at our future! When complete take your specimen home with you (and prove it wasn’t all a tall fish tale!).

Engineering

Building Robots (new project in 2022)
In this unit, you will build a robot with your peer. You will practice your problem-solving skills and be creative. It will also be a good chance to make friends and have fun.

Health Sciences

 Brain and Cardiovascular Health (new project in 2022)
An important connection exists between our brain and our cardiovascular system. For humans to survive, the brain must tell the cardiovascular system exactly how to function and the cardiovascular system must always supply our brain with oxygen-rich blood. When these systems fail, we develop cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases – the leading cause of death among Canadians! To help us perform important activities such as standing up, running, or lifting weights, the brain makes our heart beat faster and squeezes our blood vessels to increase blood pressure. Healthy elastic blood vessels are also key to helping the heart deliver oxygen-rich blood and nutrients to our brain and muscles. This demonstration will highlight how the brain controls the cardiovascular system during physical exercise and standing by using state-of-the-art equipment including ECG, continuous blood pressure monitors, isometric handgrip and a tilt table. We will also highlight the elasticity of important blood vessels supplying our brain using cutting-edge ultrasound techniques that allow us to see our blood vessels in action and hear blood flow to the brain!

 Blood Typing

“Are you ready to solve a crime and save a life?” Do you know what a blood group is? Have you ever wondered what it means when the doctor in your favourite TV show says “we need a B-positive donor”? What does “B-positive” even stand for? How does it relate to our blood? If these questions ever crossed your mind, them come and join us at Brock University for a fun-filled lab exercise where all these questions will be answered. You will learn how blood can be classified into different groups based on the presence or absence of certain proteins on the surface of red blood cells (RBCs). You will also experience how blood typing can help in solving forensic mysteries and identifying donors for transfusions during medical emergencies. In a scenario-based activity, you will get a chance to become a detective and attempt to solve a “murder”. By performing a blood type analysis to match the blood type of samples found at the “crime scene” with those of several suspects, you can help identify the “culprit”. In another scenario, you can become a hematologist who will practice cross-matching to determine which blood types are compatible for transfusions and find the right “donor” to “save a patient’s life”! Are you ready to take up these challenges?

Mathematics

 eBrock Bugs Adventure

Oh no! The bullies have taken over Bug City! Can you save Smarty, Bugzy and everyone else by beating the bullies at their own game? Be warned, the bullies are clever and know how to play very well, so you’ll have to put on your thinking cap to outsmart them! Don’t worry, expert help is available from Smarty and Bugzy. By playing this online game, developed at Brock by a Mathematics student and two professors, you will learn many key concepts in probability.

Physics

 Physics is Too Cool!
In this unit, you will learn about super-cold cryogenic substances like dry ice and liquid-nitrogen. You will investigate how well different types of materials conduct an electrical current at these low temperatures. The materials you will get to examine are metals, semiconductors and superconductors. It’s these superconductors that are expected to have important technological applications because of their many unusual properties; including their ability to levitate magnets, as you will see!

Photonics
Light is one of the ways we interact with the world around us. Our eyes are the first thing to tell us about our surrounding environments. Even the virtual world, which we interact with more and more each day, is brought to us via light. But just how do we capture that 3D information in a picture? In this session, we will explore how our eyes operate and communicate with us using photons.

Psychological Sciences

 I’ll do it later: Understanding procrastination and how it develops. (NEW for 2024)
Discover how procrastination emerges in childhood, how researchers measure it, and how you can set yourself up to avoid it. Using approaches from psychological science, we will answer questions about how procrastination develops in children, why we procrastinate, and tips to avoid falling into the procrastination trap. Participants will also gain some insight into their own procrastination tendencies. You will learn about how psychological science tests research questions and different methods that we us to answer these questions.

Transdisciplinary

 Experience @BrockMakerSpace
Discover the Makerspace in Brock’s James A. Gibson Library and all that it has to offer! Try your hand at 3D modelling, Design with Cricut, or learn about Arduinos and Raspberry Pi single-board computers. Spend some time learning some audio or video editing tricks, do some green-screen photography, or learn how to program a robot! The Makerspace is a fun, collaborative, open environment for all Brock students, and this session will give you an in-depth overview of Makerspace concepts and activities.

In addition to the Workshop projects we have a variety of other activities planned.

Conference Activities

• Six Hands on Science/Math Projects
• Scavenger Hunt
• Dinner with Professional Scientists (semi-formal, business casual)
• Panel Discussion with Current Brock Students

Here are a few things you might want to keep in mind to ensure that your stay with us is as comfortable as possible.

Don’t forget your alarm clock! We won’t be able to give wake-up calls. Bring any medications needed, rain coat, and a charging cord for cell phone.

Clothing: Generally, dress for the conference is casual (jeans, khakis, etc.), however, in many of the projects, long pants and closed shoes are required. Please wear closed shoes while participating in the science projects. This is a matter of laboratory safety.

A T-shirt will be provided for you to wear for the 2-day event. You are asked to wear the T-shirt during the conference for ease of identification while on campus.

Mentors’ Dinner: We have scheduled ‘an evening with professionals in STEM careers’. This is an semi-formal, business casual wear event. (A tuxedo or long gown and tiara would be too much.)

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to send an email to the Scientifically Yours Co-coordinators at sciyours@brocku.ca.

• Ontario Power Generation (Platinum sponsor)

Brock Sponsors:

• Brock University Recruitment and Liaison Services.
• Brock University Learning Services
• Brock Coop, Career & Experiential Education Programs
• Brock Faculty of Mathematics & Science (Platinum sponsor)
• Brock Faculty of Applied Health Sciences
• Brock University Development & Alumni Relations

Bronze $500, Silver $1000, Gold $2000, Platinum $3000, Diamond $5000 or more

If you would like to join our sponsors there are a number of ways to do so. Consider sponsoring a delegate, or an individual activity.

For more information contact a Scientifically Yours Coordinator at sciyours@brocku.ca.

Project Leader Coordinator –

Description

The principal roles of a Project Leader Coordinator are to coordinate and supervise approximately 30 Project Leaders. The Project Leader Coordinator will need to be on campus during the day for both days of the Scientifically Yours conference while the project sessions are running. They will supervise Project Leaders and participants to ensure that and university policies are upheld. The Project Leader Coordinator will work closely with the Scientifically Yours Co-coordinators and the Residence Guide Coordinator.

• Lead at the 1 hour orientation meeting on Monday, May 5th to train on University policies, emergency procedures and Project Leader responsibilities.
• Lead and supervise Project Leaders during the 2 day conference.
• Maintain spreadsheets with lists of participant names and of project assignments, Project Leaders, locations, etc.
• Supervise at the beginning of Project Sessions to make sure participants are attending the assigned projects.
• Assign/coordinate participants into project sessions and numbers
• Monitor Health forms of participants and ensure special needs are accommodated by Project Leaders.
• Compile participant evaluations of projects and conference activities.
• Attend SY committee meetings and other tasks as required.

Qualifications

Project Leader Coordinators that are majors (or combined majors) within the Faculty of Mathematics and Science or one of the following Departments/Centres: Health Sciences, Psychology, Neuroscience are preferred. Excellent organizational and leadership skills are an asset.

Compensation or choose to be a volunteer

The Project Leader Coordinator will receive a stipend of $300, all snacks and lunches during the conference (Thursday May 8th and Friday May 9th).

Download the Project Leader Coordinator application form here. Applications will be accepted until Friday, April 18, 2025. One Project Leader Coordinator position is available. Email completed application form to sciyours@brocku.ca.

Project Leader

Description

Project Leaders will be responsible for helping to lead and supervise a 1.5 hour workshop that will be offered up to six (6) times during the 2-day Scientifically Yours Conference. The laboratory/workshop that the Project Leader will direct will be closely related to their program of study. Project Leaders will work closely with the faculty or staff member of the department supervising the project.

• Attend a 1 hour orientation meeting on Monday, May 5, 2025 to train on University policies, emergency procedures and Project Leader responsibilities.
• Instruct participants on the science or math behind their project and how to conduct the project safely and effectively.
• Answer questions about math and science and university life.
• Chaperone to and from and supervise participants during their participation in the project workshops.
• Engage the participants to develop a sense of excitement for math and science.
• Project training and help with set up of project in lab.

Qualifications

Project Leaders that are majors (or combined majors) within the Faculty of Mathematics and Science or one of the following Departments/Centres: Health Sciences, Psychology, Neuroscience are preferred. Previous experience in project discipline is an asset. Further preference will be given to upper year students with lab or hands-on experience. Project Leaders with projects in science laboratories must have completed the Brock Science Safety Training through Environment, Health and Safety.

Compensation or choose to be a volunteer

The Project Leaders are selected by the departments Project Supervisor, and will receive a stipend of $200, snacks and lunches on Thursday May 8th and Friday May 9th.

Project Supervisors

Biology

• Amanda Lepp
• Dorina Szuroczki

Grape & Wine Sciences

• Marissa Neuner

Health Sciences

• Deborah O’Leary
• Parthajit Mukherjee

Chemistry

• Sergio Paone
• Jonathon Roepke

Computer Sciences

• Poling Bork

Earth Sciences

• Astride Silis

Engineering

• Shengrong Bu

Physics

• Thad Harroun
• Ivana K Metcalf

Mathematics

• Neil Marshall

Psychological Sciences

• Caitlin Mahy

Transdisciplinary

• Derek Schneider, Brock Maker Space RFP 204

Residence Guide

Description

The principal roles of a Residence Guide are to help to create a community atmosphere and to act as a role model for all Scientifically Yours participants. Residence Guides will stay on campus in residence for the 2 days and 1 night of the Scientifically Yours conference and are expected to be on call. They will supervise participants to ensure that both residence and university policies are upheld.

• Attend a 1 hour orientation meeting on Monday, May 5th to train on University and Residence policies, emergency procedures and Residence Guide responsibilities.
• Assist with participant registration and check-out.
• Greet and escort participants to activities, meals and snacks.
• Chaperone and supervise participants both during their stay in residence and at times when they are not participating in a project workshop.
• Assist with evening activities.

Qualifications

Residence Guides that are majors (or combined majors) within the Faculty of Mathematics and Science or one of the following Departments/Centres: Health Sciences, Psychology, Neuroscience are preferred. Previous experience in supervision of youth in Brock’s Residences is an asset. A valid Vulnerable Sector Clearance Check with your Regional Police. Concurrent Education students or any students with police checks from September are encouraged to apply.

Compensation or choose to be a volunteer

The Residence Guide will receive a stipend of $200, accommodations, all snacks, lunches, dinner and breakfast during the conference (Thursday May 8th and Friday May 9th).

Download the Residence Guide application form here. Applications will be accepted until Friday, April 18, 2025. The number of Residence Guide positions available is dependent on the number of registrants. Email completed application to sciyours@brocku.ca.

Residence Night security

Description

The role of the Residence Night Security is to be awake and patrol the halls and common residence spaces from 11 pm on Thursday May 8, 2025 to 7 am on Friday, May 9, 2025.

• Attend a 1 hour orientation meeting on Monday, May 5th to train on University and Residence Policies, emergency procedures and responsibilities.
• Assist other Night Security personnel when aiding participant(s).
• Supervise participants during their stay in residence overnight.

Qualifications

Previous experience in supervision of youth in Brock’s Residences or living in residence is an asset. A Vulnerable Sector Clearance Check with the Regional Police will be required of all Residence Night Security. Clearance Checks received in Sept 2024 for 2024/2025 school year will be accepted.

Compensation or choose to be a volunteer

The Residence Night Security will receive a stipend of $150 and a $25 Tim Hortons Gift Card for breakfast.

Download the Residence Night Security application form here. Applications will be accepted until Friday, April 18, 2025. The number of Residence Night Security positions available is dependent on the number of registrants. Email completed application to sciyours@brocku.ca.

Residence Guide Coordinator

Description

The principal roles of a Residence Guide Coordinator are to lead the other Residence Guides and help to create a community atmosphere and to act as a role model for all Scientifically Yours participants. Residence Guides Coordinator will stay on campus in residence for the 2 days and 1 night of the Scientifically Yours conference and are expected to be on call. They will supervise Residence Guides and participants to ensure that both residence and university policies are upheld. The Residence Guide Coordinator will work closely with the Scientifically Yours Co-coordinators and the Project Leader Coordinator.

• Lead at the 1 hour orientation meeting on Monday, May 5th to train on University and Residence policies, emergency procedures and Residence Guide responsibilities.
• Lead and supervise Residence Guides during the 2 day conference.
• Assist with participant registration and check-out.
• Greet and escort participants to activities, meals and snacks.
• Chaperone and supervise participants both during their stay in residence and at times when they are not participating in a project workshop.
• Lead and assist with evening activities.
• Maintain spreadsheets with participant names, emergency phone numbers, home schools and lists of Residence Guides and assigned participants
• Assign participants and Residence Guides to residence rooms
• Monitor Health forms of participants and ensure special needs are accommodated.
• Attend SY committee meetings and other tasks as required.

Qualifications

Residence Guides Coordinators that are majors (or combined majors) within the Faculty of Mathematics and Science or one of the following Departments/Centres: Health Sciences, Psychology, Neuroscience are preferred. Previous experience in supervision of youth in Brock’s Residences is an asset. A valid Vulnerable Sector Clearance Check with your Regional Police. Concurrent Education students or any students with police checks from September are encouraged to apply.

Compensation or choose to be a volunteer

The Residence Guide Coordinator will receive a stipend of $350, accommodations, all snacks, lunches, dinner and breakfast during the conference (Thursday May 8th and Friday May 9th).

Download the Residence Guide Coordinator application form here. Applications will be accepted until Friday, April 4, 2025. One Residence Guide Coordinator position is available. Email completed application to sciyours@brocku.ca.