My research interest is expansive and covers both academic and applied realms. My research program addresses both scholarly and pragmatic objectives.  

On the academic side, my research areas include: 

Sport and its impact upon a regional economy: research ways the broad realm of sport, recreation, and leisure generate economic activity within a region, with a focus upon policy development and strategic planning that leverage sport tourism, and sport in general, for economic growth and job creation.  

• Contemporary/historical issues in hockey: addresses a vast array of issues related to commercial and cultural aspects of hockey within both the women’s and men’s games, and across various hockey realms within Canada and around the world. A new project is the Sport Oral History Archive (SOHA) which provides open-access and interactive oral history sport collections from the local to the national levels for students, academics, teachers, media, sport leaders and the general public.  
• Organizational capacity: studies types of capacity and capacity-building strategies within several different sport contexts and organizations;
• Change management: examines change and change dynamics within sport organizations according to various organization theories and design types;  

On the practical side, I enjoy collaborating with many different partners on applied research projects and reports. Here is a sample list of partners I have worked with:  

• Regional Municipality of Niagara, Economic Development
• South Niagara Canoe Club
• Pickleball Ontario
• Hamilton Moves and the City of Hamilton Parks and Recreation
• Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport
• 2017 Scotties Tournament of Hearts
• 2017 North American Indigenous Games Host Society 
• Community Sport Councils of Ontario 
• Venture Niagara – Niagara Cycling Tourism Centre 
• Niagara Sport Commission 

 If you are in need of practical research please feel free to contact me at jstevens@brocku.ca  

Scholarly Publications 

Stevens, J. (Ed.) 2022. Safe Sport: Critical issues and practices. Ecampus Ontario. https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/safesport Licensed under CC-BY-NC-SA 4.0. 

Stevens, J. (réd.). 2022. Sport sécuritaire : enjeux et pratiques critiques. (B. Couillerot, M. Mailhot, P. Mbao, P. Siede, L-I. Tremblay, traducteurs). Ecampus Ontario. https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/sportsecuritaire/ Sous licence CC-BY-NC-SA 4.0. 

Jurbala, P. & Stevens, J. (2020). A whole new ballgame: an analysis of the context and adoption of long-term athlete development in community sport, Managing Sport and Leisure. DOI: 10.1080/23750472.2020.1789497.  

Millar, P. & Stevens, J. (2020). An Analysis of Training-Based Change within Canadian National Sport Organizations. Journal of Sport Management, 35(2), 185-196. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1123/jsm.2020-0016.  

Stevens, J. (2020). Conn Smythe: the complexity and contradiction of a hockey entrepreneur, Sport in Society, 23(9), 1468-1479. DOI: 10.1080/17430437.2020.1723242.  

Stevens, J. (2020). Major sport events and environmental sustainability. In G. Dingle & C. Mallen (Eds.). Sport and Environmental Sustainability: Research and Strategic Management, p. 47-85. New York: Routledge. DOI: 10.4324/9781003003694.  

Edwards, J. & Stevens, J. (2019). Institutional maintenance and elite sport: a case study of high-performance women’s ice hockey in Canada, Sport in Society: Sports World III-policy, process and protest in global sports, 22(11), 1801-1815. DOI 10.1080/17430437.  

Taks, M., Stevens, J., Scheerder, J., Lathrop, A., & Bradish, C. (2019). A comparison of Canadian and Belgium youth sport participation profiles. In J. Zhang & B. Pitts (Eds.), Globalized sport management in diverse cultural contexts, pp. 29-52. Routledge, New York.  

Stevens, J., Burton, N., Clutterbuck, R., Cousens, L., Fullerton, C., Kerwin, S. (2019). “Connecting Management Concepts to Major Games: new avenues for research”. Symposium delivered at the 2019 Administrative Sciences Association of Canada, May 24-27, 2019, Brock University, Ontario.  

Stevens, J. (2018). Hockey’s “innovation crisis” and the need to develop hockey talent for the future: the case of Canadian male hockey”. In S. Altukhov &J. Nauright (Eds.) Innovation for the future of ice hockey around the world: 2017 World Hockey Forum, pp. 321-339. Sport, Moscow, Russia.  

Stevens, J. (2018). 30 Years of ‘Going Global’: Women’s international hockey, cultural diplomacy, and the pursuit of excellence. In J. Ellison & J. Anderson (Eds.), Hockey: Challenging Canada’s Games, pp. 147-164. National Museum of History and University of Ottawa Press, Ottawa, Ontario.  

Brooks, D.L., Barnes, M., & Stevens, J. (2017). What happens at the national level stays at the national level: a case study on the values of community curling: a case study. International Journal of Sport Management, 18(1), 65-88.  

Stevens, J. (2017). The Emergence and Development of Women’s Hockey Globally. In J. Nauright & S. Altuhkov (Eds.), Strategies of ice hockey development in the global world: 2016 World Hockey Forum Volume. 282-298. Moscow, Russia.  

Stevens, J. (2017). Organizational Capacity, Environmental Sustainability and Sport Organizations. In B. McCullough & T. Kellison (Eds.), Routledge Handbook on Sport, Sustainability and the Environment, 99-108, Routledge: New York, NY.  

Kerwin, S., Warner, S., Walker, M., & Stevens, J. (2015). Exploring Sense of Community among Small-scale Sport Event Volunteers. European Sport Management Quarterly, 15(1), 77-92.  

 Presentations    

 Barnes, M., Stevens, J. Ane, S., & Phillips, C. (2021). Weighing the benefits of adopting a health equity lens for the provision of recreation services: A Canadian perspective of lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic. Advancing Health and Equity: Best practices in an international perspective, 11th International Conference on Health, Wellness & Society, September 2-3, 2021, Sorbonne Université, Paris, France. 

Stevens, J., Barnes, M., Ane, S. & Phillips, C. (2021). Parks and Recreation as an Essential Service: Using a health equity lens to strengthen provision in Niagara. Policy Brief Presentation [virtual]. Niagara Community Observatory, Brock University. 

Stevens, J. (2020). Building Capacity for an Effective Sport Tourism Strategy. Ontario Tourism Summit [virtual], Oct 29-20, 2020. Ontario Tourism Industry Association. 

Cousens, L. & Stevens, J. (2020). “Exploring Sport Management Students’ Perceptions of the Impact of the Resilience and Empowerment Initiative: Exploring Perceptions of Resilience and Empowering in TCI Schools”. Canada-Caribbean Research Symposium, University of West Indies, February 17-19, 2020, Kingston, Jamaica.  

 Stevens, J., Burton, N., Clutterbuck, R., Cousens, L. & Kerwin, S. (2019). Connecting management concepts to major games: New avenues for research. Administrative Science Academy of Canada Conference, St. Catharines, Ontario, May 25.  

Stevens, J. (2018). “Extension or Extinction: How to build brands for non-dominant forms of hockey, 2018 World Hockey Forum, Moscow, Russia, December 14-15.  

Moussa, J. & Stevens, J. (2018). An Analysis of the Organizational Design of Canadian Major Junior League Offices. The Hockey Conference: The Multiplicity of Hockey-Delivering New Understandings of the Game, July 5-7, 2018, Edmonton, Alberta.  

Eckford, S. & Stevens, J. (2018). Minor hockey officials and organizational support: current trends and future needs. The Hockey Conference: The Multiplicity of Hockey-Delivering New Understandings of the Game, July 5-7, 2018, Edmonton, Alberta.  

Jurbala, P. & Stevens, J. (2018). Community Sport Organizations and Innovation: capacity and competition. 11th annual Sport Canada Research Initiative Conference, September 19-20, Toronto, Ontario.  

Stevens, J. (2017). “Hockey’s ‘Innovation Crisis’ and the Need to Develop Hockey Talent for the Future”, International Ice Hockey Federation World Hockey Forum, Moscow, Russia, December 14-15, 2017.  

Moussa, J. & Stevens, J. (2017). A socio-historical examination of major junior hockey in Canada, 2017 North American Society for the Sociology of Sport Conference, November 1-4, 2017, Windsor, Ontario.  

Stevens, J. (2016). Building a Global Game: Institutional change and global women’s hockey. 2016 World Hockey Forum, December 15-17, Moscow, Russia.  

Teaching-Related Scholarly Work and Presentations  

Nickels, W., McHugh, J., McHugh, S., Cossa, R., & Stevens, J. (2022). Understanding Canadian Business, 11th Canadian Edition. McGraw-Hill Ryerson, Toronto, Canada.  

Cardon, P. & Stevens, J. (2021). Business Communication: Developing Leaders for a Networked World, 1st Canadian Edition. McGraw-Hill Education, Toronto, ON.  Note: take a sneak peak.  

Nickels, W., McHugh, J., McHugh, S., Cossa, R., & Stevens, J. (2019). Understanding Canadian Business, 10th Canadian Edition. McGraw-Hill Education, Toronto, ON.  

Stevens, J. (2019). “Experiential Education”. Invited Speaker – Teaching Tomorrow’s Business leaders, Doctoral Consortium, Administrative Sciences Association of Canada Conference, May 24-27, 2019, Brock University, Ontario.  

Stevens, J. (2019). “SPMA 1P94 – Sport Industry Professional Development Conference”. Poster and Networking Fair, Experiential Showcase, Centre for Pedagogical Innovation, March 19, Brock University.  

Stevens, J. (2019). “2021 Canada Summer Games Curriculum & Course Partnership Opportunities”. Opportunities and Info Sessions, Experiential Showcase, Centre for Pedagogical Innovation, March 19, Brock University.  

Stevens, J. (2018). Podcast Debate Assignment. In R. McGary (Ed.), Democratizing online learning in postsecondary classes: instructional case studies, eCampus Ontario: Toronto, Ontario.  

Stevens, J. Law, M., Yates, E., Salfi, J., Whyte, C., Fucile, B., McClean, C., & Hayward, G. (2018). “What’s my grade?  A focus on student assessment in experiential learning”. Paper presented at the Educating for the Future: Learning Outcomes and Experiential Learning Symposium, Ontario Universities Council on Quality Assurance, October 11-12, 2018, Toronto, Ontario.  

Stevens, J., Salfi, J., Law, M., Yates, E., Whyte, C., McLean, C., Fucile, B., Hayward, G. (2018). The triple C effect: An analysis of experiential education and retention among students in the Faculty of Applied Health Sciences. St. Catharines, ON: Brock University Faculty of Applied Health Sciences.  

Reports and Policy Briefs  

Stevens, J. (2019). Towards a ‘Made in Niagara” Sport Tourism Model: the case for a sport event office. Regional Municipality of Niagara, Niagara, Ontario.  

Charlebois, C. & Stevens, J. (2018). More than Money: Leveraging the benefits of sport hosting in Niagara. Policy Brief #30, Niagara Community Observatory, Brock University.  

Popular Press Articles and Media Appearances  

Here is a short list of recent examples:  

Stevens, J. (2021). “On you mark, get set, go!”, Reveal: Niagara business magazine, 1(4).  

Niagara in the Morning with Tim Denis – Julie Stevens guest, Radio Interview, Newstalk 610 CKTB – “YMCA closing its doors in Niagara Falls”, Tuesday January 12, 2020;   

Stevens, J. & Holman, A. (2020, April 15). The NHL put profit ahead of players’ health during last century’s pandemic. Conversation Canada.  

Stevens, J., Donnelly, M., Black, Simon. (2019, October 24). “A union of women’s hockey players looking for a league of its own.”, Conversation Canada.  

Stevens, J. (2019, Vol 1, Issue 1). “Open for Business? What can sport offer the Niagara Economy?” Reveal: Niagara Business Magazine, p 21-23, The Ownera Group, Niagara Falls, Ontario.  

Stevens, J. (2019, June 14). “Raptors win! Does that mean basketball will replace hockey as Canada’s favourite sport?”, Conversation Canada.  

Stevens, J. (2019, April 3). “The death of the CWHL presents a new opportunity for women’s professional hockey”, Conversation Canada.  

Re-release April 4, 2019. “The death of the CWHL presents a new opportunity for women’s professional hockey”, The National Post.  

Change Maker Radio (podcast) – Dave Briglio – Julie Stevens guest – Offside: Challenges faced by women in hockey – December 16, 2019  

The Scott Thompson Show – Julie Stevens guest – Radio Interview, CHML900 – February 22, 2018  

Stevens, J. (2018, February 6). “Player or pawn: women’s hockey, the Olympics, and the Korean dynamic”, Conversation Canada.  

Stevens, J. (2017, April 1). U.S. women’s hockey age deal sets a bar that Canada must match. The Globe and Mail. Available at http://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/us-womens-hockey-deal-sets-a-bar-that-canada-must-match/article34541467/  

2022 Applied Health Sciences Research Excellence Award, Brock University

2020 Outstanding Co-op Supervisor Recognition Award, Brock University

2013 North American Society for Sport Management Research Fellow