Jane Koustas is gearing up to head to Victoria next month.
There, the professor of Modern Languages, Literatures and Cultures will take in Congress 2013, the flagship event for Canadian social sciences and humanities scholars.
But Koustas will also be hard at work promoting next year’s Congress of the Humanities and Social Sciences.
As the academic convener of Congress 2014 – hosted by Brock University and organized by the Federation of the Humanities and Social Sciences – Koustas will be wooing thousands of academics, researchers and policy makers to Niagara for the next edition of the conference, Borders without Boundaries.
“What we’re trying to showcase is research and the fact that Brock is moving toward, if it’s not already become, a comprehensive university,” Koustas said, noting Brock’s growth in arts, science and graduate research.
“I think anyone who was here in 1996 (when the University last hosted Congress) will see Brock has grown in all directions, not just student population.”
Still, Koustas will need some help to get the word out about Congress 2014.
So an informal meet and greet for faculty and staff involved with the conference, and those heading to Victoria will be held on Monday, May 27 from 10 a.m. to noon in Sankey Chamber.
During that time, there will be two drop-in information sessions about Congress 2014 and promotional materials will be provided to participants to hand out in Victoria and elsewhere.
“If people have questions about what’s happening here, before they go to Victoria they can have their questions answered,” Koustas said.
Congress 2014 will bring 70 learning societies and associations to Brock from May 24 to 30, 2014. During the course of the week, 8,000 people will be on campus and in Niagara.
“Part of this is to encourage people to visit the community as well and turn it into a holiday opportunity, too,” said Koustas, whose efforts are supported by several Brock departments, including Community and Ancillary Services. “It’s also the idea of celebrating the region and Brock’s 50th anniversary and how very different it is from the Brock people would have seen (at Congress) in 1996.”
