They may have taken different career paths, but award-winning Brock University faculty members Michelle Vine and Michael Holmes both credit their success to curiosity, collaboration, a commitment to helping others grow and the courage to take risks.

Holmes, Associate Professor of Kinesiology, is the Faculty of Applied Health Sciences (FAHS) 2026 Excellence in Research Award recipient, while Vine, Assistant Professor of Health Sciences, has received the FAHS 2026 Excellence in Teaching Award.

While addressing Brock’s newest alumni on Tuesday, June 9 during the University’s 119th Convocation, Holmes encouraged graduates to “get comfortable being uncomfortable, because that’s where growth happens.”

“Say yes anyway. Don’t say no to opportunities simply because they might feel intimidating to you,” he said. “You have no idea where those opportunities might lead or what they might unlock in you.”

Originally from Newfoundland, Holmes moved to Ontario to pursue doctoral studies after discovering a passion for research as an undergraduate and master’s student.

He joined Brock nearly a decade ago as the Canada Research Chair in Neuromuscular Mechanics and Ergonomics. He was drawn to the University by the opportunity to build a research program that bridges neuromuscular mechanics and ergonomics — two areas often studied separately.

“I developed skills that allowed me to really fit into both of those categories,” he said.

Since arriving, Holmes has built a research program supported by collaboration within the Department of Kinesiology and across campus.

“Everyone was so welcoming,” he said. “Colleagues offered me equipment and were doing whatever they could to really help out.”

That support helped him establish his Neuromechanics and Ergonomics Lab, which examines how to stay safe while interacting with tools in the workplace.

Assistant Professor of Health Sciences Michelle Vine addressed Brock’s newest graduates on Tuesday, June 9 during the University’s 119th Convocation. Vine received the 2026 Faculty of Applied Health Sciences Excellence in Teaching Award.

Holmes said receiving the Excellence in Research Award was both humbling and meaningful because of the Faculty’s strong research community.

“Just to be recognized within that group, I think, is pretty special,” he said.

Like Holmes, Vine encouraged students to “be courageous, even when it seems impossible” during her June 9 Convocation address.

“Be willing to take a risk because often the greatest risks come with the greatest rewards,” she said.

Before joining Brock nearly five years ago, Vine served as an evaluation specialist with Public Health Ontario, leading evaluations of ministry-funded programs while continuing academic research and teaching through an adjunct appointment at the University of Waterloo.

Drawing on her experience in public health practice, program evaluation and using various qualitative research methods, Vine teaches primarily in Brock’s online Master of Public Health (MPH) program. Her teaching philosophy centres on student-focused learning that supports critical thinking beyond the classroom.

“It’s about designing courses in a way that students learn the content but also understand how it applies in practice,” she said.

To help students explore career pathways, she regularly invites guest speakers from government, academia and community organizations. She also collaborates with community partners — including Bethesda Services, Niagara Region and Hamilton Public Health — on evaluation projects that provide students with hands-on experience while supporting local partners.

According to Vine, those experiences are essential preparation for careers in public health.

“There’s not just one pathway,” she said. “You can benefit from all kinds of different experiences.”

Learning she had received the Excellence in Teaching Award carried special meaning for Vine.

“It’s such a nice thing to be acknowledged for something you feel like you’re working really hard at,” she said. “Receiving a teaching award from my Faculty is such a huge vote of confidence.”

Also recognized during Brock’s 119th Convocation is Professor of Kinesiology Stephen Cheung, who has been awarded the title of Distinguished Professor. The University’s highest honorary academic designation, the lifetime appointment recognizes full professors who have demonstrated exceptional research, scholarship or creative activity within their discipline.

A full collection of Convocation photos by ceremony will be available on Brock University’s official Flickr galleries. View recordings and livestreams of each Convocation ceremony at brocku.ca/livestream

For more information and the full schedule of Brock’s Spring Convocation, visit brocku.ca/convocation