Articles from:January 2019

• Thinking Sustainably is Thinking Strategically

  Thursday, January 31, 2019 | By Amanda Smits

  Blog Contributor: Connor Thompson

  

  Brock University closed out 2018 by unveiling a new Strategic Plan titled “Brock University: Niagara Roots – Global Reach”. Meant to serve as a guide to planning and decision-making processes through 2025, you should not be surprised to see environmental sustainability as a focal point of the Plan!

  “Sustainable, accountable, transparent stewardship” is listed as the eighth and final guiding value that the University is committing to over the next seven years. Brock recognizes its position as a steward of public and private resources, which is especially important as the school exists within a United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organizations (UNESCO) Biosphere Reserve on the Niagara Escarpment. Understanding how the institution operates and the effect it has on human, financial, and environmental resources will be critical to achieving sustainable outcomes across all three categories.

  Additional focus is given to environmental sustainability in regard to meeting societal expectations and demands. As Brock is a publicly-supported institution, the University is obligated to meet and ideally exceed all legislative requirements including those pertaining to environmental protection and sustainability. The University is in a prime position to serve as a benchmark for other institutions to try and meet, and this new Strategic Plan affirms a willingness and desire to improve our sustainability efforts across campus and into the greater community.

  You can read through the entirety of Brock’s new Strategic Plan: “Niagara Roots – Global Reach: Brock University Institutional Strategic Plan 2018-2025”

  Categories: Blog, Innovative Partnership, SSAS Student Contributor, Sustainability at Brock

• Life in the Master of Sustainability Program – First Semester

  Thursday, January 17, 2019 | By Amanda Smits

  Blog Contributor: Connor Thompson

  While trying to write the opening to this post on a snow-covered December morning, Dr. Jessica Blythe visited our space on the second floor of Theal House to say hello. After a brief chat on how things were going that week, she shared the following:

  “I realized I was working from four different to-do lists and I needed to amalgamate them.”

  That sentence accurately depicts life in the program. I can confirm that scheduling is a juggling act, the readings are complex, assignments are intense, and new tasks fall in your lap just as you become comfortable with your impending deadlines.

  I would also wager that any grad student on campus can relate.

  The Master of Sustainability program will challenge you, but you can handle it if you keep your head down and an agenda in your bag at all times. With the first semester in the books, here is a quick recap of the courses I took within the co-op stream:

  SSAS 5P01 – Foundations of Sustainability Science and Society

  Dr. Plummer’s course set the tone for the program by broadening our understanding of sustainability science through interesting readings, thought-provoking discussion, and an extraordinarily demanding research paper. 5P01 also had an experiential education component that helped connect our research to real-world outcomes.

  SSAS 5P02 – Methods for Environmental Inquiry

  The focus of Dr. Baird’s course was a multi-submission group research project that cumulated in the individual writing of a research note. Building a strong group dynamic was a critical part of the class, and I particularly liked how well my group and I got to know each other over the semester.

  SSAS 5P04 – Transdisciplinary Seminar

  5P04 brought researchers and professionals in to speak with us from across disciplines, which was incredibly useful in bridging sustainability research, policy, and practice. These events are open to the public and you can see past seminars here:

  https://brocku.ca/esrc/transdisciplinary-seminars/

  SSAS 5P11 – Water Resource Economics, Management and Governance

  Dr. May’s lectures drew on his vast career experience and were supplemented with presentations from outside experts, which made for an interesting class every week. Students were also given the opportunity to facilitate a seminar and discussion during the semester. The class had five total students, so calling it intimate would be an understatement.

   SSAS 5N90 – Co-op Education Professional Preparation Course

  As a co-op student I also took 5N90, which was a refresher course on the entire process of seeking employment. I can honestly say that my interviewing skills and resume have never looked better, and I have this course to thank.

  As much as I am enjoying the holiday break, I cannot wait to get back on campus and dig into my research. How many students can say that and mean it?

  For more information about the Master of Sustainability program here at Brock, please visit:

  https://brocku.ca/esrc/ssas/

  Categories: Blog, SSAS Program, SSAS Student Contributor