Experiential Education

  • SSAS Field Journals: Cairns Tour with Facilities Management

    Wednesday, January 07, 2026 | By

    Blog Contributor: Ruth Horn

    Before touring the Cairns building, I’ll admit that I didn’t know what LEED certification really meant. I had heard the term before, but I couldn’t have explained what made a building “green” beyond maybe using less energy or recycling more. Walking through Cairns completely shifted that understanding. I realized that sustainability in architecture is far more complex and intentional than I ever imagined. It’s about designing every detail to serve a purpose for people, the planet, and even long-term economics.

    What impressed me right away was how the building integrates environmental and social sustainability together. For example, the overhangs and angled glass walls aren’t just aesthetic, they’re also designed to control light and heat, reducing the need for extra cooling while still making the space bright and inviting. Even something as simple as the main staircase was planned to encourage active living by drawing people to use it instead of the elevator. I’d never considered that architecture could influence behavior like that, but it made me see sustainability as something that connects to daily life, not just big systems.

    The technical parts of the tour were really interesting as well. The system that circulates air through the concrete floors to regulate temperature was something I never would have thought existed. It made me realize that sustainability can be incredibly innovative. It’s also about using the structure itself as a living system to save energy. I also found the huge fresh-air intake cool. I hadn’t thought about how buildings that include labs need 100% fresh air, or how that can be balanced with energy efficiency. The solutions built into Cairns showed that sustainability doesn’t mean sacrificing safety or performance. It’s about finding smart ways to meet both needs.

    The containment labs were another example of that balance. Hearing about the specialized materials, the hydrogen chloride-resistant caulking, and the acid-neutralizing glass pipes showed me how seriously safety and long-term durability are considered. It was also surprising to learn that the building uses a central steam plant and reverse osmosis water for temperature and humidity control. Every system seemed to be part of a bigger, connected network.

    One of the most unexpected things I learned was how much behaviour matters. The example of fume hoods left open wasting energy really stuck with me. It made me think about how even the most advanced sustainable building still relies on people making conscious choices.

    Overall, this tour turned sustainability from an abstract idea into something tangible and exciting. I came away seeing it as both an art and a science. It’s something that requires creativity, collaboration, and constant problem-solving. It also made me curious to keep learning, because I can now see how sustainability connects to almost everything: design, technology, health, and the way we live every day. 

    Categories: Blog, Experiential Education, SSAS Program, SSAS Student Contributor

  • SSAS Field Journals: Trails Tour with Facilities Management

    Wednesday, January 07, 2026 | By

    Blog Contributor: Ruth Horn

    The trails tour with Facilities Management was a completely different kind of sustainability experience from the other site visits and significantly more in my wheelhouse. Instead of high-tech systems and machinery, this one was all about observing how nature, infrastructure, and human use interact in real time. The tour opened my eyes to the small, often invisible ways that sustainability plays out in everyday landscapes.

    One of the first things I learned was about hedgerows and “utility mulch”. I’d never really thought about the idea of a hedgerow before. It’s such a simple feature, but it serves multiple purposes like providing habitat, acting as a buffer, and supporting biodiversity. The conversation about “no fire breaks” also got me thinking about how management decisions balance ecological value and safety. I realized that even what looks like an untouched natural area can actually be a carefully managed space shaped by both ecological and practical concerns.

    Hearing about the infrastructure beneath the trails was also fascinating. I was surprised to learn that three major water mains run underneath, carrying all the drinking water for St. Catharines and that the system will soon supply Niagara-on-the-Lake too. The idea that the forested area I was walking through was quietly sitting on top of a vital water system made me think about how much infrastructure is hidden in plain sight. It connected to the broader sustainability concept of systems thinking: how different networks (natural and human-made) overlap and rely on one another.

    One of the most memorable parts of the tour for me was learning about the effects of something as simple as mountain bike ruts. I had no idea that when people ride the trails in the rain, the tire tracks can change how water runs off, increasing erosion and even redirecting runoff. It was such a small detail, but it really stuck with me, especially as someone who bikes along those trails. It showed how small actions by individuals can have physical, lasting impacts on an ecosystem. It also made me think about shared outdoor spaces and how fragile they can be if not cared for properly.

    I found it interesting to watch our guide point out plants and trees as we walked. Seeing him notice trees and plants he hadn’t seen before and identify species in real time was helpful as this is something I would like to do in the future and it reminded me that I don’t need to know everything before sharing the information I do have. It gave me a better appreciation for the kind of ongoing observation and maintenance that goes into managing natural areas.

    Overall, the trails tour reminded me that sustainability isn’t just about new technologies or large-scale systems. It’s also about awareness, observation, and care for the environments we walk through every day. It made me notice how many layers of life and infrastructure coexist on campus, and how much we depend on both human effort and natural balance to keep them thriving.

    Categories: Blog, Experiential Education, SSAS Program, SSAS Student Contributor

  • SSAS Field Journals: Escarpment Renewables

    Wednesday, January 07, 2026 | By

    Blog Contributor: Ruth Horn

    When I arrived at Escarpment Renewables, I honestly thought we were visiting a coffee cup recycling plant. It was not at all what I was expecting which ended up being really neat. I learned a lot. I learned that the facility is part of a much larger, interconnected system that transforms organic waste into energy and that discovery completely changed the way I think about “waste” and what can be done with it.

    The process starts before the waste even arrives. I learned that Davidson, and other companies like it handle the first step by separating the organic and inorganic parts of things like coffee cups. The organic sludge from that process is then sent to Escarpment Renewables, which is owned by Miller Waste. I found it fascinating to realize how many different players are involved in making one system of waste diversion work. Each part is specialized, yet dependent on the others. It made me appreciate the scale and coordination needed to make sustainability happen beyond the individual level.

    The anaerobic digestion system itself was unlike anything I had seen before. The waste is heated to about 70°C with glycol to pasteurize it before spending around 40 days in massive digesters that are 20 feet deep. Inside, the material breaks down without oxygen, producing methane gas that’s collected in rubber bladders. That biogas is then used to generate about one megawatt of power per hour. That energy is used to power their own machines and then the extra energy is sold back to the grid. Learning that the heat used to maintain the system actually comes from the generator itself showed me how circular the process is. Nothing is wasted, not even the energy used to keep things running.

    I was also surprised to learn how carefully the system is maintained. There are weekly, biweekly, and monthly checkups for pumps, choppers, and pneumatic bulbs, and the digesters are fully cleaned every four to five years. It takes a whole month just to prepare for that process. That level of planning and care gave me a new respect for the people running these systems. The fact that there are just three operators, one engineer, and a manager is surprising. It’s a small team managing a massive operation that quietly supports sustainability for the entire region.

    What struck me most during this visit was how much of the waste process happens out of sight. When we throw things “away,” we rarely think about where “away” actually is. Seeing how 90 tonnes of waste a day can become biogas and organic fertilizer made me realize that sustainability isn’t just about recycling, but that it’s about innovation, chemistry, and constant problem-solving. Even the leftover solids that can’t be used are carefully handled and sent to landfill, while the liquid is turned into organic manure that goes back into farms.

    Leaving the tour, I felt like I understood the word “renewable” in a much deeper way. Escarpment Renewables isn’t just a waste facility. It’s also a reminder that with the right systems, waste can become a resource, and sustainability can literally power our communities, even if it started out as a failed project by the municipal government. 

    Categories: Blog, Experiential Education, SSAS Program, SSAS Student Contributor

  • Fall Term Provides Experiential Education Opportunities for ESRC Students

    Wednesday, December 06, 2023 | By

    This Fall, students studying Environmental Sustainability at both the graduate and undergraduate level had multiple opportunities to learn in their community and engage with sustainability initiatives across the Niagara Region. Experiential education is an important aspect of both graduate and undergraduate-level education at Brock, and particularly within the ESRC. Amanda Smits, Centre Administrator at the ESRC, states “Providing experiential opportunities for students to get out into the field and create real-world connections with the content they are learning in the classroom is really foundational to our academic program offerings.”

    Below we’ve outlined the different types of experiences our students have taken part in over the course of this semester.

    SSAS 5P01: Foundations in Sustainability Science

    This is a core course for students in their first year of the Master of Sustainability program, but often includes Masters students from other programs at Brock and PhD students in the Sustainability Science program. This term, students enrolled in the course participated in three experiential education excursions. Their first excursion took them on a tour of various areas of Brock’s campus to learn about the university’s commitment to low carbon energy. First, the students hiked on the Bruce Trail through the Niagara Escarpment Biosphere Network, both of which border Brock’s campus. They were then taken to Brock’s Central Utilities Building (CUB) where Mary Quintana, Director, Asset Management & Utilities, and Drew Cullen, Manager, District Energy provided the students with a tour of Brock’s District Energy System and the tunnels that support the delivery of low-carbon utilities across Brock’s main campus. To learn more about the District Energy Efficiency Project please visit here or check out this Youtube Video.

    On their second excursion, the students learned about climate action in Niagara. They met with Beatrice Perna, Climate Change Specialist with the Niagara Region’s Corporate Strategy Services, and Alexandra Cotrufo, Climate Change Intern at Niagara Region and recent Master of Sustainability graduate. The students once again visited the Bruce Trail and utilized the fire pit area at Brock to have an informal conversation with both Beatrice and Alexandra about the climate change work being undertaken by Niagara Region and their career evolution. The students also got to learn more about the Niagara Climate Change Action Network, on whose steering committee Brock participates.

    For their final course excursion, the students left Brock’s campus and were taken on a tour of ecological restoration sites that are managed by the Niagara Parks Commission. NPC’s Project Manager of Forest Health, Corey Burant, and Master of Sustainability student Sydney McIntyre led the students around the various sites and explained how stewardship and biodiversity preservation is being prioritized in each, including the Chippawa Grassland Restoration Project, the Ussher’s Creek Coastal Wetland Restoration Project, and the Gonder’s Flats Wetland Restoration Project.

    SSAS 5V82: Nature Based Solutions in Sustainability

    In another graduate-level course, students got to witness a unique form of invasive species management. The students traveled to Niagara Falls to visit one of Ontario Power Generation’s (OPG) properties to see how they are utilizing goats to manage the spread of invasive phragmites. Here they met with Nancy Laser, Environmental, Chemical and Safety Tech with OPG to tour the site and learn more about how the goats are helping to clear OPG lands surrounding hydro stations and other areas. Clearing these lands allow staff to safely obtain readings of water flow rates, water quality, and water level readings at their sites while managing the spread of these invasive species. Fascinated by this innovative project, the course instructor, Marilyne Carrey, noted that it is “through these experiential education opportunities that graduate students gain the essential knowledge and practical skills needed to cultivate a deeper understanding and enthusiasm for developing impactful solutions to complex environmental challenges. Dealing with invasive plant species demands innovative approaches, such as those being implemented by the OPG.”

    You can learn more about the work being undertaken by OPG here.

    ENSU 3P90: Contemporary Environmental Issues

    ESRC graduate students weren’t the only ones to participate in experiential education this term, our undergraduate students also took part. This group of students took a trip out to Gonder’s Flats Wetland Restoration Project in late October 2023. There, they met up with Master of Sustainability student Sydney McIntyre, who introduced them to the iNaturalist app and demonstrated how Niagara Parks is encouraging members of the Niagara community to use the app to catalogue different plant and animal species in the region. The students used the app to participate in a mini bio-blitz, where they took photos and logged various species around Gonder’s Flats, which assists in growing NPC’s species database. The students then participated in a tree planting initiative in the area to increase biodiversity in the wetland.

    Dr. Jessica Blythe reflected “We often hear from students that these experiential education opportunities are some of the most memorable experiences of their program. Being able to connect directly with people in the fields that many of our students go on to work in provides an unrivalled opportunities for learning and networking”.

    Categories: Blog, Experiential Education, Minor in Sustainability, SSAS Program

  • Seen & Heard at the ESRC: Presentations for the End of the Term!

    Tuesday, April 04, 2023 | By

    It seems like just yesterday that the ESRC welcomed two new cohorts of graduate students to Brock – our ninth group of Master’s students and our first-ever group of PhD students!

    Both of these groups have now successfully completed their first years in their respective programs, and we could not be prouder of all they’ve achieved. We thought the best way to celebrate was with final class presentations, a social gathering for students and faculty, and a field trip!

    On Friday, March 31st, the SSAS students presented their MRP and Thesis research proposals to their peers. They have been working towards these presentations since September, and all did a wonderful job outlining their research topics.

    Back Row L-R: Kassie Burns, Zeal Pandya, Sanjida Amin, Sydney McIntyre, Evan Rodenburg, Erin Isaac, Dr. Jessica Blythe, Natalie Seniuk. Front Row L-R: Anmol Burmy, Zaara Momin.

    Back Row L-R: Dr. Todd Green, Sydney McIntyre, Evan Rodenburg, Erin Isaac, Dr. Jessica Blythe, Natalie Seniuk, Dr. Ryan Plummer, Dr. Xavier Fazio. Front Row L-R: Zeal Pandya, Kassie Burns, Sanjida Amin, Anmol Burmy, Zaara Momin, Dr. Marilyne Carrey, Amanda Smits

    With their research proposal presentations behind them, our SSAS students were then joined by their peers in the PhD program for a field trip to the Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority (NPCA) in Welland on April 4th, 2023. Since January, both cohorts have been working closely with Kerry Royer and Natalie Green to develop sustainability assessment frameworks and implementation tools for the NPCA as part of their course work in SSAS 5P03 and SSCI 7P02. The purpose of this field trip was for both groups to present their findings and recommendations to the staff at the NPCA. The presentations were a great success, and we received wonderful feedback from our partners at the NPCA!

    We are very proud of these graduate students for all they have achieved this year, and wish them all the best as they head into the Spring and Summer terms to begin co-op placements and research projects!

    Categories: Blog, Co-Op, Collaborations, Event, Experiential Education, SSAS Program

  • Stories of Sustainability: Experiential Education for SSAS Students in Niagara Parks

    Tuesday, December 20, 2022 | By

    Blog Contributor: Norievill Espana

    SSAS students and Environmental Sustainability Research Centre staff boarded a big yellow bus to visit Niagara Parks as part of the 5P01 Foundations in Sustainability Science and Society course, which was instructed by Dr. Jessica Blythe throughout the Fall 2022 semester. This experiential learning was designed to reinforce knowledge exchange beyond the four walls of the classroom.

    Dr. Ryan Plummer, Director of the ESRC and team lead of the Excellence in Environmental Stewardship Initiative (EESI), joined the class and shared information on the EESI, a partnership between Brock University’s ESRC and the Niagara Parks Commission. He added that the EESI aims to enhance environmental stewardship, knowledge sharing, and capacity development through the partnership. Dr. Plummer then introduced Corey Burant, Project Manager for Forest Health Parks, Planning and Properties,from Niagara Parks who facilitated the tour for the SSAS students.

    The first stop was the Niagara Gorge, overlooking the whirlpool and surrounded by a 10,000-year-old rock formation. Corey explained how Niagara Parks employees used prescribed burning to remove and control invasive plant species and maintain the native population. He also shared how forest rangers installed gates and signage and have rerouted trails to protect endangered species. However, vandalism and intrusion remain a challenge within the park.

    The group then proceeded to the Niagara Glen Nature Centre. The Centre is a key location where Niagara Parks fosters knowledge and awareness through nature-based experience. Here, visitors can take part in a point-based trading system by sharing photos of plants and animals that they encountered around the area during their hikes and visits. The staff working at the Centre showed the SSAS students’ items and their corresponding points such as rocks, fossils, taxidermy, shells, and others.

    Before proceeding to the next stop, Samantha Witkowski, SSAS Alumnus, joined the students and shared an overview of her research on monitoring and evaluation of tourist perception and behavior in Niagara Parks. She also shared how the outputs of her research assisted Niagara Parks in identifying sustainable tourism strategies to improve tourist awareness and engagement. After her presentation, the SSAS students made a quick round of sharing their proposed topics of research which included improving awareness on climate change, biodiversity conservation, and environmental restoration.

    The next stop on the tour was the Chippawa Battlefield Park where Corey shared about the history of the grassland, and how the conservation efforts undertaken by Niagara Parks have led to a flourishing ecosystem and thriving population of important bird species.

    Last was a short walk to Ussher’s Creek, one of the shoreline restoration sites in Niagara Parks.  Corey shared that Niagara Parks has adopted a method of piling and dropping fallen trees into the water. The fallen trees provide habitat and feeding areas for diverse species of fish. At the onset, they were worried the method would go against the aesthetic plan of the shoreline but gained support from the surrounding community and saw success in their use of fallen trees. Corey highlighted that NPC continues to find sustainable ways in maintaining Niagara Parks establishments and amenities.

    The experiential learning at Niagara Parks was a beneficial way to wrap up the Fall 2022 term. SSAS students learned first-hand information about how sustainability is embedded in corporate actions and the importance of transdisciplinary initiatives, where academe and partners work hand-in-hand to achieve environmental sustainability goals.

    Categories: Blog, Collaborations, Environmental Stewardship Initiative, Experiential Education, Innovative Partnership, Student Contributor

  • Master of Sustainability Class Helps with Tree Inventory at Charles Daley Park

    Thursday, November 17, 2022 | By

    Blog Contributor: Kassie Burns

    A class trip contributed to an ongoing Brock-Lincoln Living Lab research project  assisting the Town of Lincoln with research to inform management strategies for their urban tree canopy. Dr. Marilyne Jollineau and Master of Sustainability alumnus, Baharak Razaghirad, have continued Baharak’s thesis work that included an urban tree canopy assessment for the Town. While in the field, the class collected global positioning system (GPS) data of individual trees and recorded information including  tree species type, diameter at breast height, tree condition, and other characteristics used to calculate the dollar value to the ecosystem benefits provided by each tree. Ecosystem benefits are ones that naturally occur in the environment that provide some service to improve human quality of life, such as air and water quality. Students collected data on approximately 30 trees representing total annual benefits of approximately $2,000 saved in ecosystem benefits! This information is available on a collaborative crowd-sourced platform for tree inventory, ecosystem service calculation, and community engagement called OpenTreeMap. This platform can be accessed by the public to add and/or view these trees and to calculate their eco-benefits.

    I was fortunate to be able to help with this project through the graduate class (SSAS 5P13) entitled Landscape Ecology and Ecosystem Management, instructed by Dr. Marilyne Jollineau. On a field trip taken to Charles Daley Park (CDP), the class was able to help contribute to the OpenTreeMap database by conducting similar field research observations as mentioned above. The exposure to working in the field left me with so many learning opportunities and positive memories.

    1. Helped contribute to a project that helps a municipality evaluate its tree canopy resources.
    • Increased tree inventory data in an area vulnerable to climate change.
    • Provided field work data that can help determine tree location and new sites to plant trees.
    • Obtained data on tree size to assess extent of ecosystem services provided for the Town.
    1. Gained practical experience in the field.
    • Used equipment such as GARMIN eTrex 30 GPS device to map precise location of trees.
    • Acquired knowledge on proper techniques to measure tree diameter.
    • Identified species, reported tree characteristics/observations, and tagged trees analyzed.
    • Appreciated the time required to plan and gather materials prior to conducting field work.
    1. Learned more about the location, landscape, and shoreline issues.
    • In 2017 the Town of Lincoln had a flooding event leading to a voluntary evacuation of the shoreline residents at CDP (DeCock-Caspell, 2020).
    • The remnants of foundations of homes can still be seen in the water.
    • Construction of the QEW narrowed both sides of the creek that could have led to a bottleneck effect that impacted water flow (DeCock-Caspell, 2020).
    • A wetland now resides off the shoreline.

    References

    DeCock-Caspell, M. (2020). If Coastlines Could Talk…A Story of Lincoln, Ontario. Retrieved November 5, 2022, from https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/8997ca2440e24be4881612411ff6bf95

    Categories: Blog, Brock Lincoln Living Lab, Experiential Education, Innovative Partnership, SSAS Student Contributor, Town of Lincoln

  • Niagara Parks Field Trip Marks Return of In-Person Experiential Education for SSAS Students

    Tuesday, April 19, 2022 | By

    For the first time in two years, students enrolled in the Master of Sustainability program at Brock University were able to get together for an in-person field trip across the Niagara Region to engage with our community partners at the Niagara Parks Commission.

    The day began at the newly restored and renovated Niagara Power Station, where SSAS students Tyler Thomson and Lauren Patterson presented their final project in their Problem Solving in the Environment course (SSAS 5P03) on behalf of their classmates. As SSAS 5P03 instructor Dr. Ryan Plummer explained, the purpose of the assignment was to “collaboratively understand and resolve an environmental sustainability dilemma or opportunity. Niagara Parks was the client for the course this year and expressed an interest in proposals regarding communications and interpretation”. Dr. Plummer added that “the Niagara Parks Power Station provided an impressive backdrop for the students to present the final deliverables of their project to Ellen Savoia (Senior Manager, Planning and Environmental Sustainability), Corey Burant (Project Manager, Forest Health Planning, Environment and Culture) and colleagues from the ESRC”.

    After the presentation, the students were taken on a tour of the Niagara Power Station building that included a history of the power station from its initial construction in 1905 to today. The tour included multiple displays that covered various aspects of the station’s history, including a look at how the building was constructed with horse and carriage power. We were incredibly grateful to our tour guides for providing such a thorough history of such a fascinating aspect of the Niagara Region!

    From the Power Station, we stopped for a lunch break at Table Rock Market and headed out for the second half of our day, which was a tour of various Niagara Parks stewardship sites. Our first site was the Upper Whirlpool Woods, where Corey Burant spoke about trail management in the Niagara Parks Commission, and how the NPC manages at-risk species and old growth forests. The students then had the opportunity to meet and hear from SSAS alumnus Samantha Witkowski, whose thesis research was based in several Niagara Parks stewardship sites, including the Niagara Glen, and concerned evaluation of environmental management. Hearing from a former SSAS student whose thesis research has been published in several journals since completing the program was a valuable experience for our current students, many of whom will be starting to collect data for their own research projects.

    Following Samantha’s presentation, the students headed to the final two stops on their field trip. The first of these was the Usshers Creek Coastal Wetland Project site, where Corey Burant spoke to the students about the project and explained how the Niagara Parks Commission manages coastal wetlands in their stewardship sites. The final stop of the day was the Chippawa Battlefield, where Corey spoke to the students about the NPC’s Grassland Habitat Restoration Project. The students learned about the history of the site and how the NPC is using controlled burning to maintain the site and restore natural habitats.

    This experience was incredibly valuable for all students, as it provided them with the opportunity to not only meet many of their fellow classmates in person, but to visit the stewardship sites that so many of them are basing their research around. Lauren Patterson, who is currently completing a research assistantship with the Niagara Parks Commission, said that “visiting prominent Niagara Parks sites and seeing their beauty in person for the first time was a reminder of why we are studying Sustainability; We want to continue to experience areas filled with cultural and natural heritage, and safeguard them for future generations”. SSAS student Shannon Heaney, who travelled from Alberta to participate in the field trip, echoed Lauren’s statements, and added that “seeing the work that Niagara Parks is doing is inspiring for the future of sustainability and the beautiful natural areas in which these actions take place”.

    Check out the photos below of some highlights from our trip!

    Categories: Blog, Environmental Stewardship Initiative, Experiential Education, SSAS Program

  • Study Options for Sustainability Science at Brock

    Thursday, January 20, 2022 | By

    Blog Contributor: Alexandra Cotrufo

    Study abroad education in Global ideas: Graduated cap on top global model on open textbook in library. Concept of studying international educational,reading book bring success degree in life

    Climate change, depletion of resources, increased gas emissions, and poverty are all issues we are currently faced with. These complex problems require integrated and innovative solutions from multiple perspectives that take into consideration the urgency of the climate crisis.

    Studying environmental sustainability provides students with the skills and resources needed to be more environmentally conscious and helps create sustainable solutions to meet the needs of both society and the planet.

    The field of Environmental Sustainability is transdisciplinary in nature and combines theory from economics, social science, and environmental science to protect the natural environment, sustain ecological health, and improve the quality of life.

    Brock University offers many environmental sustainability study options, from a Minor in Sustainability to a brand-new PhD program in Sustainability Science. Keep reading to find out more about each option and what they have to offer!

    1. Minor in Sustainability 

    The Minor in Sustainability program provides students with the core skills necessary to solve complex problems regarding environmental sustainability. These skills are necessary in today’s modern world as businesses and governments adapt to new legislation and society becomes more aware of the impact we have on the environment.

    Through the courses available in the minor, student will have the opportunity to study sustainability issues from a transdisciplinary perspective and gain practical insight into how Canada and the world is moving forward to address environmental issues.

    1. Micro-certificate in Environmental Sustainability

    The certificate program introduces students to conceptual and applied aspects of environmental sustainability. The micro-certificate is designed for people who either already have a degree or who do not wish to pursue a degree and consists of two undergraduate courses.

    1. Master of Sustainability

     The Master of Sustainability program aims to facilitate society’s transition towards sustainability and provides graduate students with a high-quality education. The program offers enriching research, applied experiences, and engagement in problem-solving through innovative pedagogy.

    Students can tailor the program to their specific career and research interests through enriching classroom learning with practical experience in the form of a Co-op, or partake in an intensive research experience.

    Are you interested in applying for 2022/2023? Applications are currently being accepted until February 4th, 2022!

    1. PhD in Sustainability Science

     Brock has recently announced a new PhD in Sustainability Science program, which will launch in Fall 2022. This aim of the program is to cultivate a sustainable and equitable future and offer a state-of-the-art education. The program integrates rigorous scientific practice with an understanding of the unique relationship between humans and the environment. Upon successful completion of the requirements for the program, students will earn the designation of Doctor of Philosophy.

    Reference:

    https://brocku.ca/esrc/study-sustainability/

    Categories: Blog, Experiential Education, Innovative Partnership, Minor in Sustainability, SSAS Program, SSAS Student Contributor, Sustainability at Brock

  • Case Studies: A Step Towards Solving the Climate Crisis

    Thursday, October 28, 2021 | By

    Blog Contributor: Erica Harper

    Christine Janzen is an instructor within the Environmental Sustainability Research Centre who teaches the Introduction to Environmental Sustainability (ENSU 2P01) and Environmental Sustainability in Practice (ENSU 2P02) courses at Brock University. Despite the challenges of teaching students in an online format during a global pandemic, she got creative and designed a case study for students focused on developing a sustainable community hub in the Town of Lincoln. A Community Hub is a place that offers various integrated services such as social, health, education, business development, and municipal services.

    For context, the Town of Lincoln is in the heart of the Niagara Region on Lake Ontario and includes smaller communities such as Beamsville, Jordan, and Vineland. It is home to nearly 24,000 residents and to over 50 wineries, farms, and heritage sites. The Town of Lincoln has long been committed to creating a sustainable community for all, and their overarching vision to be a place where all residents grow, prosper, and belong. To continue to fulfill this vision, the Town has set to develop a sustainable Community Hub, which represents “Project 1” within the Brock-Lincoln Living Lab Sustainability Action Plan.

    Students were challenged with the task of creating a planning process for the sustainable Community Hub while taking many other factors  into account, such as:

    • Determining who is involved in the planning process
    • Assessing who should be consulted during the planning process
    • Securing a building in an accessible location
    • Creating a framework for the project
    • Return on investment
    • The services that will be offered to residents
    • Implementing sustainable initiatives and making sustainability a priority
    • Ensuring that all residents are informed and buy into the idea of a Community Hub since taxpayer money will help to fund this project

    To help inform their responses to the case study for the Town of Lincoln, students were presented with fictional quotes from various key stakeholders that were “asked whether or not they would support the implementation of a Community Hub in their town”. Some fictional stakeholders included the Mayor, the Manager of Infrastructure and Development, citizens, council members, business owners, and social service providers.

    According to Janzen, the students approached this project and their chosen topics with a variety of interesting ideas. For example, a group of students were tasked with focusing on green infrastructure and low impact design on the community hub property. Their ideas ranged from a green roof, rain gardens, and permeable pavement to allotment of land for community gardens. Another group was asked to propose a communication strategy to promote the Hub to a group of stakeholders who may be hesitant about its implementation where they could apply what they’d learned about best practices in Environmental Communications. This group of students considered what messages would resonate best with the stakeholders they’d chosen based on their values and concerns, and considered best methods of dissemination of messages from in-person group discussions, public participation through social media, local broadcast media to forming a local community hub committee including some of the Town’s citizens.

    Overall, Janzen said that while the steps of this project were new to many students and that the project was challenging, the students rose to the occasion. Janzen also said that she was “pleased to see students using what they had learned about the Town’s values, goals, and objectives to help them determine what voices would be important in the Hub discussion”, adding that “one student even mentioned that she drove through the Town of Lincoln for the first time to get a better idea of the context of the case study”. She also focused on the importance of experiential education, as it “gives students opportunities to see how theory is applied in the “real” world and deepens their understanding of the course material”.

    Experiential education also helps students make connections between theory and practice at a local level. “For example”, said Janzen, “ENSU 2P02 explores how environmental sustainability practices are being implemented in several fields and provides examples from across the globe. Having students work through one of the projects the ESRC is engaged in allows them to see and participate in a project that is happening locally  – what sustainability looks like in Niagara Region”.

     

    Categories: Blog, Brock Lincoln Living Lab, Experiential Education, Town of Lincoln

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