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  • Master of Sustainability graduate’s research wins Best Paper at International Conference

    Wednesday, September 13, 2017 | By

    By: Lydia Collas

    Gary Pickering accepting best paper award

    Brock University’s Dr. Gary Pickering (left) is awarded Best Paper at the 2017 International Conference on Food and Agriculture Technologies (ICFAT) from Professor Byoung Ryong Jeong (right), Gyeongsang National University, Korea.

    Research of Samantha Stea, an alumnus of the Sustainability Science and Society (SSAS) graduate program, has recently been awarded Best Paper at the 2017 International Conference on Food and Agriculture Technologies (ICFAT) in Bali, Indonesia.

    Stea investigated consumer perspectives on the environmental impacts of red meat production, as well as effective means for encouraging people to reduce their consumption of red meat.

    “We knew there had not been much research done on this topic, especially considering the environmental angle, so we decided it would be a unique research opportunity” said Stea, “It was immensely satisfying to get to do research that involved people’s day-to-day lives and spread some understanding of how their daily lives can have an impact on the environment.”

    Livestock farming is a major cause of deforestation worldwide. This is because of the extensive land needed for grazing and the production of food, such as grain, for these animals. It also uses more water, and creates more greenhouse gas emissions than plant-based foods.

    Stea began her research by identifying peoples’ motivations to eat red meat. She used her findings to design different messages about the negative environmental impacts of meat production. Several respondents indicated that they would reduce their red meat consumption, indicating the effectiveness of the messages.

    Stea’s research was supervised by Dr. Gary Pickering, Professor of Biological Sciences and Psychology who presented the research at ICFAT 2017 on behalf of Stea, “Our lab is very interested and active in research that aims to understand why, as consumers, we make decisions that harm the environment.”

    Pickering is keen to pursue further research in this area, “We also conduct empirical research on how we can optimize environmental messaging to promote pro-environmental behaviors. Sam’s research on red meat consumption combined both of these themes, and we are building on this success with several other projects through the SSAS programme.”

    Stea expressed her delight at her work being named Best Paper at ICFAT 2017, “We knew we had tackled a novel research question, so it was exciting to get some external validation for it. I am very grateful and appreciative that our paper was chosen, I know all the submissions were high quality.”

    Following her graduation from the SSAS program, Stea speaks highly of its impact on her future aspirations, “The SSAS program has led me to continue to pursue a career where I can help people and organizations to understand sustainability and how it can fit into their lives. I believe we can all live a little bit more sustainably, and this program has given me the tools and knowledge to make that happen.”

     

  • Featured in The Brock Press: Brock University offers new Environmental Sustainability minor

    Monday, September 11, 2017 | By

    Brock University offers new Environmental Sustainability minor

    September 5, 2017 

    brocku.ca

    With extreme weather becoming more prominent in the world, the need to address and help prevent further climate change has become more necessary than ever. Brock University is now providing students with an opportunity to be a part of that prevention with a minor in Environmental Sustainability provided through the Environmental Sustainability Research Centre (ESRC). With Hurricane Harvey, the first major hurricane to touch landfall in the U.S. since Hurricane Wilma, the timing couldn’t be any more perfect.

    The new minor aims to combine the study of social and environmental sciences with economics, ideally suited to equip the student not only with an understanding of how to protect the natural environments that are necessary for survival, but to do so in a way that helps protect and even improve the overall quality of human life. For instance, what ways can we protect the environment from worsening climate conditions while still supporting the overall population through its continued growth.

    While it is easy to see the larger picture, it is hard to consider the impact of even the smallest actions of an individual on the environment’s overall health. Looking at extreme weather over the past few decades in the form of hurricanes like Katrina, Sandy, or most recently Hurricane Harvey, make it easier to see why it is so important to integrate environmental sustainability into society.

    This new minor will allow students the opportunity to delve into the subject while still in their undergraduate degrees, inspiring more students to consider future paths in green energy, and in protection of the natural environment that is in need of addressing. Additionally, Environmental Sustainability does not only address current issues of climate change, but touches on all aspects of life through addressing the environment and our relationship to it.

    Perhaps the most interesting aspect of the new minor is how varying the range of co-operating centres and departments involved are, from Earth Science and Economics to Studies in Arts and Culture and even Visual Arts. This is for a very specific reason, particularly that the new minor, while being about Environmental Sustainability, is, at its core, about breaking barriers between subjects, working in tandem to provide students with a wider, more nuanced understanding of environmental issues. Additionally, the minor aims to take “ a transdisciplinary orientation to encourage connections among ideas and prepare students to engage with a dynamic and complex world.”

    With the program involving so many different transdisciplinary aspects, the minor is a suitable addition to many different fields of study, so students outside of Geography and Earth Sciences might find this to be an interesting choice in further enriching their educational experience.

    Though the Environmental Sustainability minor is still under development, two second year courses will be available online for the fall semester: Introduction to Environmental Sustainability (ENSU 2P01) which involves a look into the overall concepts and importance of Environmental Sustainability, and Environmental Sustainability in Practice (ENSU 2P02) which involves an introduction into the practice of Environmental Sustainability in a variety of fields.

    Additional third year courses are also available and while they do not have the second year courses listed as prerequisites, students are strongly recommended to take the second year courses first. A minor in Environmental Sustainability will require 1.5 ENSU credits to be quantifiable as well as an additional 2.5 credits from a list of approved courses. Students are allowed to take an Environmental Sustainability course without minoring, however registration will favour those who are minoring first.

    While there is only a minor currently available in Environmental Sustainability, if students wish to continue exploring the subject post-undergrad, Brock University also offers The Sustainability Science and Society (SSAS) graduate program, first available in 2014. This program offers students the chance to gain a Master of Sustainability within either 16 months or 24 months, as the program is offered in two different paths: Scheme A which includes classroom studies and practical experience, or Scheme B which involves extensive research experience. The program totes an emphasis on “overcoming barriers among traditional disciplines and sectors”.

    Story featured in The Brock Press

  • Christine Diagle awarded a Partnership Development Grant for “Posthumanism research network”

    Monday, September 11, 2017 | By

    Brock awarded $2.2 million in SSHRC funding in 2017

    WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 06, 2017 | by 

    Angela BookBrock Professor Angela Book has received a grant from the federal government’s Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) to continue her research into what psychopaths look for when they choose their next victim.

    What do psychopaths look for when they pick their next victim? And how do psychopaths come across when they lure in those victims?

    Brock psychologist Angela Book’s previous research has shown that the way that a person walks — shuffling, looking at the ground, hunched over — can make them a potential target for a psychopath.

    Now the associate professor of Psychology is taking her work one step further by researching the personality traits that would make someone likely to become a victim.

    With her grant from the federal government’s Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC), Book and Lakehead University Assistant Professor of Psychology Beth Visser will be running a series of experiments that will assess where participants fall on the HEXACO scale, a model co-developed by Brock and the University of Calgary that measures six major dimensions of personality. The scale measures: honesty-humility; emotionality; extraversion; agreeableness (versus anger); conscientiousness; and openness to experience.

    “Our new project is going to look at the personality associated with being gullible and vulnerable to such manipulation or victimization,” says Book. “The second part of our research is to look at whether that translates into accurately predicting victimization.”

    In the federal government agency’s 2017 competition, Brock received a total of $2.2 million from SSHRC’s Insight Grants, Insight Development Grants, Partnership Development Grants, and student research awards.

    This total includes graduate student scholarships and fellowships.

    “Brock continues to do very well in receiving funding from SSHRC,” says Brock’s Interim Vice-President Research Joffre Mercier. “The applications go through a very competitive process, and Brock’s success is a clear demonstration of the excellence of our researchers in humanities and social sciences research.”

    Book says her research results will help people to better understand their own vulnerabilities, taking the randomness out of abuse and hopefully preventing victimization from taking place.

    “It’s amazing that SSHRC gives the opportunity to do this kind of research,” says Book. “There’s no way I could afford to do this without the funding.”

    Brock researchers awarded Insight Grants in 2017 are:

    • Natalie Alvarez, Department of Dramatic Arts, “Scenario training to improve interactions between police and individuals in mental crisis: impacts and efficacy”
    • Angela Book, Department of Psychology, “Psychopaths as social predators: victim selection, social mimicry, and interpersonal interaction”
    • Chantal Buteau, Department of Mathematics, “Educating for the 21st Century: post-secondary students learning progmastics, computer programming for mathematical investigation, simulation, real-world modelling”
    • Jane Koustas, Department of Modern Languages, Literatures and Cultures, “Contemporary Irish and Quebec theatre: national identity/global reach”
    • Jennifer Rowsell, Department of Teacher Education, “Maker literacies”
    • Louis Volante, Department of Teacher Education, “Immigrant student achievement and education policy: a Pan-Canadian analysis”
    • Anthony Volk, Department of Child and Youth Studies, “Reconceptualizing bullying: strengthening the foundation for measurement, research, interventions and policies”
    • Dawn Zinga, Department of Child and Youth Studies, “Breaking down barriers: first generation students and programming that addresses barriers to post-secondary achievement”

    Brock researchers awarded Insight Development Grants in the 2017 are:

    • Jin Lei, Department of Finance, Operations and Information Systems, “Credit risk spillovers and corporate financial policies”
    • Robert Steinbauer, Department of Organizational Behaviour, Human Resources, Entrepreneurship and Ethics: “How do mentors affect student entrepreneur proteges’ moral cognition and ethical conduct?”
    • Dawn Zinga, Department of Child and Youth Studies, “Why do competitive dancers commit to dance? Exploring the lived experiences of young competitive dancers within a motivational framework”

    Brock researchers awarded a Partnership Development Grant in 2017 are:

    • Christine Daigle, Department of Philosophy, “Posthumanism research network”

    SSHRC’s Insight Grants program provides funding for three to five years for research that accomplishes a number of goals, including: building knowledge and understanding; supporting new approaches to research; and providing training experiences for students.

    SSHRC’s Insight Development Grants program supports research in its initial stages. The grants enable the development of new research questions, as well as experimentation with new methods, theoretical approaches and/or ideas.

    Partnership Development Grant proposals are expected to respond to the objectives of the Insight program or the Connection program, or a combination thereof.

    Story from The Brock News

  • Researchers tackling allergies and climate change receive CFI funding

    Wednesday, August 16, 2017 | By

    TUESDAY, AUGUST 15, 2017 | by 

    Adam MacNeilAdam MacNeil will use funding from the Canada Foundation for Innovation to continue his allergies research.

    It’s the peanut that has Adam MacNeil so concerned.

    Thinking back to his schoolyard days, the assistant professor in Brock’s Department of Health Sciences says children with peanut allergies were a rarity — a far cry from today’s youth.

    “Allergies are absolutely an epidemic,” he explains, adding that up to 50 per cent of school-aged Canadian children suffer from allergic diseases. “It’s very much a combination of our environment, our immune system and how they interact with one another.”

    MacNeil is one of two Brock professors who will be able to take their research further thanks to $311,821 in federal funding announced Tuesday, Aug. 15 by Minister of Science Kirsty Duncan. The research dollars, received through the Canada Foundation for Innovation John R. Evans Leaders Fund (JELF), will also benefit Kevin Turner.

    The assistant professor in the Department of Geography and Tourism Studies spends his time examining temperature and landscape data gathered on his many research trips to a lake-rich area of the Yukon called Old Crow Flats, the traditional territory of the Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation.

    Kevin Turner

    Kevin Turner will use funding from the Canada Foundation for Innovation to further his work on the impacts of climate change in the lake-rich area of the Yukon called Old Crow Flats.

    “The North is a very important place to understand how climate is affecting the land, wildlife and natural resources because it is undergoing greater amounts of change than anywhere else,” Turner says.

    JELF funding is used by the CFI to help Canadian institutions attract and retain top researchers, by providing the infrastructure they need to remain or become leaders in their field.

    MacNeil’s research focuses on mast cells — specialized cells of the immune system that arise from stem cells. They normally play important roles in fighting infection and maintaining healthy tissues where they are found.

    But mast cells can also act out and react to substances in the environment that pose no real threat. Known as allergens, contact with the likes of pollen, mould and certain foods, can cause mast cells to release various biologically potent substances leading to tissue damage.

    The release of these biological substances causes inflammation, mucus production and other allergy symptoms.

    “We’re looking at the molecular and genetic changes that happen to bone marrow-derived stem cells that allow them to ultimately become the mast cells found in other tissues,” MacNeil says. “We’re interested in how those mast cells then function and whether we can find innovative strategies to target mast cells and block their ability to create allergic inflammation.”

    To find those strategies is no easy task. Samples that researchers pull from bone marrow contain a huge number and variety of cells that regulate all aspects of immunity. MacNeil says there’s a lot of “background noise” that interferes with examining the development of mast cells closely.

    With his JELF funding, MacNeil will purchase a cell sorting and analysis suite — a group of instruments that will allow him to suck out and isolate stem cells developing into mast cells for intense examination.

    Turner’s research, on the other hand, documents how the impacts of climate change are transforming the landscape of Old Crow Flats by eroding river shorelines, increasing shrub vegetation and destabilizing lake water levels.

    Also of huge concern are the presence and movement of carbon in the area’s water system.

    Rising temperatures are causing permafrost to thaw which, in turn, triggers ‘thaw slumps’ (landslides) in many areas, especially along river banks.

    Carbon is a chemical element that is an important component of greenhouse gases.

    Permafrost locks in large amounts of carbon, which can be released to lakes, rivers or the atmosphere, potentially perpetuating changing climate, Turner says.

    With his JELF funding, Turner will obtain drones and GPS systems that he will use to create three-dimensional maps twice each season over several years. These maps will be used with sampled sediment, vegetation and water to document rates of landscape changes and associated influences on the carbon balance and river and lake environments.

    “It is important for us to continue development of innovative and integrated approaches to monitor landscape changes and impacts across vast northern regions,” he says. “Findings will improve predictions of how these important landscapes will respond to future climate change.”

    Brock’s Interim Vice-President Research Joffre Mercier said it is gratifying for the University to receive funding that is earmarked for the country’s most significant research projects.

    “This will enable two of our researchers to make significant contributions to Canada’s health care and environmental conservation efforts,” he said. “We’re all very proud of the exceptional research performed at Brock, and I look forward to seeing the results.”

    Story from The Brock News

  • Grand opening set for new cycling path near Brock

    Tuesday, July 25, 2017 | By

    MONDAY, JULY 17, 2017 | by 

    Decew and Merrittville pathwayA cyclist is picture on the new Decew and Merrittville multi-use pathway that recently opened near Brock.

    Travelling to Brock by bike or on foot just got a bit easier — and a lot safer.

    Work on the new Decew and Merrittville multi-use pathway has been completed, providing a safe route to get to the University from one of the most popular off-campus residential neighbourhoods.

    Last year, the Government of Ontario, City of Thorold, Niagara Region and Brock University announced a partnership to build a network of bike lanes and paths that would stretch from the Confederation Heights neighbourhood to the Brock campus.

    The announcement followed lobbying efforts by the Brock University Students’ Union for improved cycling infrastructure near campus.

    The first phase of the project began in 2016 with Decew Road reconstructed from Richmond Street to Merrittville Highway. Work continued this past April with a multi-use path and improved lighting installed on the highway between Decew Road and Sir Isaac Brock Way.

    An officially opening for the new pathway will be held Wednesday, July 19 at 3 p.m. outside of Niagara Region headquarters — on the southeast corner of Sir Isaac Brock Way and Merrittville Highway. The ceremony will be followed by a bike ride for cyclists of all ages. All are welcome to attend.

    Active transportation, such as walking or cycling, is a healthy way for the large population of Brock students and employees living in Thorold to commute to campus, said Elizabeth Yates, a liaison librarian at Brock, who is also a member of the Thorold Active Transportation Advisory Committee that advocated for the path project.

    “Before this pathway was built, walking or riding along Decew and Merrittville felt unsafe due to large volumes of traffic, with vehicles sometimes travelling over the speed limits,” she said. “Poor nighttime lighting was another concern.”

    As a cyclist and advocate for active transportation in the community, Yates was impressed to see so many partners come together to show their support for an initiative that “promotes healthy commuting and makes our area safer for everyone.”

    Story from The Brock News

  • Cheung’s hot study hits the big time

    Sunday, July 16, 2017 | By

    By: Lydia Collas

    Cheung's Research

    A study by researchers at Brock University which found motivational self-talk to improve physical and cognitive performance was recently featured on time.com, receiving more than 6 million views in 24 hours.

    Dr. Stephen Cheung, Professor of Kinesiology and member of the Environmental Sustainability Research Centre (ESRC) at Brock University, and his colleagues wanted to see if athletes could improve their endurance in the heat simply by changing their thoughts. The long-held view is that hard physical limits underlie an athlete’s performance in the heat. But Cheung wanted to investigate how mental, rather than physical, factors affect endurance.

    The study, recently published in the January 2017 edition of Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, took a group of trained cyclists and had them ride in 40ºC heat until they reached the point of exhaustion. Following their initial attempt, half the group underwent a course in self-talk training. This is a sport psychology technique that involves replacing the negative messages going through your head as you cycle to exhaustion in a very hot room with positive ones of “I am focused” and “Keep pushing, you’re doing well.”

    The average cycling time in the initial ride was eight minutes before exhaustion was reached. The cyclists were then divided into two equal groups, one received self-talk training while the other did not. Cyclists who received the self-talk training extended their cycle for an average of three minutes. The time for the untrained group remained unchanged.

    These results challenge the view that hard physical limits underlie performance in the heat. Cheung says of the work “A novel part of the study’s finding that, even in very well trained athletes, their perception of discomfort can still be further trained and improved.”

    But it wasn’t just physical performance that improved. the cyclists were also asked to perform a cognitive task that involved finding and remembering the way out of a maze. Cheung found that the self-talk training also improved performance on this task, “It has also never been studied before whether sports psychology impacts mental performance during intense exercise in addition to the physical changes themselves. The combination of both cognitive and physical performance tasks was a novel aspect of the study.”

    This research clearly has relevance to athletes wishing to improve their performance. Indeed, Cheung is involved in the training of some high-profile cyclists, “I recently had the privilege of helping top US cyclist Amber Neben develop an individualized heat adaptation protocol prior to the 2016 World Championships held in Qatar. I think I was almost as excited as Amber was when she won gold in the Women’s Time Trial!”

    And it’s not only athletes that should take note either, Cheung says “What this demonstrates is that refocusing perception of discomfort can improve anyone’s tolerance to exercise and heat stress. This is of relevance to workers in the heat, such as firefighters, hazardous waste disposal, and ultra-deep miners.”

    It cannot go unmentioned that Cheung’s study received a huge amount of attention in the media. Published at multiple new outlets, it was also, to Cheung’s surprise, picked up by time.com: “It still constantly amazes me how broadly my work gets picked up sometimes, through both traditional media channels and also newer media venues.”

    As it often is with science, this study not only provided answers to some questions, but also gave rise to a whole host of new questions. Cheung has plans to explore the mechanisms that underlie the effect observed here, “I have colleagues in Belgium who have been seeing that altering the level of dopamine in the brain can also improve an individual’s tolerance to exercise and heat stress. The next step that I am exploring now with a PhD student is to merge these findings and themes of research together, ideally looking at how these sport psychology interventions may or may not affect the neurochemistry of the brain.”

    Link to full paper: Effects of Motivational Self-Talk on Endurance and Cognitive Performance in the Heat.

  • Brock Professor, Gary Pickering, recently featured on the CBC

    Sunday, July 16, 2017 | By

    Global warming threatens some of the world’s favourite wines — for surprising reasons

    By Brandie Weikle, CBC News

    A worker cuts grapes off the vine at a vineyard in Keratea, Greece. Researchers have linked climate change related heat exhaustion to decreased productivity among workers who harvest grapes for the wine industry.

    A worker cuts grapes off the vine at a vineyard in Keratea, Greece. Researchers have linked climate change related heat exhaustion to decreased productivity among workers who harvest grapes for the wine industry. (John Kolesidis/Reuters)

    In the wine industry, it’s not just the grapes that are affected by climate change, but the people picking them.

    Scorching work conditions for the farm labourers who do the largely manual grape harvest could result in productivity and economic losses for the wine industry, according to a study published in the journal Temperature.

    The study is the first of its kind in Europe to assess the impact of heat on agriculture workers.

    Researchers from Greece’s University of Thessaly studied workers in the vineyards of Cyprus, where grape pickers often endure temperatures up to 36 C.

    The authors used time-motion analysis to monitor study volunteers during every second of their work throughout four shifts. Additionally, the team measured environmental temperature against average skin temperatures of their subjects.

    Unscheduled work breaks increased up to 2.1 per cent for every additional degree of temperature.

    During the whole study period, 12.4 per cent of total work shift time was lost to unscheduled breaks.

    The study concluded that grape pickers experienced increased workplace heat, leading to “significant labour loss.”

    The authors pointed out that workplace heat stress has hefty financial implications across many industries. In Germany in 2004, for example, financial costs linked to heat-related work absenteeism and reduced productivity were estimated between $1 billion to $4.5 billion, while similar findings for Australia between 2013-14 indicated total losses around $8 billion.

    A delicate crop

    Earlier studies have established climate change as a major factor in wine production, even before the impact on workers is taken into account.

    A 2016 report in the Journal of Wine Economics, for instance, said that climate has a greater effect on the development of the vines and the composition of fruit than the soil conditions and the variety of grape.

    Temperature affects when the grape vines bud and fruit ripens, as well as the balance of sugars and acidity. Water deficits make for smaller berries and higher tannis, that study found.

    Grapes are a delicate crop, both in terms of the narrow temperature range in which they can grow, and the quality of the final product, says Prof. Gary Pickering, a biologist and viticulture researcher from Brock University in St. Catharines, Ont.

    USA-CALIFORNIA/WINE

    In 2014, dry conditions made these grapes in Davis, Calif., ripen early, just one of many places in the world where climate change is making it more difficult for wineries to produce consistent products. (Robert Galbraith/Reuter)

    “We’re seeing both in traditional wine-growing regions in Europe and the emerging wine-growing regions, lots of direct impact from climate change already,” he says, adding there will be “very severe impacts over the next couple of decades.”

    While the issues vary in different parts of the world, the most severe impacts are from longer dry periods and drought episodes during the growing season, says Pickering. This affects not only the growers’ ability to keep the vines alive but the process of ripening the grapes.

    “Increased frequency of extreme weather events are the other big one,” he says. Around the world wine regions are experiencing not only droughts but severe storms, and very cold or hot temperatures.

    “These have implications in terms of the consistency of grape quality that the consumer looks for when they buy their bottle … from one year to the next,” says Pickering.

    At first blush, the warming climate seems advantageous for Canada’s relatively young wine industry, because higher temperatures have allowed new wine regions to emerge here while old world wine regions have contended with problems like drought.

    “There’s certainly opportunities for the Canadian industry as well as threats from climate change,” says Pickering, who points to the wildfires in B.C. as an example of extreme weather events that are occurring here more often.

    “Smoke from the wildfires can taint the grape and taint the wine that follows,” he says. “They definitely taste smoky.”

    Asked if climate change is driving up the price of wine, Pickering points to a classic high-end wine as an example: red Bordeaux. “Bordeaux has struggled over the last few years to produce that top-end product.”

  • A greener Brock taking shape

    Sunday, July 09, 2017 | By

    THURSDAY, JULY 06, 2017 | by 

    Smart carsBrock has introduced two electric Smart cars into its Facilities Management fleet.

    You may have noticed them buzzing about campus over the past few months.

    Two new Brock-branded electric Smart cars have been added to the Facilities Management fleet, contributing to the University’s efforts to reduce carbon emissions.

    Brock has a number of initiatives on the go as work continues to achieve a goal of reducing carbon emissions by 20 per cent between 2013 and 2023.

    Scott Johnstone

    Scott Johnstone, Interim Associate Vice-President of Facilities Management, stands in front of Brock’s cooling system.

     

     

     

     

     

     

    The Smart cars replaced supervisor vehicles — one van and one SUV — previously driven around campus. The two-year-old electric cars, each with minimal kilometres, were purchased for $10,000 each. In comparison, vans previously added to the fleet were each more than double that cost.

    “We get about a week and a half on one charge just moving around campus, avoiding fill-ups at the gas pumps,” said Scott Johnstone, Interim Associate Vice-President of Facilities Management.

    “It means significant carbon savings.”

    The University sought out green options when replacing the fleet vehicles and the cars have proven to be a benefit since their introduction two months ago.

    “Our goal is to work toward carbon neutrality over time,” Johnstone said, calling the Smart vehicles a step in the right direction. “We’re trying to cut down on burning fossil fuels as much as we can.”

    The University is also midway through its $10.8-million District Energy Efficiency Project (DEEP), which is scheduled for completion by the end of April 2018.

    The project is funded by the federal and provincial governments, through the Strategic Investment Fund and Facilities Renewal Program respectively.

    The DEEP project includes an upgrade to Brock’s co-generation plant and satellite utility areas that will allow the University to reduce its carbon emissions by 15 per cent. The plant produces electricity, heating and cooling for main campus research laboratories, teaching spaces and supporting infrastructure.

    That reduction is a “huge step” toward Brock’s 20 per cent reduction goal, Johnstone said.

    The DEEP project will replace more than 50 per cent of the natural gas power co-generation engines and controls with state-of-the-art, high efficiency, electronically controlled units.

    Also replaced with a high-efficiency model will be the University’s 25-year-old absorption chiller, which will increase cooling capacity and save more energy.

    The new technology will significantly reduce Brock’s greenhouse gas emissions, while saving utility costs and reducing maintenance costs.

    It’s also expected to free up funds that can be put toward other energy saving initiatives and deferred maintenance projects.

    Brock is currently exploring solar and wind power options for the future.

  • Media Release: Brock launches new minor in environmental sustainability

    Friday, July 07, 2017 | By

    Brodie Hague

    Brodie Hague is a graduate of Brock University’s Sustainability Science and Society graduate program, which launched in 2014. Now, the University is offering a minor in environmental sustainability through its Environmental Sustainability Research Centre.

    With ice shelves cracking, green energy options expanding and the international political debate over climate change heating up, the environment is making headlines more than ever before. Coupled with that is the discussion around environmental sustainability, which impacts nearly all aspects of life.

    Starting this fall, Brock University undergraduate students will have the option of minoring in environmental sustainability through a new offering by the Environmental Sustainability Research Centre (ERSC).

    Combining economics with social and environmental sciences, environmental sustainability explores how to protect the natural environment and ecological health while maintaining or improving the quality of human life.

    The transdisciplinary ESRC at Brock has been home to a graduate program in Sustainability Science and Society since 2014, the new minor will give Brock undergraduates their first opportunity to take dedicated courses in the field.

    The minor is open to Brock students in any program and will focus on the problem-solving skills needed as businesses and governments adhere to new environmental legislation and society adapts to a changing world.

    Two new online courses will be offered this September: Introduction to Environmental Sustainability (ENSU 2P01) and Environmental Sustainability in Practice (ENSU 2P02). Third year classes will be added to the calendar in the coming years. While the ENSU courses are open to everyone, non-environmental sustainability minors will have to wait until July 20 to register.

    To complete the minor, students will be required to take 1.5 ENSU credits, and 2.5 additional credits from a list of approved courses from 15 departments and centres across campus.

    “Searching through the undergraduate calendar, we realized that many departments and centres integrate environmental sustainability concepts into their courses,” said ESRC Director Ryan Plummer. “As environmental sustainability is a transdisciplinary field of study, it was obvious that we should collaborate with these units across campus.”

    “We’re hoping to continue adding courses from our own research centre and other units across Brock,” Plummer said.

    The creation of the minor coincides with the fifth anniversary of the ESRC this year.

  • Job Alert: Coordinator, Projects & Programs

    Thursday, July 06, 2017 | By

    We are hiring.

    The ESRC is currently looking to fill the job of Coordinator, Projects & Programs.

    Job posting AP 54/2017 for the Coordinator, Projects & Programs position is currently posted on the Brock University Career Opportunities page. The application process closes on July 19, 2017.

     

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