The ESRC’s graduate programs are committed to facilitating society’s transition towards sustainability by offering high-quality education at both the Masters and the Doctoral level.
Faculty & Students
The Master of Sustainability and PhD in Sustainability Science graduate programs at Brock University are supported by our dedicated faculty, staff, students, and alumni.
Graduate Program Director
Jessica Blythe
Graduate Program Director
Email: jblythe2@brocku.ca
Centre Administrator
Amanda Smits
Centre Administrator
Email: asmits@brocku.ca
ESRC Coordinator
Erin Daly
ESRC Coordinator
Email: edaly@brocku.ca
Julia Baird
CRC (Tier II) in Human Dimensions of Water Resources and Water Resilience
Associate Professor, Environmental Sustainability Research Centre
Research Interests: water resources governance; resilience; social-ecological systems; social networks; agriculture
Jessica Blythe
Associate Professor, Environmental Sustainability Research Centre
Research Interests: resilience; adaptation; transformation; coastal communities; social-ecological systems
Marilyne Carrey
Associate Professor, Environmental Sustainability Research Centre
Research Interests: inventorying, mapping, and assessing the urban tree canopy; urban forest management plans; wetland ecosystem management; evaluating land-use/land-cover changes in the context of a changing climate; use of geospatial technologies to assess and monitor vegetation condition and change over time
Keywords: urban tree canopy assessment; wetland and forested ecosystems; water resources; geospatial technologies
Christine Daigle
Professor, Philosophy
Research Interests: anthropocene; posthumanist ontology; posthumanist ethics
Keywords: existential phenomenology; feminist theory; posthumanism
Diane Dupont
Professor, Economics
Research Interests: water; non-market valuation; behaviour; fisheries
Keywords: regulatory impacts on decisions; ecosystem services; GIS; surveying
Xavier Fazio
Professor, Department of Educational Studies
Research Interests: environmental and sustainability education; complexity and systems theory; communities; public understanding of science
Keywords: science education; environmental sustainability education; teacher cognition and practices; complexity and systems theory
Presentation: Teaching and Learning for Environmental Sustainability
David Fennell
Professor, Department of Geography and Tourism
Research Interests: Ecotourism, nature-based tourism, tourism ethics, ecotourism policy and planning
Todd Green
Associate Professor, Marketing, International Business & Strategy
Research Interests: consumer response to Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR); the role of CSR in marketing communications; consumer response to environmentally friendly marketing; the role of CSR and Ethics in the Arts and Entertainment industries; the influence of retailer size on the consumer response to both socially responsible and irresponsible behaviour; the research-practice gap in CSR-related advertising.
Keywords: corporate social responsibility (CSR); advertising; consumer behaviour
Sylvia Grewatsch
Assistant Professor, Marketing, International Business & Strategy
Research Interests: grand challenges, innovation for sustainability, corporate sustainability, systems perspective
Timothy Heinmiller
Associate Professor, Political Science
Research Interests: water policy in developed countries; politics of water in irrigation economies; politics of water allocation in irrigation areas
Keywords: politics; water; irrigation; Alberta; Great Lakes
Magnus Hultman
Associate Professor, Marketing, International Business & Strategy
Research Interests: Green/sustainable marketing strategy; consumer responses to sustainable marketing; brand activism; green/CSR branding; sustainability and marketing communications; international differences in green marketing; internationalization of sustainable strategies; green/sustainable destination branding; authenticity and skepticism about corporate environmental claims.
Keywords: marketing strategy; marketing communications; branding; consumer behaviour.
Francine McCarthy
Professor and Graduate Program Director, Earth Sciences, Brock University
Core Member: Environmental Sustainability Research Centre
Associate Member, Biological Sciences, Brock University
Research Interests: limnology and paleoliminology; micropaleontology/palynology; Anthropocene(s)
Keywords: lacustrine ecosystems; water resources; climate change; conservation studies; public engagement with sustainability initiatives
Tim O’Connell
Professor, Applied Health Sciences – Recreation and Leisure Studies
Research Interests: psychological sense of community of people engaged in outdoor pursuits; sense of place; impacts of participating in outdoor activities on mental health; outdoor orientation programs; reflective practice; outdoor leadership; outdoor education; experiential education
Keywords: outdoor education; experiential education; sense of place; outdoor pursuits; outdoor orientation programs; reflective practice
Gary Pickering
Research Interests: psychological barriers that prevent individuals from being proactive on sustainability and climate change issues and strategies for addressing those barriers (including optimizing communication); climate change adaptation in the grape and wine industry
Keywords: climate change mitigation; climate change adaptation; psychological barriers; wine
Michael Pisaric
Professor, Geography and Tourism Studies
Research Interests: impacts of climate and environmental change on northern ecosystems; climate and environmental change across a variety of timescales
Keywords: climate change; biogeography; physical geography; Arctic
Ryan Plummer
Professor, Environmental Sustainability Research Centre
Research Interests: novel governance strategies and social-ecological systems; adaptive co-management; adaptation and adaptive capacity; community-based natural resource management; integrated resource management; social capital and social learning; resilience and vulnerability
Narongsak (Tek) Thongpapanl [ณรงค์ศักดิ์ (เต็ก) ทองประพาฬ]
Professor, Marketing and Product Innovation (Marketing, International Business & Strategy)
Research Interests: new product development, innovation and technology management, digital marketing, wine marketing and business management, strategic marketing management in high-tech environments, marketing knowledge creation and management in highly dynamic and multi-stakeholder settings, and the integration of marketing and technology competences in preservation and promotion of social, environmental, and economical advancement.
Kevin Turner
Associate Professor, Geography and Tourism Studies
Research Interests: hydrology; hydroecology; GIS; spatial analysis and remote sensing; water isotope tracers; biogeochemical cycling; paleolimnological reconstruction of past lake conditions; linkages among lakes, rivers, land cover, and climate
Liette Vasseur
Professor, Biological Sciences
Research Interests: sustainable agriculture; community-based natural resource management, with special emphasis on empowering women; integrating issues of biodiversity conservation; how ecosystem-based adaptation and other such approaches can help enhance resilience and sustainability of rural communities.
Keywords: sustainable agriculture; ecosystem; biodiversity; adaptation; gender issues
Sanjida Amin
Cohort: 2022/23
Scheme B: Thesis
Supervisor: Dr. Todd Green
Previous degree and institution attended: Marketing (BA), University of Dhaka; Marketing (MA), University of Dhaka
Hometown: Bangladesh, India
Rebecca Anderson
Cohort: 2023/24
Scheme A: MRP & Co-op
Supervisor: Dr. Francine McCarthy
Previous degree and institution attended: Biological Sciences (BSc.), Brock University
Kassie Burns
Cohort: 2022/23
Scheme A: MRP & Co-op
Supervisor: Dr. Marilyne Carrey
Research: Aquatic ecosystems and how they contribute to building sustainable communities.
Previous degree and institution attended: Biological Sciences (BSc.), Brock University
Hometown: Waterloo, ON
Anmol Burmy
Cohort: 2022/23
Scheme A: MRP & Co-op
Supervisor: Dr. Diane Dupont
Research: Sustainable buildings, sustainable planning and climate change adaptation and mitigation.
Previous degree and institution attended: Environmental Studies (BA), Toronto Metropolitan University
Hometown: Brampton, ON
Allegra Caballero
Cohort: 2023/24
Scheme A: MRP & Co-op
Supervisor: Dr. Christine Daigle
Research: Sustainability Discourse, Cultural and Philosophical understandings of the Anthropocene, Literature and the Environment, Climate Ethics
Previous degree and institution attended: Writing, Rhetoric and Discourse studies (BA), Minor in Environmental Sustainability, Brock University
Hometown: Hamilton, ON
Kaitlyn Carr
Cohort: 2021/22
Scheme B: Thesis
Supervisor: Dr. Julia Baird and Dr. Amy Lemay
Research: Knowledge transfer and translation of best management practices for viruses affecting grapes in Niagara
Previous degree and institution attended: Environmental Management (BSc.), University of Guelph
Hometown: Guelph, ON
Allison Clark
Cohort: 2020/21
Scheme B: Thesis
Supervisor: Dr. Michael Pisaric
Research: Using paleo ecological methods to reconstruct long-term changes in plant biodiversity in the Canadian Arctic
Previous degree and institution attended: Biology (BSc.), Mount Allison University
Hometown: Mahone Bay, NS
Alexa Dolsky
Cohort: 2020/21
Scheme C: MRP
Supervisor: Dr. Ryan Plummer
Research: The intersection of socioeconomics and climate change, sustainability on a community level
Previous degree and institution attended: Political Science (BA), University of British Columbia Vancouver; Public Relations Certificate, MacEwan University
Hometown: Edmonton, AB
Rebecca Grundy
Cohort: 2023/24
Scheme A: MRP & Co-op
Supervisor: Dr. Liette Vasseur
Research: Nature-based solutions to food insecurity in the Niagara Region
Previous degree and institution attended: Sociology (BA), Minor in Criminal Justice and Public Policy, University of Guelph
Hometown: Sheffield, ON
Dana Harris
Cohort: 2016/17
Scheme B: Thesis
Supervisor: Dr. Michael Pisaric
Research: Using dendrochronology to explore the factors that affect the growth and cellular development of Pinus banksiana in Yellowknife, NWT, to assess how this species will respond to climatic variables now and in the future
Previous degree and institutions attended: BSc (Honours) Biology, Brock University
Hometown: Yellowknife, NWT
Shannon Heaney
Cohort: 2021/22
Scheme B: Thesis
Supervisor: Dr. Ryan Plummer
Research: Community engagement in sustainability, attachment to place, sustainability science translation to communities
Previous degree and institution attended: Bachelor of Social Work, Social Work Diploma, Grant MacEwan University
Hometown: Edmonton, Alberta
Sahar Heidariasl
Cohort: 2023/24
Scheme B: Thesis
Supervisor: Dr. David Fennell
Research: Tourism and Animal Ethics
Previous degree and institution attended: Computer Engineering (BSc.), Azad University
Hometown: Ardebil City, Iran
Erin Isaac
Cohort: 2022/23
Scheme A: MRP & Co-op
Supervisor: Dr. Marilyne Carrey
Research: Restoration ecology, urban biodiversity and conservation
Previous degree and institution attended: Bachelor of Environmental Studies (York University); Certificate in Environmental Studies (York University)
Hometown: Toronto, ON
Alison Laurie
Cohort: 2023/24
Scheme A: MRP & Co-op
Supervisor: Dr. Jessica Blythe
Research: Climate change adaptation & mitigation strategies, urban planning/sustainable city designs
Previous degree and institution attended: Environment and Society (Hons. BA), Minors in Sustainability and Community Engagement, McMaster University
Hometown: Georgetown, ON
Madison Lepp
Cohort: 2021/22
Scheme B: Thesis
Supervisor: Dr. Jessica Blythe
Research: Climate change adaptation and resilience in social-ecological systems
Previous degree and institution attended: Business administration (BBA), Brock University
Hometown: Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON
Bridget Matthews
Cohort: 2023/24
Scheme A: MRP & Co-op
Supervisor: Dr. Jessica Blythe
Research:The impact of large-scale fisheries on marine life and coastal regions; sustainable ocean economy.
Previous degree and institution attended:Biology (BA), Wilfrid Laurier University
Hometown: Markham, ON
Sydney McIntyre
Cohort: 2022/23
Scheme A: MRP & Co-op
Supervisor: Dr. Jessica Blythe
Research: Negative impacts of society on native flora and fauna populations; accessibility in sustainability research
Previous degree and institution attended: Biology (BSc), Brock University
Hometown: Smithville, ON
Jordan McNeillie
Cohort: 2023/24
Scheme C: MRP
Supervisor: Dr. David Fennell
Previous degree and institution attended: Tourism (BA), Brock University
Zaara Momin
Cohort: 2022/23
Scheme B: Thesis
Supervisor: Dr. Julia Baird
Previous degree and institution attended: Bachelor of Environmental Engineering, Kolhapur Institute of Technology
Hometown: Kolhapur, India
Zeal Pandya
Cohort: 2022/23
Scheme A: MRP and Co-op
Supervisor: Dr. Marilyne Carrey
Research: Impact assessment of Climate Change Adaptation on Vulnerability Scores of the community of the Town of Lincoln.
Previous degree and institution attended: Bachelor, Planning (Nirma University)
Hometown: Ahmedabad, India
Sebastián Roa
Cohort: 2021/22
Scheme B: Thesis
Supervisor: Dr. Gary Pickering
Research: Customer perception of youth to adopt a sustainable diet
Previous degree and institution attended: Finance and International Trade, Universidad de La Salle
Hometown: Bogota, Colombia
Evan Rodenburg
Cohort: 2022/23
Scheme A: MRP & Co-op
Supervisor: Dr. Julia Baird
Research: Climate change adaptation and communication
Previous degree and institution attended: Earth Sciences (Bachelor), University of Waterloo
Hometown: Cambridge, ON
Natalie Seniuk
Cohort: 2022/23
Scheme B: Thesis
Supervisor: Dr. Julia Baird
Research: Sustainable practices in general populations and barriers to adoption; policy and governance; educational levers and opportunities
Previous degrees and institutions attended: General Studies (BA), Guelph University; Planning (BA), Dalhousie University; Landscape Architecture (Diploma), Niagara College
Hometown: Pelham, ON
Norievill España
Cohort: 2022/23
Supervisor: Dr. Jessica Blythe
Research interests: Understanding impacts of climate change to coral reefs and coastal communities, and contribute in crafting institutional stragegies and policies to build resilience and enhance adaptive capacity
Previous degrees and institutions attended: Marine Science (MS), Marine Science Institute, University of the Philippines Diliman
Hometown: Davao City, Philippines
Shannon Fernandes
Cohort: 2022/23
Supervisor: Dr. Jessica Blythe
Previous degrees and institutions attended: Environmental Studies (MS), University of Waterloo; Marketing (Certificate), Wilfred Laurier University
Hometown: Stoney Creek, ON
Kamal Krishnapillai
Cohort: 2023/24
Supervisor: Dr. Magnus Hultman
Research: Corporate Sustainability
Previous degrees and institutions attended: Master of Business Administration, University of Ottawa
Hometown: Oakville, ON
Hannah Lübker
Cohort: 2023/24
Supervisor: Dr. Julia Baird
Research: Human dimensions of water resilience, knowledge co-production, art-science collaborations, empathy
Previous degrees and institutions attended: Environmental Sciences (BSc.), Leuphana Universität Lüneburg; Social-ecological Resilience for Sustainable Development (MSc.), Stockholm Resilience Centre
Hometown: Fehmarn, Germany
Editrudith Lukanga
Cohort: 2023/24
Supervisor: Dr. Jessica Blythe
Research: Community participation in Policy/Local Governance processes and their contribution to sustainability
Previous degrees and institutions attended: Marine Biology & Micro Biology (BSc.); Environmental Sciences (MSc.), University of Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania
Hometown: Morogoro, Tanzania
Visit our People page to learn more about our Participating Faculty and Adjunct Faculty.
Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know before you apply to the ESRC Graduate Programs.
We are no longer accepting applications for the Master of Sustainability or the PhD in Sustainability Science programs.
The application portal for the Fall 2025 cohort will open in October 2024.
Master of Sustainability
In keeping with its transdisciplinary character, the program welcomes students from a variety of academic backgrounds including, but not limited to:
- Applied Health
- Biological Sciences
- Business
- Engineering
- Environmental Science
- Geography
- Planning
- Tourism
- Women and Gender Studies
PhD in Sustainability Science
Applicants to the PhD program are required to have completed a Masters-level degree (or equivalent) in environmental sciences, environmental studies, or a related field.
Brock University offers competitive guaranteed funding to individuals enrolled full-time in research-based graduate programs. Students in the SSAS and SSCI graduate programs are eligible for full-time funding from the University.
FINANCIAL SUPPORT
There are several opportunities for students to receive additional financial support during their studies:
- Brock Internal Scholarships and Awards
- External Scholarships and Awards
- International Scholarships and Awards
- Bursaries and Travel Funds
- OSAP and Line of Credit
- Conference Funds
For more information about scholarships and awards at Brock, visit the Graduate Studies Website.
HOW MUCH WILL GRADUATE SCHOOL COST?
For information on graduate tuition and related fees at Brock University, visit: https://brocku.ca/finance/students/graduate.
Master of Sustainability Applicants
We do not require SSAS applicants to reach out to faculty members in regard to supervision. Instead, we ask applicants to consult the listing of core faculty and indicate their top three choices on the application (regardless of scheme).
PhD in Sustainability Science Applicants
Applicants to the PhD in Sustainability Science must secure a supervisor-in-principle prior to applying to the program. Please consult our listing of core faculty and reach out to core faculty members who are available to supervise PhD candidates, and whose research interests align with yours.
All graduate applicants who have not completed three or more years of post-secondary study at a Canadian institution or at an institution in one of the following exempt countries, will be required to provide proof of English language proficiency.
Applicants who have completed the required years of post-secondary work in English, at an institution where English was the only language of instruction, may request a waiver of the English Proficiency Test submission requirements.
For more information on English Proficiency requirements, including score requirements and requesting a waiver, visit the web page here: https://brocku.ca/graduate-studies/future-students/international/english-language-proficiency/
No. Due to the volume of applications we receive, it is not possible for us to pre-screen applications. Your application materials will only be reviewed when we receive your official application through OUAC.
Our graduate programs do not have a winter intake at this time. New cohorts of the SSAS and SSCI programs begin classes in the Fall.
The Environmental Sustainability Research Centre is continuing to closely monitor restrictions on in-person learning as determined by the Niagara Region Public Health Department.
As of the Fall 2022 Term, both of our graduate programs are offered in-person only and we are not able to accommodate for distance learning.
We do not currently offer a part-time option for our graduate programs. However, with permission, exceptions allow for part-time studies to be accommodated.
We invited alumni to participate in a panel discussion with us on this topic in 2021! You can learn more about what careers they pursued/obtained here. Some of our students are currently employed in the following positions in government, non-government, and the private sector (these are in no particular order): Sustainability Manager, Sustainability Specialist, Policy and Campaign Manager Conservation (Nature Canada), Policy and Planning Coordinator (Conservation Ontario), Environmental Planning and Policy Coordination, Policy Analyst, Ocean Conservation Coordinator with Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society (CPAWS), Researcher, College Instructor, Self-employed Consultant, High School Teacher, Senior Manager Voice and Collaboration (RBC), Social Media Marketing Manager, and Energy Sector.
We also have an ESRC YouTube channel with a lot of sessions led by our students. These are just some of the different ways we engage our students with our partners. We’ve also engaged co-op students in our partnerships. Here is another example for you from our Brock-Lincoln Living Lab partnership with the Town of Lincoln.
You may also find it interesting to read about one of our recent graduates who was featured in an article by co-op at Brock. This is evidence of students having jobs to move into as they graduate from our program. Other recent graduate students were also in this position, with one securing a position as an Assistant Conservation Coordinator (Ocean Program) at the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society (CPAWS).
We also encourage you to visit our alumni page to learn more about our recent graduates, read their publications, and hear more about their experiences in the program!
The Faculty of Graduate Studies does not accommodate requests to waive application fees. Application fee payment options are outlined on the OUAC website at: https://www.ouac.on.ca/fees/#payment
International Payments (Flywire) allows you to pay Canadian dollar fees in the currency of your choice. It provides a simple and secure way of initiating a payment electronically. Please note that due to international and domestic banking regulations, some currencies are unavailable. If your currency is unavailable, select an alternative currency (including US dollars) to ensure your application payment is processed.
Please feel welcome to contact the Faculty of Graduate Studies if you require further assistance at graduatestudies@brocku.ca.
Master of Sustainability applicants should reach out to ssas@brocku.ca, and PhD in Sustainability Science applicants should reach out to ssci@brocku.ca if they have any additional questions after carefully reviewing the website for your desired program and this FAQ’s list.
Please note that we receive a high volume of emails, especially around admissions time, so please allow 3-5 business days for a response.
