News

  • Environmental Sustainability Spring and Summer Courses Available in 2021

    Tuesday, March 30, 2021 | By

    As the weather here in St. Catharines continues to get nicer, we can’t help but think about the Spring and Summer 2021 terms – registration opened earlier this month! If you’re interested in taking a Spring or Summer course this year, but you’re not sure where to start, read on to learn more about ENSU 2P01 and ENSU 2P02 and how to use these courses to declare a Minor in Environmental Sustainability!

    ENSU 2P01: Introduction to Environmental Sustainability is being offered in the Spring 2021 term and is taught by Christine Janzen. In this course, students will get an overview of the concepts and importance of environmental sustainability. You’ll explore the impact of various factors on the state of the environment, including human interaction, biodiversity, climate change, and you’ll learn about the implications of the current state of our environment.

    ENSU 2P02: Environmental Sustainability in Practice, also taught by Christine Janzen is being offered in the Summer 2021 term. This course examines applications of environmental sustainability, including education, communication, nature-based solutions, and more! You’ll explore how principles and concepts of environmental sustainability are applied in a variety of fields and appreciate environmental sustainability as a transdisciplinary subject of study.

    These courses are both offered entirely online and can be counted towards the Minor in Environmental Sustainability. With a Minor in Environmental Sustainability, you will gain core skills necessary for problem-solving in the modern world as businesses and governments adhere to new environmental legislation, and society adapts to a changing world. By taking the courses mentioned above, as well as a variety of credits from other disciplines, you will have the opportunity to study sustainability issues from a transdisciplinary perspective, thinking outside the traditional boundaries of your discipline, and gain practical insight into how Canada and the world is moving forward to address these issues. Past students who have taken the minor appreciate the transdisciplinary perspective, including Mikellena Nettos, who is currently pursuing her Masters in Sustainability Science. Mikellena said of the program, “Taking the Minor of Sustainability at Brock taught me the importance of caring for our planet as well as our people! I loved the program so much it changed my life path and led me to the Master of Sustainability where I am now conducting research to influence real change towards a more sustainable future”

    If you have questions about these courses, or are interested in declaring a Minor, please reach out to ensu@brocku.ca, or come visit us at the Brock Spring Open House on March 31st, 2021 from 5:00 – 6:00pm EST.

    Categories: Blog, Minor in Sustainability

  • Niagara Adapts Panel Discussion: Implementation

    Friday, March 26, 2021 | By

    Blog Contributor: Michaela Jennings

    On March 11th, 2021, the Environmental Sustainability Research Centre (ESRC) hosted a panel for the Sustainability Seminar Series. The panel provided an opportunity for students, municipal partners, and community members to learn from climate adaptation professionals about the successful implementation of climate adaptation actions and initiatives.

    The panel was moderated by Dr. Jessica Blythe, who leads the Niagara Adapts partnership. The three panelists were Joanna Eyquem, Director of Climate Programs, Quebec at the Intact Centre, Katie Thompson, Risk Management Official at the City of Barrie, and Jacob Porter, Climate Adaptation Coordinator at the City of Thunder Bay.

    The discussion was structured around five questions:

    • What does climate adaptation planning look like for your municipality or organization?
    • Why are municipalities the right group to implement climate adaptation actions?
    • What successes has your municipality or organization experience in implementing climate adaptation actions? And what factors led to those successes?
    • What are the main challenges your municipality or organization has experienced in implementing climate adaptation actions? What would help you overcome those barriers in the future?
    • Going forward, what do you hope to see in the municipal climate adaptation space?

    Panelist engaged in an honest discussion of both the successes and the challenges associated with implementing climate adaptation actions in Canadian municipalities. Their varying backgrounds and perspectives lead to a rich array of insights and examples on adaptation planning.

    An important theme that emerged from the panel, was that as actions, projects, and initiatives are created, implementation is key in developing a plan for how those actions will be initiated, maintained, and measured at the municipal level.

    The panelists discussed a variety of important aspects in both the planning process and implementation.  For example, the reflected on the benefits of collaborating with internal and external stakeholders as a key attribute to successful implementation strategies. The panelists also highlighted that working with community organizations, departments, and community members is an important step in successful implementation strategies. The discussion concluded with questions from the audience about measuring implementation, risk preparedness, and scale.

    Throughout the discussion the panelists highlighted resources and tools they have used in their own planning and implementation processes. The resources are beneficial in furthering an understanding of climate adaptation planning processes in Canada. Those resources are available here.

    If you missed the live event on Thursday, March 11th, a recording of the event is available on the ESRC’s YouTube channel here.

     

     

    Categories: Blog, Event, Niagara Adapts, SSAS Program, Student Contributor

  • Workshop 8: Implementation

    Thursday, March 11, 2021 | By

    Blog Contributor: Michaela Jennings

    On February 18th, 2021, Niagara Adapts held its 8th workshop in a 9-workshop series. The workshop was held online via the Microsoft Teams platform, adhering to the ongoing COVID-19 restrictions. The focus of the workshop was “implementation”. As the 7 municipal partners are working towards the final stages in their climate adaptation planning process, implementation is a key step. It breaks down how an action, project, or initiative will be implemented in the community.

    The workshop was held for the 7 municipal partners that are participating in Niagara Adapts. The workshop began with an introduction of the two facilitators of the event from Savanta Consulting. The facilitators are experienced with climate change adaptation planning processes, and they provided valuable insights throughout their presentation.

    The presentation progressed with an introduction to implementation, using case study examples to show how it has been approached in other Canadian municipalities. The workshop highlighted the challenges to implementation, and the importance it has in creating an effective climate change adaptation plan. The examples provided insight into how implementation can be incorporated, as well as the context-specific approaches that have been used.

    The presentation continued with a walk through of “how to implement” and what to consider when moving forward with this step. They discussed resources, funding, timelines, monitoring and evaluation, and prioritization. Each municipality will have a different approach to implementing projects in their community. By understanding what is available for the project, and what may be needed, this allows for municipalities to approach implementation processes with a sense of clarity.

    The workshop included a discussion around implementation tools that can be used, and where they may be appropriate in the planning process (marketing, pilot projects, external communication, and internal communication). This discussion was then paired with a collaborative activity examining implementation tools. By working together, the attendees worked with the facilitators to discuss the advantages and disadvantages that may arise for each of the tools.

    The workshop concluded with an open discussion between the facilitators and the audience. The workshop was beneficial as it emphasized best-practices and opportunities for implementation. It was also an opportunity for the partners to evaluate their own climate adaptation planning processes and how implementation will look for their municipality. By providing them with resources and tools, this workshop was an insightful and informative event for the Niagara Adapts partnership and will be further elaborated on in the panel discussion on implementing climate change adaptation plans held on March 11, 2021.

    Categories: Blog, Innovative Partnership, Niagara Adapts

  • Panel Discussion on Implementing Climate Change Adaptation Plans

    Wednesday, March 03, 2021 | By

    Blog Contributor: Erica Harper

    The Environmental Sustainability Research Centre’s (ESRC) Sustainability Seminar Series will continue on Thursday, March 11th, 2021 at 11am EST with a panel about implementing climate change adaptation plans. We will be joined by three experienced professionals who have been an integral part of making their local communities more resilient to the effects of climate change. This event is in partnership with Niagara Adapts, one of the ESRC’s innovative partnerships that is focussed on leveraging resources and expertise to support collaborative climate change adaptation, planning, and implementation within seven municipalities in the Niagara Region. The Niagara Adapts partnership is led by Dr. Jessica Blythe, who will be the moderator for this exciting event.

    The panelists include Katie Thompson from the City of Barrie, Jacob Porter from the City of Thunder Bay, and Joanna Eyquem from the Intact Centre.

    Katie Thompson is a Risk Management Official in the Business Performance and Environmental Sustainability Group with the City of Barrie. Her focus areas include Drinking Water Source Protection, Climate Change Adaptation and, assessing corporate Environmental Obligations. She has a unique perspective on the interrelations between the science foundation, action framework, and implementation aspects of the Climate Change Adaption Plans.

    Jacob Porter is the Climate Adaptation Coordinator for the City of Thunder Bay, guiding implementation of the City’s Climate Adaptation Strategy. His work spans across emergency preparedness, asset management, and community planning; depending on collaborations across city departments, partnerships with community organizations, and engagement with city residents. Over the past year, adaptation efforts in Thunder Bay have focused on deeper recognition of the social impacts of climate events, and greater involvement in emergency response planning.

    Joanna Eyquem is a recognized expert in Climate Adaptation, Flood and Erosion Management and River Restoration, with 20 years experience both in Canada and the UK. Joanna’s focus areas at the Intact Centre include: (1) mobilizing flood-resilience for homes, new and existing communities, and commercial real estate; (2) protection and restoration of natural infrastructure to mitigate climate risk, (3) developing programs to limit risk of extreme heat; (4) promoting programs to limit wildfire risk; and (5) incorporating climate risk into institutional investing, credit rating assessments and securities disclosure.

    The Panel Discussion on Implementing Climate Change Adaptation Plans is sure to be informative and educational for all. There will also be a question period towards the end of the event to provide the audience with a chance to ask more specific questions and further engage with the panelists.

    Click here to join the live event on Thursday, March 11th at 11am. If you can’t make it, check out the ESRC’s YouTube channel which will feature the recording of the event within a week of it going live.

    Categories: Blog, Innovative Partnership, Niagara Adapts, SSAS Program

  • Building better research through community partnerships

    Monday, March 01, 2021 | By

    Blog Contributor: Erica Harper

    On January 26th, 2020 Brock hosted a workshop called “Building better research through community partnerships”, which was the 11th event in the Building Better Research series – a collaboration between Brock’s Office of Research Services and the Library. The panelists included the following faculty and staff members:

    • Meaghan Rusnell – Director, Government and Community Engagement
    • Julie Rorison – Manager, Community Relations
    • Madelyn Law – Associate Provost, Teaching and Learning; Professor of Health Sciences
    • Sid Segalowitz – Professor Emeritus and Director, Centre for Lifespan Development Research
    • Ryan Plummer – Professor and Director, Environmental Sustainability Research Centre (ESRC)

    All panelists detailed their experiences of conducting research through community partnerships, including Dr. Plummer who discussed the benefits of collaborating with the ESRC’s partners. The Centre now has over eight formalized agreements with partners such as the Trail Assets and Tourism Initiative with the Niagara Parks Commission, the Partnership for Freshwater Resilience with World Wildlife Fund-Canada, and the Brock-Lincoln Living Lab, to name a few.

    According to Dr. Plummer, here are three main benefits of working with community partners:

    • The ability to co-create knowledge in a way that honours and gives a voice to the partners in the community and bridges the gap between scientific knowledge and the needs of the local partners and communities. Dr. Plummer provided a recent example of how collaborating with partners is the key to meeting the needs of the community. He explained that the ESRC’s partners at Niagara Parks were dealing with a dramatic increase in tourism at the start of the pandemic due to the public wanting to get out of their homes and explore local greenspaces.

    Instead of having around 220,000 people visit the Niagara Glen per season, the added need for greenspaces led to over 300,000 visitors during the 2020 season. Dr. Plummer mentioned it was important to quickly pivot within the partnership to start responding to an acute community need to support people’s wellbeing throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.  This was possible due to a good working relationship with the partners at the Niagara Parks Commission (NPC), and they were able to create a video that showcased best practices for trail safety amid COVID-19 and beyond.

    • Every year (pre-pandemic), Master of Sustainability students go on a field trip to visit the ESRC’s community partners such as NPC, the Town of Lincoln, and Vineland, to name a few. During this trip, students have the ability to meet with partners and receive an incredible hands-on experience. This important fieldtrip can even inspire students to take on research related to the partners, which brings us to our last main benefit of engaging in community partnerships. To learn more about this engaging experience and how learning outside the classroom is beneficial for students, read this blog post.
    • Through meeting with partners and attending partnership events, thesis students within the MS program are able to look at concerns and needs that partners have and can tailor their research to address these needs. For example, Angela Mallette, a past graduate student, presented her research regarding Niagara Parks. Within two weeks of successfully defending her thesis, two Niagara Parks managers at the partnership’s bi-annual roundtable were able to implement her recommendations. Ultimately, student research related to partnerships has the power to impact hundreds of thousands of people in the community and beyond.

    All in all, engaging in community partnerships can lead to a number of impactful research projects and help our community by making a difference in the environment while also enhancing the student experience.

    Categories: Blog, Collaborations, Event, Innovative Partnership, Town of Lincoln

  • Assessing Higher Education Institutions (HEI) – Community Partnerships Performance, Monitoring & Evaluation

    Tuesday, February 23, 2021 | By

    Blog Contributor: Erica Harper

    Partnerships between HEIs and communities are becoming increasingly important worldwide. More focus is therefore being placed on how these partnerships are created, how they transform over time, and they can achieve. Assessing the performance of HEI-community partnerships is essential for understanding their value (social, economic, and environmental value), accountability and transparency.

    Brock researchers carried out a national study to understand HEI-community partnerships and their performance in Canada. All HEIs in Canada with an explicit mandate related to community relationships were identified. A questionnaire was distributed to their offices, with the results illuminating the present state of partnership efforts. The key findings of this first part of this study include:

    • 25% of HEIs do not employ any monitoring or evaluation of their community partnerships
    • 67% of HEI community-focussed offices have an operating budget of $50,000 or more
    • 67% reported having over 30 active partnerships at their institutions

    A second questionnaire, sent to individuals at HEIs who are involved in HEI-community partnerships, as well as community partners, looked at how performance of partnerships should be assessed. A three-fold framework (inputs, process, outcomes) of indicators and measures was validated. The key findings of this second part of the study include what the most important inputs, processes, and outcomes are for effective partnership performance:

    • Motivation is the most important input
    • Communication is the most important process
    • Learning is the most important outcome

    These results bridge an important gap in the literature and you can learn more by accessing the Assessing Partnership Performance, Monitoring, & Evaluation webpage or by the reading the most recent publication by the ESRC research team in the Journal of Higher Education Policy and Management, The issue of performance in Higher education institution – Community partnerships: A Canadian perspective.

    To learn more we included some helpful links below:

    Categories: Applied Research, Blog, Collaborations, Innovative Partnership

  • Key Takeaways from the Panel on Exploring Careers in Sustainability

    Friday, January 22, 2021 | By

    Blog Contributor: Erica Harper

    On Thursday, January 21st, The Environmental Sustainability Research Centre’s (ESRC) Sustainability Seminar Series continued with a panel discussion on exploring careers in the field of sustainability.

    The panelists included Kara Renaud from Career Education at Brock as well as Brock Master of Sustainability alumni Leaya Amey, Kelsey Scarfone, and Nicholas Fischer. To learn more about each panelist, click here to read their biographies.

    The panelists discussed important topics for prospective, current, and past SSAS students that will undoubtably help them in their journeys from being in the program to navigating through the challenging times between graduation and landing a job in sustainability. Each panelist provided the audience with their varying experiences and what they learned as they reflected on the paths they took to get to where they are today in the corporate world, the public sector, and the non-profit space.

    As a someone who recently completed the Master of Sustainability program at Brock in Fall 2020, here are my key takeaways and pieces of advice based on what I learned from all the panelists:

    Patience and flexibility are essential:

    Being patient with yourself and flexible while you’re navigating life from graduate school to the working world was a piece of advice that all of us could use. All the panelists agreed that we must be patient as we determine what we want to do within the field of sustainability since there are a wide variety of options, and to be flexible with your timelines. It’s fun to plan out your post-graduation life while you’re in school, but you never know what can happen (like a global pandemic) so it’s best to remain flexible regarding the type of work you get into and when you start working after graduation. As long as you’re honing your skills, volunteering, networking, or getting involved in some way, you will eventually find a job that works for you.

    Communication and collaboration are key:

    Effective communication is essential in all jobs, but it is especially important in the field of sustainability. From CSR reporting to policy analysis, it’s crucial to know how to formulate an effective and impactful message to be able to enact change within an organization, the public, or the government, to name a few. Collaboration, which is a skill most students will quickly learn throughout the program’s group projects, is a skill that cannot be overlooked. Since sustainability is directly tied to the environment, the economy, health, and social issues, there is no doubt that sustainability professionals will need to collaborate with people in different departments on a daily basis. Due to the transdisciplinary nature of the SSAS program and the field of sustainability in general, students must prioritize gaining collaboration skills to help them be competitive in the job market.

    Push yourself out of your comfort zone:

    The panelists agreed that putting yourself out there and attending conferences, networking events, and reaching out to professionals in your field on LinkedIn will directly contribute to landing a job in your desired field. It’s important to note that you may not start your career off in the field of sustainability, but you may work for a company that has a sustainability department that you may have the chance to work with or even transfer to once you gain more experience. Ultimately, making one connection leads to that connection knowing someone who knows someone who may have the perfect job for you! It’s all about continuing to meet people (virtually) who can provide you with more information in the field that you hope to work in, which will help you gain a deeper understanding of trends, important skills, and the direction of an industry you may be interested in.

    If you missed the live panel discussion, make sure to check it out on the ESRC’s YouTube channel here.

    Categories: Blog, Event, SSAS Program, SSAS Student Contributor

  • Panel Discussion: Exploring Careers in Sustainability

    Tuesday, January 12, 2021 | By

    On January 21st at 11AM, The Environmental Sustainability Research Centre’s Sustainability Seminar Series will continue with a panel discussion focused on exploring careers in the field of sustainability. This panel will be moderated by Marilyne Jollineau and will consist of four professionals that will share their experiences navigating the transition from graduate school into their current fields, how their co-op positions helped facilitate the transition, the key skills that have been the most helpful in their roles, and the challenges or opportunities they faced throughout their journey from graduate student to where they are today.

    The panelists include three SSAS alumni: Leaya Amey, Kelsey Scarfone, and Nicholas Fischer.

    Leaya Amey

    Leaya Amey graduated from the SSAS program in 2019 and is currently a Sustainability Reporting Specialist at Maple Leaf Foods Inc. In her role, Leaya leads the development of the Annual Sustainability Report and all communications related to the company’s sustainability performance to its key stakeholders through various channels.

     

     

     

     

     

    Kelsey Scarfone

    Kelsey Scarfone graduated from the SSAS program in 2017 and is now a Policy & Campaign Manager at Nature Canada, one of Canada’s oldest national nature charities. Through her role, Kelsey advances conservation across the country by advocating for the expansion of protected areas for lands, freshwater, and the oceans.

     

     

     

     

     

    Nicholas Fischer

    Nicholas Fischer graduated from the SSAS program in 2018 and is working at Conservation Ontario as a Policy & Planning Officer. Nicholas’ work focusses on policy subject areas that may impact conservation authority business, including: Integrated Watershed Management, Land Use Planning, Endangered Species, Water Quantity and Quality Management/Protection, and Environmental Assessment.

     

     

     

     

     

    Kara Renaud

    The panel will also include Kara Renaud who is the Supervisor of Career Education at Brock. Kara is a graduate from the Master of Education Program at Brock and as Supervisor of Career Education, Kara oversees the staffing and operations of CareerZone and supports the career development of students through 1:1 consultations and workshops.

     

     

     

     

     

    This panel will be extremely informative for anyone looking to secure a co-op or a full-time job in the field of sustainability and is definitely an event you do not want to miss! Join us live on January 21st at 11AM to learn more about working in sustainability and receive valuable advice from SSAS graduates by clicking this link.

    Categories: Blog, Co-Op, SSAS Program

  • Experiential Education in a Virtual Year

    Tuesday, December 15, 2020 | By

    Blog Contributor: Shannon Ruzgys

    2020 orientation

    In an academic year quite unlike any other, the first year Master of Sustainability students experienced experiential education in a very different form, the virtual kind. Three virtual experiential education components took place in SSAS 5P01 (Foundations of Sustainability Science and Society), focusing on sustainability at Brock, UNESCO Biosphere Reserves, and the ESRC’s innovative partnerships.

    Sustainability at Brock usually would have involved a tour of Brock’s Central Utilities Building, but instead involved Mary Quintana (Director, Asset Management & Utilities) and Amanda Smits (ESRC Centre Administrator) virtually joining the class to discuss how Brock is committed to sustainability through management of facilities. The students were virtually walked through Brock’s District Energy Efficiency Project (DEEP), which involved replacing old co-generation engines with state-of-the-art energy efficient units. The students were walked through how this project had increased energy efficiency and lowered Brock’s carbon emissions, helping the university stay on track with their sustainability targets. The students were also introduced to the sustainability initiatives on campus through BU Sustainable, including the @busustainableInstagram and other social media platforms. Even though the students couldn’t walk the underground tunnels of Brock instead, they still got to learn and experience all of the ways in which Brock is currently enacting sustainability every single day through a virtual presentation.

    The second experiential education component focused on UNESCO Biosphere Reserves, including the Niagara Escarpment Biosphere Reserve, a reserve in which Brock University is situated. The students were virtually joined by Dr. Liette Vasseur who is a faculty member at Brock University and Lisa Grbinicek, a Senior Strategic Advisor at the Niagara Escarpment Commission. Through their presentations we were taught about the Ontario’s Greenbelt, UNESCO Biosphere Reserves, and natures contributions to people. The discussion was kicked off by highlighting the vast expanse that is the Greenbelt, which is 1.8 million acres of protected land spread across Ontario, including the Niagara Escarpment. The unique biodiversity within the Niagara Escarpment was discussed, including thousand-year-old trees, rare flora, and multitudes of mammals, birds, and reptiles. The students learned about the early plans put in place to protect the greenbelt and its designation as a biosphere reserve in 1990. From there, new developments in UNESCO’s Biosphere Reserves were discussed, including the ongoing conversation around the colonial implications of the term and the aim to change the term to Biosphere Region. The students also got to learn about ongoing developments in the field of biodiversity, including the differences between ecosystem services and natures contribution to people. Overall, the students got to hear from two professionals who have spent years in the field, protecting and researching biodiversity, and got to learn about the natural wonders that surround Brock.

    The final educational component highlighted the innovative community partnerships in the Environmental Sustainability Research Centre (ESRC). While in any other year this would have involved the students visiting these partnerships in person through an interactive field trip, instead this course component took place virtually this year. The students were joined by Ryan Plummer (Director of the ESRC), Amanda Smits (ESRC Centre Administrator) and Erica Harper (a second year SASS student and ESRC co-op student). The students were walked through each of these partnerships and learned how the ESRC is actively integrating transdisciplinary research into the surrounding community. The ESRC is currently involved in 8 community partnerships, including the Brock Lincoln Living Lab, Niagara Adapts, Trail Assets and Tourism, and a new Living Planet @ Campus partnership with WWF. As transdisciplinary research is a pillar of the SASS program and the ESRC, it was very important for the students to experience how the centre is integrating the transdisciplinary approach into their own partnerships. So, while the students did not get to visit these partnerships, they were still able to experience and learn about all of the work that the ESRC is doing within the community and learn about these partnerships.

    In a virtual year, experiential education can be a difficult thing to accomplish but the SASS students were still able to learn about and experience all of the ways in which sustainability is lived out at Brock, including through the facilities management, Brock’s place in a Biosphere Reserve, and the ESRC’s innovative partnerships.

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

  • 2020 Innovative Partnership Year-in-Reviews

    Monday, December 14, 2020 | By

    As 2020 comes to an end, we are reflecting on the accomplishments that have been made and important goals that have been achieved through our innovative partnerships. This year was full of ups and downs for the global community and the Environmental Sustainability Research Centre at Brock was not immune to these turbulent times.

    However, we are proud that we were still able to launch three innovative partnerships to assist in moving forward issues of global importance. We worked with our existing partners to achieve important goals in order to showcase the importance of sustainability in our constantly changing world. We believe that the work put in by our partners this year is a true testament to their resilience and willingness to persevere through the challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic. Click on each partnership year-in-review below to learn more about what we’ve all been up to this past year!

    Brock-Lincoln Living Lab

    Excellence in Environmental Stewardship Initiative

    Charter with Facilities Management

    Niagara Adapts

    Trails, Assets, and Tourism Initiative

    Partnership for Freshwater Resilience

    The Prudhommes Project

     

    Categories: Blog, Brock Lincoln Living Lab, Environmental Stewardship Initiative, Innovative Partnership, Niagara Adapts, Prudhommes Project, Sustainability at Brock

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