Articles from:March 2025

• Cutting-edge tech, dynamic startups to be showcased at community event

  Tuesday, March 11, 2025 | By Brock University

  MEDIA RELEASE – March 11, 2025 – R0033

  From groundbreaking technology creating more effective vaccines to innovative startups advancing the fields of game design and women’s health, the Brock LINC has been home to many successes shaping the world as we know it.

  To mark a successful first five years, Brock University’s innovation centre and incubator is hosting a community event that will celebrate the achievements of its researchers and entrepreneurs and highlight their cutting-edge work.

  The inaugural Brock Innovation Showcase will take place Tuesday, March 18, welcoming both the University and wider Niagara communities to learn about research-based technologies and businesses developed with the support of Brock LINC.

  Held from 5 to 8 p.m. in Brock’s Rankin Family Pavilion, the event will bring together industry professionals, investors and community partners to celebrate research and commercialization successes.

  “The research taking place at Brock is leading the way in so many fields, and the technologies that are being developed out of that research are poised to drive the next breakthroughs in health care, and the development of new products, services and businesses,” says Farzana Crocco, Executive Director of Innovation, Commercialization and Entrepreneurship.

  Among the technologies to be showcased are self-healing silicones, ultra-fast photodetectors, new therapies for age-related diseases, more effective vaccines, and wine glasses for virtual reality experiences.

  The Innovation Showcase will include the presentation of two new awards: the Brock Entrepreneur of the Year Award, which recognizes entrepreneurial excellence or potential of a Brock entrepreneur, and the Brock Innovator of the Year Award, which recognizes the social or economic impact of Brock researchers.

  The event will also award $125,000 in funding to entrepreneurs and small- and medium-sized enterprises (SME) through the Brock SME IP Support Program, Laura Sabia Entrepreneurial Award, and the Dobson Entrepreneurial Excellence Prize.

  “We’re grateful to have the support of funders and donors like Intellectual Property Ontario, Brock Chancellor Hilary Pearson and her husband Michael Sabia, and the John Dobson Foundation, who have such a significant impact on Brock student entrepreneurs and University-affiliated entrepreneurs and SMEs,” says Crocco.

  “These awards are more than just financial support; they are a recognition of hard work, creativity and vision that drive positive change. We are thrilled to celebrate so much talent.”

  The event will include complimentary refreshments and snacks as well as a cash bar.

  Free parking is available, with details provided upon registration.

  For more information and to register, visit the event website.

  For more information or for assistance arranging interviews:

  *Sarah Ackles, Communications Specialist, Brock University [email protected] or 289-241-5483 

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  Categories: Media releases

• Niagara Brain Bee creating buzz around science

  Wednesday, March 05, 2025 | By Brock University

  MEDIA RELEASE – March 5, 2025 – R0032

  Local teens interested in testing their knowledge about the brain can make a beeline for Brock University.

  Science enthusiasts and newcomers alike are invited to explore the mind’s inner workings at the inaugural Niagara Brain Bee Competition on Monday, April 7.

  Hosted by Brock’s Centre for Neuroscience, the competition is part of a larger network of events happening across the country and around the world. Niagara’s winner will be invited to the annual Canadian National Brain Bee, sponsored by the Canadian Institute for Health Research (CIHR), and the winner of the national event will have the opportunity to take part in an international contest.

  Assistant Professor of Psychology Paula Duarte Guterman, Canada Research Chair in Behavioural Neuroscience, likens the Brain Bee to a traditional spelling bee but with questions about the brain and how it works. However, she emphasizes that students do not need expertise or even a background in neuroscience to sign up.

  “The Brain Bee is for everyone who is interested,” she says. “We provide the study materials, so the only thing you need is the motivation to learn.”

  Links to all open-source study materials are available on the event website under the heading “Study Materials.” In the run-up to April 7, participants can also join online study sessions with undergraduate Neuroscience students to help them prepare.

  Assistant Professor Stephen Glasgow in the Department of Biological Sciences says the event, which will also include activities and information on Brock’s Neuroscience program, is a great opportunity for participants to learn about a field that may be less familiar to teens.

  “When I was a high school student, we had biology and chemistry and physics, but neuroscience wasn’t a path I would have known about,” he says. “Sub-specializations like neuroscience are interdisciplinary and can be combined, so we want students to learn about this viable path they may not even know about yet.”

  Glasgow also notes that Niagara competitors have had to travel out of the region to take part in previous years, so he is excited to bring the Brain Bee tradition to Brock.

  “This inaugural event will highlight the growing neuroscience community at Brock,” he says. “It’s a great opportunity for students to get exposure to real research and build their neuroscience understanding.”

  Duarte Guterman is also eager to welcome the community.

  “This is such a fun part — sharing the amazement people experience when they learn new things,” she says. “So, I’m really looking forward to meeting high school students, family members and teachers and getting to know the community, as well.”

  All Niagara high school students from Grades 9 to 12 are welcome to take part but must register online by Friday, March 28.

  For more information or for assistance arranging interviews:

  *Sarah Ackles, Communications Specialist, Brock University [email protected] or 289-241-5483

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  Categories: Media releases