Articles by author: Brock University

• Brock students, volunteers uncovering St. Catharines’ maritime past at local dig

  Wednesday, July 20, 2022 | By Brock University

  MEDIA RELEASE: 19 July 2022 – R0080

  New discoveries are already being made at the historic Shickluna Shipyard in downtown St. Catharines — and volunteers are being invited to join in the experience.

  The second season of the archaeological dig near Twelve Mile Creek got underway last week after a two-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

  “We’re thrilled to return to the Shickluna Shipyard and share in the experience of exploring local historical and maritime archaeology with our Brock University students and the wider Niagara community,” says archaeologist Kimberly Monk, Adjunct Professor with Brock University’s Department of History.

  The 2022 field school is building on the success of the 2019 season, with further excavation of two key locations: a worker’s cottage and a boathouse. The site was first used as a shipyard by Russell Armington from 1828 to 1837 and then by Maltese immigrant Louis Shickluna from 1838 to 1880. Joseph Shickluna was the last to run the shipyard from 1880 to 1891 before it was leased to the St. Catharines Box and Basket Company until 1901.

  “The 2019 season provided an opportunity to examine the first physical evidence from this important Great Lakes shipyard,” says Monk.

  The team, she adds, was able to excavate down to the years spanning 1830 to 1940 and are looking forward to excavating more features and artifacts this season.

  Volunteers are still welcome to join field school students. No archaeological experience is needed to volunteer in the lab, where artifacts are carefully cleaned and catalogued. Previous field school or on-site training is required for those wishing to assist in excavation.

  Ben Riopelle, a Brock History student beginning his third year this fall, is excited to be a part of the field school, where he hopes to soak in all he can about archaeology after being inspired by a course he took with Monk last year.

  “It’s a lot of work but it’s worth it,” he says. “This isn’t something you can really experience any other place, especially if you’re from the area. It’s a good place to learn local history, especially since Shickluna Shipyard is such an important part of St. Catharines’ past.”

  The field school has attracted participants from across Canada and even around the world.

  Miranda Gardner, who is doing a part-time archaeology degree with Cambridge University in the U.K., recently moved back to Canada from Mexico. She was excited to discover an archaeology field school happening close to where she has family living.

  “I wanted to do something in the field because we don’t get to learn in person yet at Cambridge,” she says, while encouraging potential volunteers to take advantage of the opportunity. “Someone will help you figure out what to do and it’s always more fun to jump in when learning something new.”

  The Shickluna Shipyard offers a significant connection to St. Catharines’ industrial past and the history of the Welland Canal.

  “We are eager to continue our work in reconnecting with the legacies of St. Catharines’ maritime community,” says Monk, noting the major role the marine industry played in the development of the Niagara region.

  Excavations at the site continue until Aug. 12. Members of the public are invited to visit the site during a series of open house events on Aug. 10, 13 and 14, with more details to follow in the coming weeks.

  Those interested in volunteering with the project can contact Monk at shipyard@brocku.ca

  For more information or for assistance arranging interviews:

  * Doug Hunt, Communications and Media Relations Specialist, Brock University dhunt2@brocku.ca or 905-941-6209 

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  Categories: Media releases

• Approval of COVID vaccine for young children a ‘monumental step,’ says Brock immunologist

  Friday, July 15, 2022 | By Brock University

  EXPERT ADVISORY: 15 July 2022 – R0079

  The recent approval of a COVID vaccine for infants and preschoolers is a boost needed in Canada’s ongoing battle with the pandemic, says Brock University immunologist Adam MacNeil.

  Health Canada announced Thursday that the Moderna vaccine has been approved for children between six months and five years old. 

  “This is a monumental step toward maximizing the vaccine layer of protection across our communities as we continue to wrestle with the evolution of one of the most transmissible pathogens in human history and learn more about its long-term impacts on health outcomes,” says MacNeil, Associate Professor of Immunology.

  The children’s vaccine works in exactly the same way as the adult version, he says, with very mild — and no serious — side effects reported to date.

  “As a parent of an under-five-year-old myself, and someone who has dedicated significant time to studying immunity at its most fundamental level, I will absolutely be vaccinating my child,” MacNeil says.

  At one-quarter the size of the standard adult dose, Moderna’s latest vaccine takes children’s smaller bodies into account, “with the lower dose being optimized to ensure a safe and effective immune response,” he says.

  MacNeil explains that the children’s dose contains 25 micrograms of messenger RNA (mRNA) as compared to the 100 micrograms found in the adult version. This will be translated into a protein and shown to the immune system to create a protective immune response in the form of antibodies and T cells, he says.

  “The bottom line is that independent scientific review of the evidence on vaccine efficacy has demonstrated that the benefits of receiving the vaccine outweigh the risks and that the immune response is similar to that seen in those 18 to 25 years old,” he says.

  MacNeil notes that polio, diphtheria, pertussis, measles, smallpox and other pathogens have been completely or nearly wiped out thanks to routine childhood vaccination schedules.

  Meanwhile, COVID-19 continues to pose a threat to children. MacNeil says that in Ontario, 23 children from newborn to four years have recently been hospitalized for COVID, while a similar number is attributed to the entire five-to-39-year-old age range.

  Like many other viruses, COVID-19 infection may also have long-term effects that aren’t fully understood yet, he says.

  He encourages parents who have concerns or questions about their children’s unique situations to talk to their child’s health-care provider.

  MacNeil says that while most or all people will likely be exposed to the COVID-19 virus at some point, research has shown multiple infections lead to increasingly negative health outcomes on the body’s tissues and organs.

  “These aren’t dice you want to roll,” he says. “You want to catch this as few times as you can. Vaccines will help with that and protecting our youngest and most vulnerable is a big step toward minimizing the transmission chain with the tools we have available to us.”

  Adam MacNeil, Brock University Associate Professor of Immunology, is available for media interviews on the topic.

  For more information or for assistance arranging interviews:

  * Maryanne St. Denis, Manager, Content and Communications, Brock University mstdenis@brocku.ca or 905-246-0256

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  Categories: Media releases