Articles by author: Brock University

• Student-built robots to compete at provincial championship at Brock University

  Thursday, February 12, 2026 | By Brock University

  MEDIA RELEASE — February 12, 2026 — R0016

  Louis Dinh had no idea that joining his high school robotics team would help to program his future path. 

  But the opportunity to compete in the FIRST Tech Challenge Provincial Championship left him inspired to pursue a career in technology, leading him to Brock University’s Computer Science program. 

  Now in his third year at the University, Dinh hopes that when the competition returns to Brock later this month, the teens from across Ontario who participate will find a similar spark for STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) topics like the one that has guided his journey. 

  Presented by FIRST Robotics Canada and Brock’s Faculty of Mathematics and Science, this year’s competition takes place Saturday, Feb. 21 and Sunday, Feb. 22 in the University’s Ian Beddis Gymnasium. The public is welcome to attend Sunday, Feb. 22, from 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.  

  Peter Berg, Dean of Brock’s Faculty of Mathematics and Science, says the event will provide 36 robotics teams of Grade 7 to 12 students with a fun and safe space to test ideas and learn from setbacks. 

  “This competition shows students what’s possible when curiosity meets opportunity,” he says. “Students aren’t just building robots. They’re learning how to think critically, troubleshoot under pressure and work as part of a team. Those are skills that translate far beyond the competition floor.”

  The challenge aims to foster participants’ passion for robotics and related STEM topics. 

  While the competition tests engineering and coding ability, organizers say the provincial championship is about far more than competition.

  “When students step onto the field at a FIRST Tech Challenge event, they are applying months of design, coding and problem-solving in a real-world environment,” says Dave Ellis, President of FIRST Robotics Canada. “They learn to collaborate under pressure, adapt when something fails and lead within a team.

  “Those experiences build resilience and confidence that last well beyond the event,” Ellis says. “We consistently see students pursue post-secondary studies and careers in engineering, computer science and skilled trades because of what they discover through robotics.” 

  During matches, alliances of two teams will race against the clock, using their robots to collect coloured artifacts and construct patterns based on randomized motifs before returning their robots safely to base. Each match begins with a 30-second autonomous period, when robots operate independently using pre-programmed instructions, followed by a two-minute driver-controlled period. The final 30 seconds, known as the “End Game,” features high-scoring tasks that often determine the outcome. 

  Tackling a hands-on challenge in a collaborative environment is what first drew Dinh to his high school robotics club.  

  The team spent months preparing for the FIRST Tech Challenge, developing their coding and engineering skills, securing sponsorship from their school and external partners, and building a robot that complied with the competition’s rules. 

  As pit manager for the challenge, Dinh co-ordinated repairs, delegated tasks and oversaw rapid fixes under pressure, including technical challenges with the robot’s climbing arms.  

  The effort paid off when his team won the competition, a moment he describes as “exciting and deeply rewarding.”

  Beyond expanding his technical skills, the experience helped Dinh build confidence and communication skills that he carried into his university studies. 

  “I started to realize that I work a lot better under pressure as well,” he says. 

  To learn more about the FIRST Tech Challenge Provincial Championship, visit the event web page.

   

  FIRST Tech Challenge Provincial Championship 2026:

  What: FIRST Tech Challenge Provincial Championship
  Who: Thirty-six robotics teams of Grade 7 to 12 students from across Ontario
  When: Saturday, Feb. 21 and Sunday, Feb. 22 (Sunday open to the public)
  Where: Brock University’s St. Catharines campus, Niagara region 

  
  For more information or for assistance arranging interviews: 

  *Maryanne St. Denis, Associate Director, Strategic Communications, Brock University, [email protected]or 905-246-0256

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  Categories: Media releases

• Brock marks REDress Day with opportunities for reflection, remembrance

  Monday, February 09, 2026 | By Brock University

  MEDIA RELEASE — February 9, 2026 — R0015

  Empty red dresses hung across Brock University’s campuses this week will act as a stark visual reminder of the thousands of missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls and Two-Spirit people (MMIWG2S+) and the enduring impact still felt in their communities. 

  The dresses are on display until Wednesday, Feb. 18 at Brock’s St. Catharines and Burlington campuses and the Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts downtown as well as at Niagara College’s campuses.

  The display is part of a week of community events planned in observance of REDress Day, also known as the REDress Project. 

  Started by Métis artist Jaime Black at the University of Winnipeg, the initiative honours the thousands of Indigenous women, girls and Two-Spirit, lesbian, gay, trans, bisexual, queer, questioning, intersex and asexual (2SLGTBQQIA+) people lost to colonial violence. 

  It’s frequently observed around Feb. 14 to align with the annual Women’s Memorial March.

  “This day is significant as it provides a safe and supportive space for participants to learn, reflect and connect,” says Evelyn Dilworth (BA ’24, BEd ’24), Event Co-ordinator at Hadiya’dagénhahs First Nations, Métis and Inuit Student Centre, which is organizing this year’s events. “MMIWG2S+ is an ongoing tragedy affecting our communities and it is up to everyone, not just Indigenous women, to help change these devastating statistics for future generations.” 

  Everyone in the Brock and broader communities is invited to come together for a day of remembrance and unity on Friday, Feb. 13 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in Brock’s Pond Inlet. Hosted by Hadiya’dagénhahs in partnership with Niagara College, the event will include a Jingle Dress demonstration and song, group discussions, hands-on workshops and a complimentary lunch.

  In the morning, attendees will engage in small group discussions led by community members to learn more about the significance of the day, the impact that still reverberates through Indigenous communities and ways to meaningfully engage in allyship. Workshops will take place in the afternoon and include crocheting, bracelet making and beading activities.

  A live community art project taking place that day will also provide an opportunity to participate in a collaborative, visual call for justice and solidarity.

  Brock’s Spirit Bear Entiohahathé’te will join the day in observance of the upcoming Have a Heart Day on Saturday, Feb. 14. Organized by the First Nations Child and Family Caring Society, it advocates for First Nations children’s rights, safety and access to equitable, culturally based services.

  Advanced registration for the REDress Day event and the individual workshops is required through University Tickets.

  Hadiya’dagénhahs is also hosting a Beaded REDress Pin Workshop on Thursday, Feb. 12 from noon to 1:30 p.m. at Brock’s Burlington Campus in BBC 284. The free workshop will teach basic beading techniques, with participants creating a pin to wear on REDress Day as a visible sign of support. No prior beading experience is required, and all materials will be provided.

  Assistant Professor Lyn Trudeau in Brock’s Centre for Women’s and Gender Studies will be a featured speaker at a gathering on Wednesday, Feb. 11 from noon to 3 p.m. in CRN 207.  

  Through reflections and group activities, the event will create a respectful space to acknowledge the lives lost, the ongoing violence faced by Indigenous communities and the systemic failures that continue to enable the crisis. It is open to everyone, but registration is required.

   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