Media releases

• Grad students have three minutes and one slide to sum up complex research

  Monday, April 08, 2019 | By Brock University

  MEDIA RELEASE: 8 April 2019 – R00062

  Final round for annual Three Minute Thesis competition set for Thursday, April 11

  How the construction of a house relates to mitochondrial-mediated cell death may not be clear to most people, but that’s the analogy Jennifer Wilkinson used to explain her research in simple terms during Brock University’s Three Minute Thesis (3MT) preliminary round.

  Eight graduate students from five Faculties participated in the competition last week that challenges students to present their complex research to a general audience in no more than three minutes and using only one slide and no props.

  Event judges Cassie Price, Venture Development Co-ordinator for the Goodman Group, Cathy Majtenyi, Research Communications Specialist for the Office of Research Services, and Brad Clarke, Director, Student Life and Community Experience, selected three master’s students to advance to the challenge finals on Thursday, April 11 at Brock.

  Joining Wilkinson, a student in Applied Health Sciences, are Alicia Azzano from Applied Disability Studies and Rachel Richmond from Applied Health Sciences.

  “Selecting the finalists was much more difficult than I had imagined it would be,” said Price. “There were so many factors to take into consideration — presentation style, slide design, audience engagement and comprehension of the subject. It was a wonderful experience to learn about the fascinating research students are doing on campus from such a wide variety of disciplines.”

  Wilkinson said she decided to participate in 3MT to enhance her research communication skills.

  “I know it’s an important skill and part of my graduate degree to learn how to translate my knowledge for anyone to understand,” she said.

  Wilkinson and the other finalists will compete for the title of Brock 2019 3MT Champion during a midday break of the Mapping the New Knowledges (MNK) Graduate Student Conference April 11 at Brock.

  The winner of the challenge will represent Brock at the Ontario 3MT Competition, hosted by McMaster University on Wednesday, April 17. Presentations will be livestreamed and a winner will be selected to represent Ontario at the national finals, where 11 finalists will be competing for the title of 2019 Canadian 3MT Champion.

  Now in its 14th year, the MNK Conference is a daylong showcase of graduate student research happening at Brock, with more than 165 students presenting either oral or poster presentations.

  The day will kick off with a keynote address from Tek Thongpapanl, Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Studies in the Goodman School of Business, who will discuss his role as a mentor to students and his own personal journey with mentorship over his career.

  The conference, being held in Brock’s Plaza Building and the Cairns Family Health and Bioscience Research Complex, is free and open to the public.

  Mapping the New Knowledges conference highlights:

  8:30 a.m. — Keynote address

  11:45 a.m. — 3MT final round

  12:15 p.m. — Presentation of Marilyn Rose Graduate Leadership Award, Michael Plyley Graduate Mentorship Awards and Jack M. Miller Excellence in Research Awards

  For more information or for assistance arranging interviews:

  * Dan Dakin, Manager Communications and Media Relations, Brock University [email protected], 905-688-5550 x5353 or 905-347-1970

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  Categories: Media releases

• Brock welcomes thousands of families to campus for Spring Open House

  Monday, April 08, 2019 | By Brock University

  MEDIA RELEASE: 8 April 2019 – R00061

  For Ashley Michaud, the more than eight-hour drive to Brock University was entirely worthwhile.

  The trek to St. Catharines for the University’s annual Spring Open House on Sunday, April 7 affirmed for the 17-year-old Timmins resident that Brock is everything she hoped it would be.

  “It’s really homey here and everyone has been so welcoming,” said the Grade 12 student, adding Brock is her No. 1 choice to pursue studies in Psychology. “We planned this whole trip around Brock and so far, I’m really impressed.”

  Michaud was among 4,600 visitors to campus for Sunday’s annual event, which gave prospective students and their families a taste of what life at Brock is like.

  The day was enough to solidify Jacob Moon’s decision of where to head in September.

  Alongside his mother Jeanne, the Mississauga resident made his way to Brock’s admissions office to accept his offer to study Sport Management (SPMA) at the University.

  “I’m excited,” Moon said of the big step in his educational journey.

  The school came highly recommended by his stepsister, but it was a visit by Brock’s recruitment team to his school that gave Moon the insight he needed to choose a path.

  While mom Jeanne is nervous about her son heading off to university in the fall, having the chance to tour campus and speak with faculty from the SPMA program helped to ease those worries, she said.

  In addition to touring campus and meeting with faculty, Open House guests had the opportunity to meet with students and senior administrators, attend program-specific presentations, learn about student services and research opportunities, and take in a first-year lecture. Residences, research labs, athletic facilities and the Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts in downtown St. Catharines were also buzzing with activity throughout the day.

  “I’m so proud of our University community,” said Beth Natale, Brock’s Director, Recruitment, who described the energy on campus Sunday as “off the charts.” “Everyone truly stepped up to make this the best Open House event ever, with incredibly varied programming and unique ways to experience Brock that spanned the entire campus.”

  The crowds at Open House complement a series of strong early indicators the University is seeing for fall enrolment, which show an increasing number of students shortlisting Brock as their possible destination for 2019-20.

  Among those figures, compiled by the Ontario Universities’ Application Centre, is a more than 15 per cent increase in those listing Brock as their No. 1 pick.

  Natale said the University’s admissions team has extended more offers to date in this recruitment cycle, which runs from September to September, than in all of the 2017-18 cycle.

  “The numbers say it all; the demand for a Brock degree is evident and the momentum around our brand is growing in leaps and bounds.”

  For more information or for assistance arranging interviews:

  * Dan Dakin, Manager Communications and Media Relations, Brock University [email protected], 905-688-5550 x5353 or 905-347-1970

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  Categories: Media releases