Media releases

• Brock University announces distinguished alumni award recipients

  Thursday, August 03, 2023 | By Brock University

  MEDIA RELEASE: Aug 3 2023 – R0063

  From health care to finance to the grape and wine industry, Brock University alumni are having a significant impact in the sectors they both work and volunteer in.

  Ten outstanding Brock graduates will be honoured for their contributions to their respective fields during the University’s Homecoming celebration in September.

  The recipients of this year’s distinguished alumni awards were announced on Thursday, Aug. 3 by the Brock University Alumni Association (BUAA) and the University’s Alumni Relations office.

  “We take immense pride in recognizing and celebrating the accomplishments of our alumni,” says Kim Post, Interim Director, Alumni Relations. “We know Brock graduates are positively contributing to their industries and communities around the world. It’s important that we honour the achievements of these impressive individuals, who are an inspiration to Brock Badgers of the past, present and future.”

  Each year, a selection of alumni receives distinguished honours from the University acknowledging their remarkable contributions to their professions, communities and personal growth.

  This year’s award recipients have demonstrated exceptional leadership and success in their respective fields and are a testament to the talent and dedication within the Brock alumni community, Post says.

  The 2023 recipients include:

  Sarah Viehbeck (BA ’02) — Distinguished Alumni Award

  Sarah Viehbeck serves as the Chief Science Officer for the Public Health Agency of Canada. Her strategic leadership and commitment to science excellence have significantly contributed to the agency’s success and the advancement of public health.

  Jason Ribeiro (MEd ’15) — Outstanding Young Alumni Award

  President and Vice-Chair of the Calgary Surge, Jason Ribeiro’s dedication to bridging communities through sport and entertainment is an inspiration to young professionals across Canada.

  Adam Carter (BPhEd ’97) — Community Engagement Award

  Adam Carter has demonstrated an extraordinary commitment to public service, volunteering more than 11,500 hours over three decades and leading a team of St. John’s Ambulance emergency response volunteers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

  Vince Anania (BA ’85, BEd ’86) — David S. Betzner Award

  A dedicated volunteer since 1987, Vince Anania has supported a wide range of initiatives at Brock, including Convocation, Smart Start, classroom and sport presentations, and more. His loyalty and support for the University have made a lasting impact on the institution and its students.

  Mahoganie Hines (BScN ’16) — Faculty of Applied Health Sciences Distinguished Graduate Award

  A dedicated leader in the nursing field, Mahoganie Hines has made significant contributions to palliative care and championed equitable access to health-care services.

  Jane Omollo (MEd ’07) — Faculty of Education Distinguished Graduate Award

  Jane Omollo, Manager of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion at Algoma University, is a passionate community leader with more than two decades of experience working in cross-cultural environments to champion inclusion for equity-deserving groups.

  Tom Pennachetti (BA ’86) — Faculty of Humanities Distinguished Graduate Award

  As Vice-President of Marketing and Sales at Cave Spring Vineyard, Tom Pennachetti has played a key role in establishing Niagara as a premier cool-climate viticultural region.

  Mitchell McCurdy (BSc ’18) — Faculty of Mathematics and Science Distinguished Graduate Award

  An accomplished winemaker and entrepreneur, Mitchell McCurdy has been instrumental in supporting small-batch producers.

  Tefari Bailey (BA ’19) — Faculty of Social Sciences Distinguished Graduate Award

  A business professional, Tefari Bailey is known for his commitment to innovation and making a difference in the finance industry.

  Alia Lee (BBA ’06, MBA ’07) — Goodman School of Business Distinguished Graduate Award

  A finance and technology leader, Alia Lee has a strong corporate governance mindset and a passion for nurturing future business leaders.

  To learn more about each award recipient and their achievements, please visit the Brock alumni awards website.

  For more information on Homecoming events and registration details, please visit brocku.ca/homecoming

  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

• Brock prof collecting ancient Earth rocks in support of Mars mission

  Tuesday, August 01, 2023 | By Brock University

  MEDIA RELEASE: Aug 1 2023 – R0062

  A Brock University researcher is among a group of scientists collecting ancient rocks on Earth that will play an important role in the quest to learn more about Mars.

  Professor of Earth Sciences Mariek Schmidt recently returned from an expedition on the Isle of Rum that in addition to Brock included researchers from the University of Glasgow, University of Cambridge and University of Leicester.

  The island off the west coast in Scotland, characterized by dramatic mountains and extinct volcanoes, is one of several sites scientists will be visiting to collect rock samples as part of the Mars Sample Return Campaign led by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the European Space Agency (ESA).

  The campaign is assembling a defined set of rock samples from around the world that are comparable to those found on the Red Planet.

  A Participating Scientist with the Mars 2020 mission, Schmidt is part of the team that initially identified and classified rocks collected by NASA’s Perseverance Rover during its exploration of the Séítah Formation within Jezero Crater on Mars.

  Intensive study of the rocks from Rum and other sample sites will crucially help scientists understand what methods of handling, testing and analysis will work best in readiness for when the Martian rocks are scheduled to be brought to Earth in 2033.

  As the first samples from another planet, the Mars rocks are thought to present the best opportunity to reveal clues about its early evolution, including the potential for past life.

  The approximately 90-million-year-old rocks on the Isle of Rum are characteristically very similar to the igneous rocks found on Mars.

  “They have similar mineralogy, texture and chemistry,” said Schmidt. “Both contain the mineral olivine, which is a glassy green mineral that usually crystallizes in a high-temperature magma chamber.”

  In her work with the Mars 2020 mission, Schmidt focuses on using one of the rover’s seven key instruments: the Planetary Instrument for X-Ray Lithochemistry (PIXL), which is an x-ray fluorescence spectrometer used to determine the fine scale elemental composition of Martian surface materials.

  “It was exciting to see rocks like those we encountered on Mars in the field on Earth,” Schmidt said. “We were able to strike them with a hammer, feel their heft and scan a broken surface with a hand lens.”

  Some of the rocks collected from Rum and other sites will go to NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab in California, where scientists will determine how to access samples to minimize contamination, test imaging and other technology, and develop sample analysis procedures.

  Schmidt said scientists will also be able to request rock samples from Earth to demonstrate their proposed work on Martian rocks.

  In total, 200 to 300 kilograms of rock will be collected from each of the five to six sites across the world.

  This October, Schmidt will be leading sample collection from thick lava flows exposed at Hart Mountain in southeastern Oregon.

  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