The BURA events listing and registration pages are now online! Please check here for updates and new events.
Click the event title for more information and for a link to the registration page.
Upcoming Events
Please join your BURA Executive for our monthly coffee club. Be sure to let us know that you plan to attend by registering below. Catch up with colleagues for some lively conversation on any topic you wish.
Date: September 12, 2024
Time: 9:30 a.m.
Location: Ostin’s Restaurant – Holiday Inn, 327 Ontario St., St. Catharines ON
Register by: September 5, 2024
With Nick Baxter-Moore…
According to Joan Baez, who might be expected to know about such things, “The hardest song to write is a protest song.” Nonetheless, many of her contemporaries from the 1960s on – singers, songwriters, and singer/songwriters – contributed to the genre. To support her thesis, some of their songs have stood the test of time while others are long forgotten. Many protest messages have been misunderstood and others satirized and subverted. This “illustrated” talk surveys the history of the protest song from the 1930s to the present day, exploring how protest songs work and how their form has changed over time.
About Nick Baxter-Moore…
Before retiring in 2020, Nick Baxter-Moore taught at Brock for 35 years, first in Political Science, then in the Department of Communication, Popular Culture and Film. Along the way, he was chair of both departments, director of Canadian Studies, director of the Graduate Program in Popular Culture, and Associate Dean of Social Sciences. And, along the way, he developed a course on “Politics and Popular Music,” which he taught in various forms for 25 years, and which serves as background for today’s topic.
Among popular music-related publications, Nick co-edited The Routledge Companion to Popular Music and Humor (2019). His chapter in the collection is on humor in protest music. He is currently editing a book on benefit concerts and has published articles and chapters on various aspects of Canadian popular music, on Ray Davies and the Kinks, Stan Rogers, John Fogerty and CCR, Bruce Springsteen fans. His latest article, “Band Chemistry” (co-authored with Thomas Kitts), examines the forces that keep rock groups together – or drive them apart. He has also recently co-authored a number of articles comparing the political values of Canadians and Americans which goes to prove the old adage that you can take the professor out of Political Science, but … .
Event Details:
- Date: Wednesday September 25. Please register on or before 4:00 pm Wednesday September 18, 2024. No refunds will be given after this date.
- Time: Arrive for lunch: 11:30 am Lunch: noon, Presentation: 12:30 pm
- Cost: $40.00 per person. Includes taxes and gratuity.
- Location – Holiday Inn – 327 Ontario St., St. Catharines
- Parking: Parking available on site. Please contact buramembership@outlook.com to arrange for transportation assistance.
- For any other questions about the event, please contact BURA@brocku.ca.
With Ian MacKay…
Many of us know of Amelia Earhart only as a flyer who disappeared sometime in the first half of the 20th century, and that her fate is a great, enduring mystery. There are also a sizeable number of conspiracy theories explaining that mystery, ranging from a popular one based on the plot of 1943 movie starring Rosalind Russell and Fred MacMurray to the usual suspects: aliens and foreigners.
The truth is more straightforward. Today, there is an enormous weight of individual but interlocking pieces of evidence that precisely outline her fate. What is more shocking is that many influential people had strong suspicions within days of her disappearance as to where she ended up in plenty of time to have rescued her and saved her from a truly miserable fate – and they were right! But incompetence, prejudice, lack of communication, and the hierarchical nature of command let her down. This story is a classic case of the truism “Never attribute to conspiracy what can be explained by ego, stupidity, incompetence and bad luck.” The evidence that pointed to the spot in 1937 still points there, but is supplemented by a great deal of evidence discovered in 1940, plus a wealth of evidence assembled in the past 30 years. Join us for a story full of twists and turns and many surprises, to say nothing of the irony.
About Ian MacKay…
Ian is retired from a 40-year career as professor in the Department of Linguistics, University of Ottawa, where he taught in both official languages. Much of his research involved the acquisition of pronunciation when learning a second language at various starting ages. In Spring 2023, Cambridge University Press published his most recent textbook titled Phonetics and Speech Science, which covers the sounds of human speech with reference to linguistic, anatomical, aerodynamic, acoustic, and perceptual foundations. His 2014 textbook on the acoustics of speech, published by Allyn & Bacon, remains popular. In addition to the topics covered by these two textbooks, Ian also taught a graduate seminar on the origins of human language.
For more than a decade and a half Ian has been closely following developments in the search for Amelia Earhart’s fate, informed by careful, science-based research from an American interest group centred on historic aircraft. While textbook writing is no tutorial for a would-be novelist, Ian is attempting to write a historical novel based on the famous venture during which Earhart disappeared. But, while a novel demands at least some fiction, Ian’s talk on Earhart sticks to the facts as best they can be determined.
Ian was raised in Vancouver and spent summers in the BC interior. He has been a resident of Vancouver; Quebec City; Cincinnati, Ohio; Kingston, Jamaica; and Ottawa.
Ian lives with his wife Jo-Anne and greatly misses the dogs they used to share their lives with. He enjoys reading, travelling, writing, handyman stuff (major or minor), fixing things, dinner parties (as host or guest), trying out weird recipes, and generally trying to think of ways to make things better.
Event Details:
- Date: Tuesday, October 8, 2024. Please register on or before 4:00 pm Tuesday October 1, 2024. No refunds will be given after this date.
- Time: Arrive for lunch: 11:30 am Lunch: noon, Presentation: 12:30 pm
- Cost: TBA person. Includes taxes and gratuity.
- Location – Holiday Inn – 327 Ontario St., St. Catharines
- Parking: Parking available on site. Please contact buramembership@outlook.com to arrange for transportation assistance.
- For any other questions about the event, please contact BURA@brocku.ca.
Please join your BURA Executive for our monthly coffee club. Be sure to let us know that you plan to attend by registering below. Catch up with colleagues for some lively conversation on any topic you wish.
Date: Wednesday October 23, 2024
Time: 9:30 a.m.
Location: Ostin’s Restaurant – Holiday Inn, 327 Ontario St., St. Catharines ON
Register by: Wednesday October 16, 2024
REGISTRATION NOT OPEN YET
Please join your BURA Executive for our monthly coffee club. Be sure to let us know that you plan to attend by registering below. Catch up with colleagues for some lively conversation on any topic you wish.
Date: Tuesday November 5, 2024
Time: 9:30 a.m.
Location: Ostin’s Restaurant – Holiday Inn, 327 Ontario St., St. Catharines ON
Register by: Tuesday October 29, 2024
REGISTRATION NOT OPEN YET
With Dr. Sammy Winemaker… Dr. Winemaker is the co-author of the new book ‘Hope for the Best, Plan for the Rest’ and co-host of the podcast ‘The Waiting Room Revolution,’ which are designed to empower patients and families facing a life-changing diagnosis. Based on researching and caring for thousands of patients, she will share 7 keys that can activate patients, families, and providers to have a better illness journey.
About Dr. Winemaker… Dr. Sammy Winemaker is an Associate Clinical Professor, Department of Family Medicine, in the Division of Palliative Care at McMaster University. She teaches palliative care to health care professionals. She won the Ontario College of Family Physicians Award of Excellence in 2010, the Elizabeth J. Latimer Prize in Palliative Care in 2018, and the Dr. S. Lawrence Librach Award for Palliative Medicine in the Community in 2019.
Event Details:
- Date: Thursday, November 21, 2024. Please register on or before 4:00 pm Thursday, November 14, 2024. No refunds will be given after this date.
- Time: Arrive for lunch: 11:30 am Lunch: noon, Presentation: 12:30 pm
- Cost: TBA person. Includes taxes and gratuity.
- Location – Holiday Inn – 327 Ontario St., St. Catharines
- Parking: Parking available on site. Please contact buramembership@outlook.com to arrange for transportation assistance.
- For any other questions about the event, please contact BURA@brocku.ca.
REGISTRATION NOT OPEN YET
Please join your BURA Executive for our monthly coffee club. Be sure to let us know that you plan to attend by registering below. Catch up with colleagues for some lively conversation on any topic you wish.
Date: Monday December 2, 2024
Time: 9:30 a.m.
Location: Ostin’s Restaurant – Holiday Inn, 327 Ontario St., St. Catharines ON
Register by: Monday November 25, 2024
REGISTRATION NOT OPEN YET
Please join your BURA colleagues for a fun and festive afternoon of fellowship and entertainment. This is your last chance of 2024 to catch up with old friends and enjoy holiday entertainment by BURA favourite, Caitlyn Miller.
About Caitlin… Caitlin Miller is a Niagara local singer & songwriter who has been performing at various live venues since 2019. In 2023 she graduated from the University of Windsor with a BFA in Acting. Her styles range from 60s era tunes, to contemporary music and originals. From rock, to pop, to country, folk and indie, Caitlin performs something for everyone to enjoy, on acoustic guitar with accompanied singing.
Event Details:
- Date: Monday, December 9 2024. Please register on or before 4:00 pm Monday December 2, 2024. No refunds will be given after this date.
- Time: Arrive for lunch: 11:30 am Lunch and entertainment: noon
- Cost: TBA person. Includes taxes and gratuity.
- Location – Club Roma – Anziana Room, 125 Vansickle Rd., St. Catharines
- Parking: Parking available on site. Please contact buramembership@outlook.com to arrange for transportation assistance.
- For any other questions about the event, please contact BURA@brocku.ca.
REGISTRATION IS NOT OPEN YET
Previous Events
Please join your fellow retirees to wrap up the Brock University Retirees Association year with a BBQ and live music performed by Caitlin Miller, a local guitarist and singer.
About Caitlin… Caitlin Miller is a Niagara local singer & songwriter who has been performing at various live venues since 2019. In 2023 she graduated from the University of Windsor with a BFA in Acting. Her styles range from 60s era tunes, to contemporary music and originals. From rock, to pop, to country, folk and indie, Caitlin performs something for everyone to enjoy, on acoustic guitar with accompanied singing.
Event Details:
- Date: Friday, June 7, 2024. Pease register on or before 4:00 pm Thursday, May 30. No refunds will be given after this date.
- Time: Arrive for lunch: 11:30 am-noon, Lunch: 12:00 Noon, .
- Cost: $24.00 or $27.00 / person including taxes and gratuity, depending on meal selection,
- Location: Pond Inlet, Brock University, 1812 Sir Isaac Brock Way, St. Catharines ON.
- Parking: Free parking is available in Lot 1 during the summer. This is closest lot to the venue. Transportation can be arranged for members. Please contact buramembership@outlook.com to arrange for assistance.
- For any other questions about the event, please contact BURA@brocku.ca.
With Dr. Charles Conteh
From farm produce to advanced food and beverage manufacturing, the agriculture and agrifood sector forms one of Niagara’s core economic drivers. The presentation will provide a portrait of the growth and development of this sector in the region, linking and comparing it to provincial and national trends. Beyond the numbers, it will tell the story of a sector that has navigated fluctuating currents of advances in science, technology, and innovation over several decades to shape and enrich Niagara into the region we know today. There is little doubt agribusiness will continue to play a vital role in driving the socioeconomic prosperity of the region. The presentation will conclude with some reflections on the institutions and policies that support the sector, offering recommendations on further leveraging its assets for greater resilience in a rapidly changing world.
Please join your BURA colleagues for this entertaining and informative presentation about the changes being seen in Niagara Agri-business.
About Charles
Charles Conteh is a professor in Brock’s Department of Political Science and serves as director of the Niagara Community Observatory (NCO), a university-based public policy think tank working in partnership with the Niagara community to foster, produce and disseminate research on current and emerging issues. He enjoys backyard gardening, landscaping and walking Niagara’s trails with his dog in his leisure time.
Event Details:
- Date: Tuesday, May 14, 2024. Pease register on or before Tuesday, May 7. No refunds will be given after this date.
- Time: Arrive for lunch: 11:30 am-noon, Lunch: 12:00 Noon, Presentation: Following lunch.
- Cost: $37.00 per person, including taxes and gratuity.
- Location: Holiday Inn, 327 Ontario St., St. Catharines ON
- Parking: Free parking is available on site. Transportation can be arranged for members. Please contact buramembership@outlook.com to arrange for assistance.
- For any other questions about the event, please contact BURA@brocku.ca
Join your BURA colleagues and Brock University President Lesley Rigg for the annual university update. Dr. Rigg will review the current year and look ahead to share her thoughts on where we are and where we’re going.
Event Details:
- Date: Thursday, April 25, 2024. Pease register on or before Thursday, April 18.
- Time: Arrive for lunch: 11:30 am-noon, Lunch: 12:00 Noon, Presentation: Following lunch.
- Cost: Free, courtesy of Brock University, limit one guest per person.
- Location: Marilyn I Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts Atrium, 15 Artists’ Common, St. Catharines ON
- Parking: Paid parking is available at the Garden Park/Carlisle Street Parking Garage, entrance is on Garden Park. There is also on-street paid parking on St. Paul Street. Transportation can be arranged for members. Please contact buramembership@outlook.com to arrange for assistance.
- For any other questions about the event, please contact BURA@brocku.ca.
SOLD OUT!
Niagara will experience a rare total solar eclipse on April 8, 2024. We are fortunate to have the opportunity to hear from Professor Barak Shoshany who will discuss solar eclipses in the context of astronomy, physics, history, and more. He will explain about the different types of eclipses, why they are so rare, and what you can expect to see during an eclipse. He will also talk specifically about the upcoming total solar eclipse which will be seen from St. Catharines and other regions in Canada, and how to watch it safely.
Luncheon Menu
- Fire-roasted tomato chipotle soup
- Grilled free-range chicken breast, watercress sauce
- Potato du jour
- Roasted root vegetables
- Raspberry chocolate mousse
- Coffee, decaffeinated coffee, and tea
About Professor Shoshany
Barak Shoshany is a theoretical, mathematical, and computational physicist. He is an Assistant Professor of Physics at Brock University, where he recently won the Faculty of Mathematics and Science Award for Excellence in Teaching. He is also a Sessional Lecturer of Computational Science at McMaster University. His research focuses on the nature of time and causality in general relativity and quantum mechanics, as well as symbolic and high-performance scientific computing. In his spare time he is also a multi-instrumentalist and composer.
Event Details:
- Date: Wednesday, March 13, 2024. Pease register on or before March 6. No refunds will be given after this date.
- Time: Arrive for lunch: 11:30 am-noon, Lunch: 12:00 Noon, Presentation: Following lunch.
- Cost: $37.00 per person, including taxes and gratuity.
- Location: Holiday Inn, 327 Ontario St., St. Catharines ON
- Parking: Free parking is available on site. Transportation can be arranged for members. Please contact buramembership@outlook.com to arrange for assistance.
- For any other questions about the event, please contact BURA@brocku.ca.
Enjoy lunch and a matinee film presentation of the 2023 British romantic comedy “Rye Lane” (TRAILER) at the Niagara Artists Centre Microcinema. Bring your sweetheart (or just come on your own) and enjoy a lunch catered by Rise Above Restaurant – a very popular local vegan restaurant.
Lunch Menu
- Includes wrap, salad, dessert, and tea or coffee
Event Details:
- Date: Tuesday, February 13, 2024. Pease register on or before February 8. No refunds will be given after this date.
- Time: Arrive for lunch: 11:30 am-noon, Lunch: 12:00 Noon, Movie Presentation: Following lunch.
- Cost: $30 per person, including taxes and gratuity.
- Location: Niagara Artists Centre, 354 St Paul Street, St. Catharines, ON L2R 3N2
- Parking: Paid parking is located at the multi-storey parking lot on Carlisle, entrance is on Garden Park. There is also on-street paid parking nearby on St Paul Street.
- Transportation can be arranged for members. Please contact buramembership@outlook.com to arrange for assistance.
- For any other questions about the event, please contact BURA@brocku.ca.
Registration is closed
Please join us for lunch and a presentation by Francine McCarthy, a leading researcher on freshwater and marine sediments. Francine will discuss the unique attributes of Crawford Lake, Ontario that have led to its selection by the Anthropocene Working Group as the proposed ‘golden spike’ to define the Anthropocene epoch. She will also highlight the social implications of defining a geologic epoch based on human impact. Canadian Geographic has called Francine “a key mover and shaker in what is possibly the biggest geological announcement of our generation.”
For additional (free) information on the Anthropocene, please visit the Canadian Geographic magazine article and an explanatory YouTube video.
About Dr. Francine McCarthy
Francine is a Professor of Earth Sciences, a Core Member of the Environmental Sustainability Research Centre, and an Associate Member of Biological Sciences, at Brock University. She is also a Research Associate at the Royal Ontario Museum.
Lunch Buffet Menu
- Grilled Garlic Buttered Rustic Baguette
- Mixed Gourmet Greens
- Grilled Chicken Rigatoni with Roasted Bell Peppers
- Pesto Alfredo Penne Primavera in Fresh Tomato Sauce
- Spinach and Ricotta Cannelloni in a Rose Sauce
- Assorted Dessert Squares, Bars, and Brownies
- Freshly Brewed Coffee, Decaf, and Tea
Event Details:
- Date: Thursday, January 11, 2024. Pease register on or before January 5. No refunds will be given after this date.
- Time: Arrive for lunch: 11:30 am-noon, Lunch: 12:00 Noon, Presentation: Following lunch.
- Cost: $35 per person, including taxes and gratuity.
- Location: Holiday Inn, 327 Ontario St., St. Catharines ON
- Parking: Free parking is available on site. Transportation can be arranged for members. Please contact buramembership@outlook.com to arrange for assistance.
- For any other questions about the event, please contact BURA@brocku.ca.
REGISTRATION IS CLOSED
Join your BURA friends and colleagues for some holiday cheer and lively entertainment. A delicious family-style lunch will be served. Great holiday music will be provided by Brock’s own Don Cyr and Sophia DeLuca (piano and vocals).
Join us for a fabulous festive festival of good cheer!
Menu
Assorted dinner rolls with butter
Family style house salad
Family style Farfalle pasta with Marinara sauce
Family Style Meatballs & Italian Sausage
Ice Cream Bombette
Event Details:
- Date: Thursday, December 14, 2023. Pease register on or before December 7. No refunds will be given after this date.
- Time: Arrive for lunch: 11:30 am-noon, Lunch: 12:00 Noon, Entertainment: During and following lunch.
- Cost: $40.00 per person, including taxes and gratuity.
- Location: Club Roma (Gemini ‘B’ room), 125 Vansickle Rd, St. Catharines ON
- Parking: Free parking is available on site. Transportation can be arranged for members. Please contact buramembership@outlook.com to arrange for assistance.
- For any other questions about the event, please contact BURA@brocku.ca.
Registration is closed