Updates of the Chair

  • EVENT: UNESCO Chairholder to speak at Newfoundland climate change symposium

    Wednesday, April 25, 2018 | By

    UNESCO chairholder Liette Vasseur will be delivering the keynote address at a symposium on climate change adaptation and coastal community, to be held in Gros Morne, Newfoundland on May 16-18th, 2018.

    The symposium will be hosted in Corner Brook and Norris Point, NL, and will examine current knowledge on the impact of a changing climate on coastal communities in Newfoundland, with a focus on Gros Morne.

    The goal is to advance our knowledge and develop tools and strategies that will assist communities as they face both challenges and opportunities associated with climate change.

    The event is organized by Grenfell Campus, Memorial University and the Gros Morne Cooperating Association.

    Categories: Updates of the Chair

  • International Day of Women and Girls in Science

    Friday, February 23, 2018 | By

    A like-minded group of 16 women and men including undergraduate and graduate students, faculty and staff came together on Monday, Feb. 12 to discuss ways to further inspire and engage women and girls in science. Organized in honour of International Day of Women and Girls in Science by Professor of Biological Sciences and UNESCO Chair in Community Sustainability Liette Vasseur, the informal gathering included Valerie Davidson, former NSERC Chair for Women in Science and Professor Emeritus, University of Guelph. Davidson led the group in a discussion of topics that ranged from mentorship opportunities to strategies for empowerment. At the end of the discussion, the group had a list of ideas and plans to meet in the future to continue the discussion.

    Categories: Updates of the Chair

  • EVENT: Social Innovation Forum: Agrobiodiversity to Sustain Community Food Systems on March 5

    Monday, February 12, 2018 | By

    Liette Vasseur will be participating in the Social Innovation Forum at Lakehead University on March 5, from 9 a.m. until 11 a.m.

    The Social Innovation Forum will open Lakehead University’s 2018 Research and Innovation Week, “Connections.” The Forum is designed to showcase innovative approaches to community-university partnerships and the impact such connections can have on social justice and innovation.  The day’s events will create a dialogue that will address how Lakehead University’s research capacity can be utilized to inform and address challenges confronting community organizations and our city.  This public event is expected to draw local organizations and researchers, as well as leading research experts who are passionate about the power of community-university partnerships as a vehicle for societal change.

    Learn more about the forum

    Categories: Updates of the Chair

  • GATHERING TO DISCUSS GETTING MORE WOMEN AND GIRLS INTO SCIENCE on FEBRUARY 12

    Monday, February 12, 2018 | By

    The Brock community is invited to celebrate and discuss how to enhance the role of women and girls in science.

    In honour of International Day of Women and Girls in Science, Professor of Biological Sciences and UNESCO Chair in Community Sustainability, Liette Vasseur has organized an informal gathering to be held on campus Monday, Feb. 12.

    The goal is to start a dialogue about ways to further inspire and engage women and girls in science. From mentorship opportunities to raising awareness and strategies for empowerment, all ideas are welcome.

    Held from noon to 1:30 p.m. in Mackenzie Chown F Block, Room 237, the event is open to all undergraduate and graduate students as well as faculty and staff. Refreshments will be served.

    Joining the group will be Valerie Davidson, former NSERC Chair for Women in Science and Professor Emeritus, University of Guelph.

    The United Nations General Assembly declared Feb. 11 as the International Day of Women and Girls in Science and, in 2016, UNESCO collaborated with the L’Oreal Foundation to engage governments and stakeholders in promoting the full participation of women and girls in science.

    If you’re not able to attend Monday’s event, everyone is encouraged to join the conversation through social media by tagging posts with #GirlsInSTEM, #WomeninScience or #GirlsCrackTheCode.

    Categories: Updates of the Chair

  • NEW VIDEO: My Chair in 3 Minutes: UNESCO Chair on Community Sustainability: From Local to Global

    Monday, February 12, 2018 | By

     

     

    The Canadian Commission for UNESCO has just released a video presenting the UNESCO Chair in Community Sustainability: From Local to Global at Brock University !

    View the video on YouTube:
    My Chair in 3 Minutes: UNESCO Chair on Community Sustainability: From Local to Global

     

    Categories: Updates of the Chair

  • UNESCO Chair in Community Sustainability: From Local to Global January Newsletter Available

    Monday, February 12, 2018 | By

    The most recent edition of the UNESCO Chair in Community Sustainability: From Local to Global newsletter is available now! Click on the image below to read the full edition and learn about what the UNESCO chair has been up to.

     

    Categories: Updates of the Chair

  • Brock’s UNESCO Chair launches Sustainability Poetry Contest

    Wednesday, January 31, 2018 | By

    Brock’s UNESCO Chair launches Sustainability Poetry Contest

    WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 31, 2018 | Posted by 

    MEDIA RELEASE: 31 January 2018 – R00020

    What kind of future do you want?

    That’s the question being asked this year as part of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Poetry Day.

    Brock University Professor and UNESCO Chair in Community Sustainability Liette Vasseur, along with Brock’s Environmental Sustainability Research Centre, is putting out a call for submissions in this year’s 2018 Sustainability Poetry Contest. All Niagara residents are eligible to enter their original, unpublished poems with the theme of ‘The Future We Want’ for this year’s contest.

    UNESCO has been celebrating World Poetry Day annually since 1999. The idea is to use poetry as a social tool to bring awareness to social issues, give a voice to the community, promote linguistic diversity and change the way people view their place in the world.

    “The poetry contest is important because when we look at sustainability in communities, arts and culture are essential for human well-being,” said Vasseur. “We are aware that when we look at sustainable development, we do not only consider economic development but also social development. It is important to integrate activities that make people feel positive about their lives and help work toward our sustainable development goals.”

    The Sustainability Poetry Contest, which is under the patronage of the Canadian Commission for UNESCO, includes categories for elementary, high school and post-secondary students, as well as the general public. Both French and English poems are welcome.

    This year’s topic is derived from a 2015 United Nations outcome document that spurred the development of the 2030 Agenda, citing 17 sustainable development goals to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. Each goal has specific targets to be achieved by 2030.

    “The 2018 Sustainability Poetry Contest affords an opportunity for individuals to philosophically envision ‘the future we want’ and express it creatively,” said ESRC Director Ryan Plummer. “In making connections to the sustainable development goals, the poetry helps to bridge sustainability locally to a global agenda for transformative change.”

    Poems can be submitted online until 5 p.m. Monday, Feb. 19 by visiting the UNESCO Chair’s website. Prizes such as books and gift cards, will be awarded in each of the four categories.

    Winners will be announced at the UNESCO World Poetry Day celebration on Friday, March 23 at Mahtay Café in downtown St. Catharines. The event is free, but registration on the Chair’s website is required as space is limited.

    For more information or for assistance arranging interviews:

    * Dan Dakin, Media Relations Officer, Brock University ddakin@brocku.ca, 905-688-5550 x5353 or 905-347-1970

    Brock University Marketing and Communications has a full-service studio where we can provide high definition video and broadcast-quality audio.

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    Categories: Updates of the Chair

  • UNESCO Chair discusses sustainable agriculture strategies over tea in Fujian

    Thursday, January 25, 2018 | By

    Liette Vasseur enjoyed some tea after a recent meeting with her team of scientists, technicians and students in continued efforts to examine sustainable alternative agricultural strategies to improve tea plantations in the Fujian province of Southern China. This large research program also integrates the Chinese counterpart of the Ontario-China Research and Innovation project from the Ministry of Research and Innovation. Agrominerals from Boreal Agrominerals are being tested there for improving the health of plantations.

     

    Categories: Updates of the Chair

  • Liette Vasseur speaks at Sustainability Transdisciplinary Seminar Series

    Thursday, January 18, 2018 | By

    In her role as UNESCO Chair in Community Sustainability: From Local to Global, Liette Vasseur spoke at the Environmental Sustainability Research (ESRC)’s  Sustainability Transdisciplinary Seminar Series on January 12. The seminars are a component of the Master of Sustainability program.

    Her topic was “The case study of San Juan, Ecuador: Bringing ecosystem governance for a more sustainable community.”

    Here is a brief synopsis of the talk:

    “The Andean Páramo is a fragile ecosystem that hosts high diversity and plays an important role in moderating climate and water discharge towards the Amazon basin. The Chimborazo region of Ecuador is highly vulnerable to the advance of industrial/ conventional agricultural activities and the changing climate, which is severely effecting water management and ecosystem health. Vasseur’s presentation discussed a large project that involves the indigenous population of San Juan and discussed the way forward to enhance community sustainability and resilience through concepts such as ecosystem governance, ecosystem-based adaptation to climate change and landscape restoration.”

     

    Categories: Updates of the Chair

  • 2018 Sustainability Poetry Contest accepting submissions!

    Friday, January 12, 2018 | By

    In celebration of UNESCO Poetry Day, Brock University’s Environmental Sustainability Research Centre (ESRC), and the UNESCO Chair in Community Sustainability would like to invite you to submit your original, unpublished, poem to our sustainability poetry contest.

    The theme this year is ‘The Future We Want’ and the contest is open to all elementary, secondary and post-secondary students in the Niagara region as well as to the general public. The contest is accepting submissions both in English and in French.

    Submissions are open until Monday, February 19 at 5 p.m.

    Submit your poem today!

    English submission form
    French Submission form

    More about this year’s theme:
    The United Nations (UN) General Assembly in its Resolution adopted by the General Assembly on 27 July 2012 during the Rio +20 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, adopted the outcome document entitled “The future we want” as a vision for what has become in 2015 the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.

    As mentioned: Poverty eradication is the greatest global challenge facing the world today and an indispensable requirement for sustainable development. In this regard, we are committed to freeing humanity from poverty and hunger as a matter of urgency… We therefore acknowledge the need to further mainstream sustainable development at all levels, integrating economic, social and environmental aspects and recognizing their interlinkages, so as to achieve sustainable development in all its dimensions.”

    Complete contest rules available here.

    Get inspired by reading submissions from past contests!
    Check out our Sustainability Poetry Contest E-Book.

    Categories: Updates of the Chair

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