Brock University Environmental Sustainability Research Centre - ESRC

New year, same incredible experiential education opportunities! ✨

Last term, SSAS student Ruth Horn completed field journals as part of her course requirements for SSAS 5P01: Foundations of Sustainability Science and Society. Her journals describe various field trips and educational experiences from the course. Our students are fortunate to be able to learn from our peers in the Brock community, and in the Niagara region in hands-on and innovative ways 📚🌱

Read all three journals on our website - and learn more about our graduate programs while you're there!

https://loom.ly/XGQebWE

What a year we've had in the ESRC! 🌳

There have been too many experiences to include in one post, so we put together a whole newsletter! Check it out on the ESRC's website: https://loom.ly/11AkXM0, and sign up for our mailing list while you're there so you don't miss any more updates from us 🗞️

We've got a lot to look forward to in 2026, but for now we're wishing our faculty, staff, and students a safe and restful holiday break! ❄️✨

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Hannah Marlen Lübker joined the SSCI program in 2023, and has spent time in New Brunswick doing field work for the first study of her PhD research. In this blog post, Hannah reflects on her experience and shares photos of her time in Eastern Canada!

📷: Kalen Mawer

https://loom.ly/RnFbz8M

Reflections on Field Work in New Brunswick Blog Contributor: Hannah Marlen Lübker Photo credit: Kalen Mawer (Hannah is currently working on the first study of her PhD, a photovoice project, with environmental stewards in New Brunswick. The study consists of two interviews and the taking of ...

Our graduate students have officially wrapped up their first term in their programs - the time has really flown by! 🍂

In this blog post series, SSCI student Madelaine Legault shares her own thoughts on her program experience so far and how these experiences have impacted her thinking on the field of sustainability science, as well as thoughts from her peers in the SSAS program - Makenna Kollo and Kinza Qureshi 🌱

Check out all three blog posts here: https://loom.ly/YiOvc1w

Welcome to Brock University Brock University is a comprehensive institution with rich academic programs and world-class research activity. Located in St. Catharines, in Ontario’s scenic Niagara region on the traditional territory of the Haudenosaunee and Anishinaabe peoples, Brock is situated in a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. W...

We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Jasneet Kaur as a new affiliate faculty member in the ESRC! 🌱

Her innovative research is featured in this article - we highly recommend checking it out: https://loom.ly/bZJyx8M

(We also highly recommend following Dr. Kaur's lead and joining the ESRC as an affiliate or adjunct faculty member! Find out how at the end of the article, or send us an email! ✉️)

ESRC opens new avenues for collaboration to sustainability researchers When it comes to environmentally sustainable energy technologies, Jasneet Kaur has big plans for building better energy systems using two-dimensional (2D) materials. The Assistant Professor of Physics and Engineering recently became a faculty affiliate of Brock’s Environmental Sustainability Resea...

Last week, we co-hosted the Exploring Careers in Sustainability Panel with Brock University Co-op Programs and listened to four sustainability professionals discuss their experiences and share advice with those looking to enter the field! 💼🌱

The full panel discussion is now available on the ESRC's YouTube channel - check it out! https://loom.ly/8FZGS0s

Careers in Sustainability Panel - October 29, 2025 Featuring:Erin Agro (Walker Industries)Allegra Caballero (Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority)Jason Henry (Vineland Research and Innovation Centre)Amy L...

Admissions season is in full swing here at the ESRC! Yesterday, we hosted two online information sessions with Brock University Faculty of Graduate Studies for our Masters and PhD in Sustainability Science programs and we enjoyed hearing from all the prospective applicants who attended!

Couldn't attend the sessions? You're in luck - full recordings are now available on our YouTube channel! Check them out here: https://loom.ly/ocXBIto

Graduate Program Information Sessions Share your videos with friends, family, and the world

Less than one week until the ESRC's graduate program information sessions - have you secured your spot?

Join us virtually on November 4th and learn all about Brock University’s Masters and PhD in Sustainability Science graduate programs. Representatives from the programs will be there to answer all of your questions relating to supervision, funding, program structure, and much more! This is a great opportunity for you to learn more about the PhD in Sustainability Science program before you send in your application – don’t miss out!

RSVP here: https://loom.ly/MQWKNNA

Graduate Info Sessions Explore your future with our info sessions below! Learn about program details, admission requirements, financial opportunities, and what to expect from the BrockU graduate experience.Our recruitment team is visiting Ontario Universities this fall.Explore over 50 graduate program options. Applied ...

Congratulations to current SSAS student, Joe Coughler, on being named to compete for Brock as part of the varsity rowing team at the Canadian University Rowing Championships on November 1-2 in Montreal, Quebec! We are cheering for you and the rest of the team! 🚣‍♂️🦡

Hi folks, Madelaine here! I am this year’s Graduate Student Ambassador in the ESRC, and I wanted to share some of the highlights from a recent trip that our Master of Sustainability and PhD in Sustainability Science students took to visit some of the ecological stewardship initiatives underway by 🌳

➡️ First, we visited Chippewa Battlefield of 1812, where 120 acres of former agricultural fields are in the process of being restored to native grassland. These grassland spaces are the natural habitats for the at-risk Eastern Meadowlark and Bobolink, species of songbirds. We learned that the site has undergone restoration efforts through prescribed burns and reseeding of native grasses and wildflowers.

➡️ Next up, we travelled down the Parkway to Gonder’s Flats, another former agricultural site that is in the process of being restored to a wetland habitat for turtles, fish, and native plant species like the swamp rose mallow. We saw nature-based solutions in action with the use of dead ash tree trunks as natural barriers along the coast, helping to protect young fish populations and retain native vegetation along the shore.

➡️ Finally, we ended our trip with a walk around Dufferin Islands and discussed the challenges (and opportunities) of public parks as sites of ecological stewardship.

This first field trip of the Fall term is just one example of the experiential education activities planned for ESRC students to explore sustainability science! Looking forward to many more in the months ahead! 🌱

Special thanks to Corey and Victoria from Niagara Parks for guiding our tour! Shoutout to Brock University's Amanda Bishop, for taking these wonderful pictures 📸, and much appreciation to Brock University Co-op Programs Liz Kirk, and ESRC's Dr. Lina Taing, Dr. Julia Baird, and Dr. Marilyne Carrey for all of their roles in making this trip such a success! ✨

Applications for the Master of Sustainability and PhD in Sustainability Science programs are now OPEN! 🌱

Join our virtual information sessions on November 4th, where our staff and faculty will walk you through everything you need to know and answer any questions you may have!

Sign up here:
➡️ Master of Sustainability Information Session (cc5236a0-90b4-4b9f-b680-b624f2bd0bbc@76ae1115-1efc-4af2-a536-e2b2443af1a0)" rel="ugc" target="_blank">https://events.teams.microsoft.com/event/cc5236a0-90b4-4b9f-b680-b624f2bd0bbc@76ae1115-1efc-4af2-a536-e2b2443af1a0)
➡️ PhD in Sustainability Science Information Session (7598b311-0baf-47fb-a250-4e978952992f@76ae1115-1efc-4af2-a536-e2b2443af1a0)" rel="ugc" target="_blank">https://events.teams.microsoft.com/event/7598b311-0baf-47fb-a250-4e978952992f@76ae1115-1efc-4af2-a536-e2b2443af1a0)

Our second Fall term elective spotlight is Foundations of Environmental and Sustainability Education (SSAS 5V57)! 🌱

In this course, students will learn about the foundations of environmental and sustainability education and develop skills to become leaders in the creation of a more environmentally sustainable future! 🌎

This course is open to all Brock graduate students, learn more about our Fall 2025 electives here ➡️ https://brocku.ca/guides-and-timetables/timetables/?session=fw&type=gr&level=all&program=SSAS

📩 Questions about registration? Reach out to [email protected]