What's New in Research

Brock brief looks at affordability of child care for Niagara families

April 4, 2013

A mother in the Niagara Region would have to earn almost $38,000 a year to feel that it was affordable to return to work after having just one child.

That number - based on economists’ calculation that families spend between 20 to 30 per cent of the mother’s annual income on child care - shoots up with two or more children.

These are among the findings of a new brief released April 4 by Brock University’s Niagara Community Observatory.

The brief, titled Can Niagara Families Afford Child Care?, outlines ongoing problems and issues with early childhood education and care faced by families in the Niagara Region and across the country.

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New research strategic plan in the works for Brock

Mar 21, 2013

Brock is building its reputation as a university known for a culture of research leadership.

To help, Gary Libben, Vice-President of Research, is co-ordinating the development of 2020 Vision: The Brock 2013 Research Plan. It’s the latest edition of University’s strategic research plan, a guide for advancing research at Brock until 2020 and measuring the milestones the institution reaches all the while.

“Basically, our goal is to develop a document, about 20-plus pages, of something that specifies where we are, where we’re going, how to get there and how to know we’ve made progress,” Libben said.

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Researchers renewed as Canada Research Chairs

Mar 15, 2013

Two Brock researchers are included in this year’s line-up of Canada Research Chair holders, announced by the federal government March 15.

Environmental physiologist Stephen Cheung and political scientist Janet Conway are getting their positions renewed. Cheung is the Canada Research Chair in Environmental Ergonomics while Conway is the Canada Research Chair in Social Justice.

“Our government is committed to attracting and retaining the world’s best and brightest researchers, supporting innovation, creating jobs, and strengthening our economy,” said Gary Goodyear, minister of state (science and technology).

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Brock’s Special Collections and Archives make the grade

Mar 6, 2013

The grades are in and Brock’s Special Collections and Archives have been awarded an A.

The department, located on the 10th floor of the James A. Gibson Library, was recently granted Category “A” designation for textual and archival materials by the Movable Cultural Property Directorate, a branch of the Department of Canadian Heritage.

The designation means that the University’s Special Collections and Archives have achieved the highest standards for an archival repository in Canada in terms of procedures, practice, environment and security.

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Brock researcher launches prediction model and calculator for estimating lung cancer risk

Feb 21, 2013

Brock University epidemiologist Martin Tammemagi is launching a calculator that will predict the likelihood of someone developing lung cancer within the next six years, as described in his research published Feb. 21 in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Medical professionals enter a wide range of data, including smoking history, cancer history, the person’s age, race/ethnicity, socio-economic status, body mass index, and other variables, into a spreadsheet, which then calculates the probability of that person developing lung cancer within a six-year period.

“If they’re a smoker, this might motivate them to quit smoking,” says Tammemagi. “Additionally, they may decide with their doctor to enrol in a computed tomography lung screening program, which might detect lung cancer at an earlier, more treatable stage.”

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Brock signs deal with drug development and commercialization centre

Feb 13, 2013

Brock University has signed an agreement with The Centre for Drug Research and Development (CDRD) that will allow Brock’s researchers to tap into CDRD’s drug development infrastructure and expertise.

“This agreement could not have come at a better time in Brock’s history,” says John Wilson, director of Innovation and Commercialization in the Office of Research Services.

“With the recent opening of our state-of-the-art research facilities and the development of our BioLinc program, we’re making major inroads in developing and applying our research in industry,” adds Wilson. “This, in turn, creates jobs and vitality for the entire community.”

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Drama prof creates new research methodology

Feb 13, 2013

Here’s a homegrown Trivial Pursuit question: Who’s the first person to co-invent not only a brand-new English word, but a word that has the u-o-e vowel sequence?

Answer: Joe Norris, dramatic arts professor and co-inventor with Richard Sawyer of Washington State University in Vancouver, of a new research methodology called “Duoethnography.”

Anthropologists and other researchers have long relied on using standardized tools, such as questionnaires, surveys, interviews and observations, to gather information from people. The information, in turn, becomes baseline data for research. Traditional information gathering methods are largely based on a one-on-one, researcher-and-subject relationship.

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