Annual Report 2014-15

Faculty of Applied Health Sciences

Helping make the world a healthier place to live

Contents

This Annual Report offers a glimpse into the outstanding work and commitment of the faculty and staff of the Faculty of Applied Health Sciences, to educate and support the well-being of students and the broader community.

I wish to congratulate and thank Interim Dean, James Mandigo as he finishes his term on June 30, for his dedication to the continued success of the faculty.

We will welcome incoming Dean, Peter Tiidus on July 1 and look forward to working with him as he engages faculty, staff, and students in the vision to advance the health and well-being of individuals, making the world a better place.

Dr. Neil McCartneyProvost and Vice-President, Academic

Vision, Mission and Dean’s message

Who we are

Undergraduate studies

Experiential learning

Department of Health Sciences

Department of Kinesiology

Department of Nursing

Department of Recreation & Leisure Studies

Department of Sport Management

Graduate studies

Research

Research centres

Brock-Niagara Centre for Health & Well-Being

New to FAHS

FAHS supporters

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From campus to career path.We are helping make the world a healthier place to live.

Message from the Provost

Dean’s message

We advance the health and well-being of individuals, making the world a better place.

To foster excellence in education and research in a student-focused environment and to develop, promote, and maintain multi-disciplinary programs focusing on human health and well-being. We are committed to the application of basic and applied knowledge for the purpose of enhancing the social, environmental, and economic health of the Niagara Region and beyond.

Mission

Vision

Over the past year, our Faculty became the second biggest undergraduate Faculty on campus. We welcomed 780 new majors to our undergraduate programs, taught 10,969 students in our classes, mentored 3,403 majors throughout the year, and worked with over 275 community partners as part of our priority to achieve community engagement.

This year also saw the awarding of three PhDs to Dr. Riaz Askeer, Dr. Dan Chirico, and Dr. Kaitlyn LaForge-MacKenzie. They were part of 142 graduate students (27 PhD, 57 MSc, & 58 MA) enrolled in the Faculty’s Graduate Program.

For our Faculty, 2014-15 was also a very successful year for researchers with faculty members and graduate students receiving funding from all three of Canada’s Tri-Council Agencies. FAHS also led all faculties at Brock in receiving funding from non Tri-Council agencies. This included donations from community partners such as Niagara Recycling, the Lawson Foundation, and John Lean to support ongoing experiential

learning projects. At the same time, two of our research centres (Centre for Healthy Development and Centre for Bone and Muscle Health) were renewed for an additional five years by the Senate’s Research and Scholarship Committee. The Centre for Sport Capacity ran a very successful strategic planning session while the Brock Niagara Centre for Health and Well-Being had its “official” opening in October, 2014 and continues to increase its community memberships currently at over 300 while also supporting a number of innovative research projects.

And while our Faculty numbers are indeed impressive, it is the people who make up these numbers that are truly the reason behind our success.

This year’s annual report is a chance for us to share with you just some of our successes over the past year and our vision for the year ahead. We hope you enjoy learning about what we do, as much as we enjoy doing what we do. Dr. James Mandigo

Professor & Interim Dean

As Interim Dean, it is my pleasure to welcome you to this year’s Faculty of Applied Health Sciences (FAHS) Annual Report for 2014-15. Once again, FAHS experienced tremendous growth and success in the areas of teaching, scholarship, and service to the community.

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Who we are

The Faculty of Applied Health Sciences has

five departments offering 14 undergraduate

programs, seven Masters, and three Doctoral

fields of study.

• 81 Faculty

• 26 Staff

Number of faculty and staff

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Dr. Madelyn LawAssociate Professor, Department of Health Sciences

Faculty Award for Teaching Excellence, 2015

The faculty is home to five departments that

offer diverse perspective on health in applied

contexts. The departments are as follows: Health

Sciences, Kinesiology, Nursing, Recreation &

Leisure Studies, and Sport Management.Undergraduate studies

Undergraduate Numbers 2014-15

Intake Numbers

Headcount

Course Enrollments

2011

787 731 839 780

2012 2013 2014

2011-12

3067

2012-13

3087

2013-14

3304

2014-15

3403

2011-12 9,6872012-13

10,1592013-14

10,6282014-15

10,969

Spring/summer courses

56

Online courses

7Articulation agreements with Ontario colleges

21723 775Dean’s honour roll recipients

Undergraduate degrees conferred

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Activecommunity partners Number of

student engagement hours in community276227,582Students in

experiential courses

2,529 Experiential courses

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Experiential learning provides opportunities for students

to apply their knowledge in authentic ways, experiential

learning is a pillar not only for Brock, but also for the Faculty

of Applied Health Sciences.

These opportunities can be provided to students through

internships, field work placements, and community/

classroom collaborations.

According to the recent National Survey of

Student Engagement (NSSE), 74% of FAHS

students indicated that they participated in

community service work prior to graduating. Experiential learning

Canadian Queen Elizabeth ll Diamond Jubilee Scholarships - 2014-15 Internships in Samoa

Sport Management Articulation Agreement with Niagara College

Recreation & Leisure Services program with Durham College

Cardiovascular Technology Articulation Agreement with Mohawk College

Agreement of Cooperation with University of Tsukuba in Japan

Agreement of Cooperation with the Olympic Committee of Guatemala

Agreement of Cooperation with the National Taiwan University of Sport

Partnership development2014-15

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Our programs: Bachelor of Arts in Child HealthBachelor of Arts in Community HealthBachelor of Science in Medical SciencesBachelor of Science in Biomedical Sciences Bachelor of Public Health (with co-op option)

Department of Health Sciences

Making a healthy difference

As the oldest undergraduate Department of Health Sciences in Canada, we have prepared our fair share of students who are making the world a healthier place.

Working with older adults with a variety of health conditions, students are provided with experience developing, assisting, and evaluating exercise programs that impact the lives of individuals within the Niagara community.

“Aiming to increase satis-faction rates of patients, my I-Equip project provided me with a better understanding of educating patients and expanded my knowledge of Quality Improvement.”

Preparing to evaluate and engage with local residents to learn about our community neighbourhoods, students participate in aging simulation exercises to better understand the impact of aging on daily activities.

Dr. Tony BogaertProfessor, Health SciencesAt the 2014 fall convocation, Dr. Bogaert received the Brock University Award for Distinguished Research and Creative Activity for his research on the origins of sexual orientation, asexuality, sexual offending, high-risk sexual behaviour, and a new model of women’s sexual desire and arousal.

Bianca Fucile, Health Sciences (Class of 2016) 7

Our programs: Bachelor or Kinesiology (with co-op option)Bachelor of Science in KinesiologyBachelor of Physical EducationConcurrent Bachelor of Physical Education/Education - Junior/Intermediate - Intermediate/Senior

Making a healthy difference

Our department has research that is currently being funded by all Tri-Council funding agencies in Canada.

“The Kinesiology program has allowed me to take my educational experience and apply it to a field that is important to me.”

Volunteering with varsity athletic teams provides Kinesiology students with hands-on experience as athletic therapists and trainers.

Students use their knowledge and skills to assist children with a special need to actively participate in movement programming.

The Cool Chair StudyA three member Brock University research team

has partnered with two community groups - Niagara

Children’s Centre and Niagara Prosthetics and

Orthotics - to find out more about how and why

children with cerebral palsy produce heat and get

sweaty in their chairs. The Canadian Institutes

of Health Research and the Natural Sciences and

Engineering Research Council of Canada awarded the

team more than $585,000 earlier this year.

Department of Kinesiology

Cool Chair

Natasha Chang, Kinesiology (BKin), Class of 2014)

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Our programs: Bachelor of Science in Nursing

Making a healthy difference

This past year, the Canadian Association of Schools of Nursing (CASN) recognized Brock University’s commitment to excellence in nursing education by granting the program a seven-year accreditation term, the highest level of CASN accreditation.

Interprofessional trauma simulations prepare students for potential scenarios in the emergency room (ER). Our Brock students work alongside Paramedic students from Niagara College and local ER doctors.

Taking part in one of the largest medical missions in Lima, Peru, nursing students used their knowledge, skills, and training to work alongside local volunteers to help over 3,000 patients over the three day campaign.

“With clinical in first year, I was able to experience a wide range of nursing topics, which has helped me realize my passion for pediatrics.”

Dr. Karyn Taplay (RN, PhD)

Assistant Professor, NursingDr. Karyn Taplay received the 2014 ATLAS.ti IIQM Dissertation Award as the 2015 PhD Level Dissertation Award recipient. As the recipient, Dr. Taplay’s innovative analysis in grounded theory research set her dissertation apart from more than 40 applications that were received from around the world.

Her PhD dissertation is titled: “The Organizational Cultures of Ontario Schools of Nursing: A Grounded Theory Study to Explain the Adoption and Incorporation of Simulation.”

Department of Nursing

Tori Wright, Nursing (BScN), Class of 2014

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Our programs: Bachelor of Recreation & Leisure Studies - Community Recreation - Outdoor Recreation - Therapeutic Recreation

Making a healthy difference

Excellence in teaching is a hallmark of our programs.

Our professors have received three Faculty of Applied

Health Sciences Awards for Teaching Excellence, one

Chancellor’s Chair for Teaching Excellence, and one

Brock University Distinguished Teaching Award in the

past five years.

The Therapeutic Recreation program provides field experience with the completion of 100 hours in fourth year and a 16-week internship under the supervision of a Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist (CTRS).

On average, outdoor recreation students take part in at least 30 days of experiential learning opportunities in the field over the course of their program of study. Some opportunities include designing and delivering a canoe workshop for local high school students.

“Working with the Niagara Sport Commission to evaluate after-school programs at the DSBN Academy provided me with experience that has led to a full-time job at the City of Mississauga in the Community Development Unit.”

Dr. Mary Breunig Associate Professor, Recreation & Leisure Studies

2015 Chancellor’s Chair for Teaching Excellence

Department of Recreation & Leisure Studies

Jocelyn Sagar Stuckless,Community Recreation (BRLS), Class of 2015

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Our program: Bachelor of Sport Management

Making a healthy difference

An international survey by education leaders ranked our program fourth in the world among undergraduate sport management programs. (Sport Business International, Issue 212, June 2015)

“The Sport Management program has given me a chance to be part of this once in a life time experience and I couldn’t be more excited for the Pan Am/Parapan Am Games to begin”

Stephanie Williamson, Class of 2016Bachelor of Sport Management

Through a partnership with the Commonwealth Games, students will be recognized as Queen Elizabeth II Scholars and awarded $6,000 for international internships in Commonwealth countries.

Kyle Dubas Sport Management Alumnus (‘07)Outstanding Young Alumni Award

The Toronto Maple Leafs Assistant General

Manager headlined the third annual Sport

Management Alumni Day and received the Brock

University’s inaugural Outstanding Young Alumni

Award.

Department of Sport Management

A major games field course has helped nearly 50 students find placements for the 2015 Pan Am/Parapan Am Games taking place in Toronto.

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Graduate studies

Dr. Nancy FrancisProfessor, Kinesiology

2015 Graduate Mentorship Award Recipient

Graduate student numbers2012-13 2013-14 2014-15

Programs Headcount Intake Headcount Intake Headcount Intake

Master of Science (MSc) 46 24 52 26 57 23

Master of Arts (MA) 59 22 48 18 58 22

Doctoral (PhD) 25 5 17 3 27 4

Total 130 51 117 47 142 49

Average time of degree completion (in years)

Master fields of study MA, Community HealthMA, Health & Physical EducationMA, Leisure StudiesMA, NursingMA, Sport ManagementMSc, Health SciencesMSc, Kinesiology

Doctoral fields of studyPhD, Behavioural & Population HealthPhD, Health BiosciencesPhD, Social & Cultural Health Studies

With an individualized program, students benefit from a mentorship-style of learning that concentrates on expanding current research interests into well developed theses.

MSc

2.1MA

3.0PhD

3.7

Student success rateYear Masters Doctoral

2012-13 22% 75%

2013-14 29% 80%

2014-15 25% 78%

External scholarships(OGS/NSERC/SSHRC/CIHR)

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2120

Total number of grants awarded

Tri-Council Grants

Awarded

Non-Tri-Council Grants Awarded

41

Total Grant Funding

$2,942,810

Tri-Council Grant Funding

$875,200Non-Tri-Council Grant Funding

$2,067,610

Over the past five years, we have received nearly $14 million in funding

from various national and provincial agencies and foundations. The

interdisciplinary nature of our research has allowed us to secure funding

from all major granting agencies: CIHR, NSERC, and SSHRC. Research

Dr. Martin TammemagiProfessor, Health Sciences

2015 Faculty of Applied Health Sciences Research Excellence Award Recipient

As one of the most recognized

scholars of Cancer Epidemiology

around the world, Dr. Tammemagi

is the recipient of the 2015 Faculty

of Applied Health Sciences Research

Excellence Award. Through his

research, he has used existing data to

create a “risk threshold” that helps

prioritize lung cancer screening.

Research Statistics (2014-15)

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Research centres

The Centre for Bone & Muscle Health (CBMH)

The Centre for Healthy Development through Sport & Physical Activity (CHDSPA)

Our goal is to optimize bone and muscle function and health to achieve and maintain a period of time through which an individual is physically and mentally healthy.

With this goal in mind, our vision is to further develop and continue to implement a transdisciplinary research-to-practice approach through the integration of the fundamental pillars of bench sciences, psychosocial determinants of health, and community engagement.

Our centre continues to focus on projects that result in effective strategies for enhancing physical literacy and active healthy living.

Currently, we have four main projects underway:

1. Partnering with Canadian Sport for Life, we assess physical literacy in children and youth of Ontario (funded by the Ontario Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport).

2. Investigating the dynamics of school recess that influence play and engagement of children in several regional schools.

This year, the Centre for Bone & Muscle Health launched a Musculoskeletal Health Education Forum that focused on preventative and maintenance strategies associated with bone health.

With 54 attendees representing academia, public health, and the community across Southwestern Ontario, the event will be returning next year as an annual event.

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The Centre for Sport Capacity (CSC)

Over the past year, our centre has grown to 11 faculty, graduate students, and community members.

A renewal process to explore collaboration within and beyond the CSC was initiated during the past year.

A key focus of the CSC moving forward involves the development and implementation of a communication plan to disseminate research through various mechanisms,

such as podcasts, technical reports, and policy briefs, and share innovative practices with community leaders.

Some examples of 2014-2015 CSC projects include sport capacity and human resources initiatives related to sport manager training and sport event volunteerism.

3. Assessing the validity of the new national (Canadian) Passport for Life program for assessing the physical literacy levels of children at Ridley College.

4. Analyzing data collected from the National (US) Intramural-Recreational Sports Association (NIRSA/NASPA Consortium) in relation to the benefits of campus recreational sport participation.

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At the heart of our success, is the bridge between health initiatives and academic advancements. Research is a driving force that provides each community program with up-to-date and innovative information.

We focus on fitness programs that address both the individual’s health history and their desired physical and psychological goals.

In less than two years, this transdisciplinary centre has facilitated experiential learning opportunities for over 200 student and community volunteers from various disciplines.

At our centre, members can stay fit, stay healthy, and stay ahead of the curve.

Transdisciplinary Research Centre

Brock-Niagara Centre for Health & Well-Being

Our membership has doubled in the past year

and the demand for our community-based

exercise programs continues to grow.

Grand opening celebrationThe grand opening for the Brock-Niagara Centre for Health & Well-Being officially introduced the new facilities at the Brock Research and Innovation Centre to more than 150 guests. In attendance to celebrate the grand opening was Brian McMullan (then Mayor of St. Catharines), Jim Bradley (MPP St. Catharines), John Suk (Chair of the Board of Trustees), Susan Sydor (Chair of Senate), Jack Lightstone (President and Vice-Chancellor) and members of Brock’s Senior Administration along with faculty, staff, students, and members of the centre.

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SeniorFit Program

Fitness today for tomorrow

Brock T.E.A.M. Program

Heart Strong Program

Power CordProgram

Our programs

The Brock-Niagara Centre for

Health & Well-Being currently

has more than 300 members

enrolled in four community-

based exercise programs

dedicated to enhancing

quality of life among healthy

individuals and those with

chronic disease.

Working together for a healthy community

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New to the FAHS

Rachel Corbett, Instructional Limited Term

Appointment (ILTA),

Department of Sport Management

Dr. Adam MacNeil, Assistant Professor,

Department of Health Sciences

Justin Parro, Coordinator, Brock-Niagara Centre for Health & Well-Being

Elyse Lappano, Experiential Learning Coordinator, Inclusive & Adaptive Physical Activity, Dean’s Office, FAHS

Brock University Award for Excellence in Teaching for Early Career Faculty

Dr. Paula GardnerAssistant ProfessorDepartment of Health Sciences

Since joining FAHS in 2013, Dr. Gardner’s experiential teaching efforts have not gone unnoticed. Her creative approach to teaching has led to her early success within and outside the classroom; including an intergenerational community project that focused on examining the age-friendliness of the Niagara region. Dr. Gardner received the award at the Centre for Pedagogical Innovation’s Annual Tribute to Teaching Ceremony.

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The Brock Niagara Penguins, a program for athletes with a disability operating through the Centre for Healthy Development, received a very generous gift of $10,000 from the Lawson Foundation. The donation is in recognition of the positive impact the Penguins program has had in the Niagara Region for the past 8 years.

Niagara Recycling made an operational donation to Brock University that will help to fund seven community programs that support individuals living with disabilities. The $180,000 donation over the next four years will fund a coordinator position that will have a direct impact on the operation of the programs administered in the Faculty of Applied Health Sciences.

John Lean donated $25,000 to support the purchase of new equipment to outfit the Nursing Simulation Lab with new technology.

FAHS supporters

Through the support of our community, FAHS continues to make the world a healthier place to live.

With over 275 registered

attendees, the third annual

Health Quality Symposium

(HQS2015) showcased 19 I-EQUIP

(Interprofessional Education for

Quality Improvement Program)

projects that are the result of a

powerful partnership that pair

students from Brock University

and McMaster’s School of Medicine

- Niagara campus, with front-line

staff from the Niagara Health

System.

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Brock University

Niagara Region

500 Glenridge Ave.

St. Catharines, ON

L2S 3A1, Canada

@brockfahs facebook.com/brockfahs

brocku.ca/fahs

CoverKyle DubasBrock alumnus

Bachelor of Sport

Management (‘07)

Assistant General Manager,

Toronto Maple Leafs