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The Lasting Transformative Impacts of the 2019 Brock University International Experiential Learning Trip to Guatemala
Full text linkThis study examined the ongoing impacts of Brock University’s international experiential learning trip for teacher education students to Guatemala, through the lens of transformative learning theory (Mezirow, 1978, 1991). Based on Jack Mezirow’s (1991) phases of transformation, the study investigated the correlation between the initial learning experience and how it develops over time. More specifically, the study sought to determine if the initial enthusiasm expressed by the participants who considered the trip to be a “life-changing experience” immediately upon their return to Canada actually results in changes that can be viewed as transformative. The study involved three informants who had taken the trip 5 years earlier. During the interview process, the three participants reported personal and professional growth, including an enhanced global understanding, as a result of their experience. They disclosed changes to their daily habits and how they approach their careers, integrating learning from the trip into their professional practices. This study offers insight for educators and program designers seeking to understand the lasting impacts of international learning experiences
Acculturation and the Mental Health Challenges and Needs among Iranian Immigrant Students in the Niagara Region, Canada: A Qualitative Study
Full text linkThis qualitative study examined the mental health challenges of Iranian immigrant students in the Niagara Region of Ontario, Canada. Using Interpretive Description and thematic analysis, semi-structured interviews were conducted with nine Iranian post-secondary students to explore how acculturation shaped their psychological well-being.
Four key themes emerged: (1) navigating emotional challenges in transition, (2) cultural and linguistic barriers, (3) socioeconomic stressors, and (4) coping strategies and resilience. Participants reported emotional distress related to uncertainty, isolation, language difficulties, cultural adjustment, financial strain, and housing insecurity. These challenges often compounded one another, placing students under persistent mental pressure. Despite this, participants demonstrated resilience through social support, especially from culturally similar peers, as well as through self-reliance, mindset shifts, and limited use of culturally sensitive professional services.
Findings highlight the complex interplay between vulnerability and resilience in the immigrant student experience and underscore the need for culturally responsive mental health services, peer mentorship, and institutional supports tailored to international students.
Keywords: Iranian students, mental health, immigration, international student, Canad
From the edge of the Horse-shoe Fall, Niagara, sketch, 1836
Full text linkA graphite and ink sketch of the Falls of Niagara by an unknown artist.A graphite and ink sketch on paper of the American Falls, and Table Rock from the position at the edge of the Horseshoe Falls
Letter from Arthur Gifford to Thomas Ranken, December 29, 1837
Full text linkA desire for democratic reform brought about the rebellions in 1837-1838 in Upper Canada. William Lyon Mackenzie, one of the more extreme leaders of the reform movement, organized an armed rebellion in Toronto in December of 1837 (at Montgomery’s Tavern). The rebels were quickly dispersed by the militia and soldiers, but another uprising subsequently occurred near Brantford a few days later. The uprisings continued in 1838, occurring at Pelee Island in Lake Erie in February, at Short Hills in June, Prescott in November, and Windsor in December. These rebellions were swiftly extinguished, and ceased altogether by 1839. Government reform followed over the next decade with the union of Upper and Lower Canada into one colony in 1841, and the introduction of responsible government between 1841 and 1848.A letter written by Arthur Gifford of Toronto, Upper Canada, to Thomas Ranken, Edinburgh, 29 December 1837. The letter was written during the rebellions in Upper and Lower Canada and describes at length the situation
Baker family photo albums, 1889-2014, n.d.
Full text linkL. Col. Clifford Roy Baker (1920-2014) was the son of Roy and Grace (Newman) Baker of St. Catharines. Clifford attended St. Catharines Collegiate and Queen’s University, where he studied Civil Engineering. He joined the 10th Reserve Field Battery and was sent overseas in 1942. In 1944 he landed in Normandy with 5 Bty, 5 Field Regiment RCA. During the advance through France, Belgium, Holland, and Germany he served as Troop Commander. For his valiant actions in the Hochwald Forest, Germany, he was awarded the Military Cross in March of 1945.
Clifford married Eleanor (Norah) Schroder in 1944 and they had two children, Richard and Susan. He continued his career in the military, serving as a Military Intelligence Officer in the War Office, London, UK, and then in Ottawa. He also attended the Royal Military College of Science while in England and subsequently served in Washington D.C., Ottawa, Kingston, and Winnipeg. In 1967 he joined NATO headquarters in Paris. He died in 2014 in St. Catharines.Three photo albums containing portraits of men, women and children. The albums belonged to the Baker family of St. Catharines.
A paper cover album contains 42 portraits of men, women, and children. None of the photos contain dates and most of the photos are not labelled. Photographers include E. Poole (St. Catharines); H.M. Platt (Oberlin); Dixon (Toronto); Thos. Charles (St. Catharines); J.C. Walker (Toronto); T.S. Hill (St. Catharines); Mair (Toronto); and Jas. Fairbairn (St. Catharines). One baby photo is labelled “Norma Maud Alexandra Johnston, age 9 months”.
An album with an embossed cover contains 38 portraits of men, women, and children. None of the photos contain dates but other material in the album have dates ranging from 1889-1898 and 2012-2014. Photographers include E. Pemberton (Uxbridge); J. Zybach & Co. (Niagara Falls, Ont.); Thos. Farmer (Hamilton); T.S. Hill (St. Catharines); Hendrickson & Zahner (Niagara Falls, N.Y.); and VanDeusen & Houghton (Detroit, Mich.). Many photos are labelled, either on the page or on loose pieces of paper enclosed with photos. Names include Mr. Moser; Mr. Pemberton; Mrs. Pemberton; Florence Neal; Maggie McCandus; Jack MacKinnan; Mrs. Kimmins; Mr. and Mrs. Neal; Ida Hughes; Aunt Sarah & Uncle Will; Ernest LeRoy; Bessia Henderson; Bertha Rouse (New Zealand); and Tom Newman. Includes a photo of four women with Niagara Falls in the background. Several papers are enclosed in the album including Christmas cards; a funeral card for Ernest LeRoy, infant son of Daniel and Maria LeRoy of Fenwick (1889); business card for R.H. Brydon & Co. Art Store in Guelph; an invitation to the 75th anniversary gala dinner of the Dalhousie Yacht Club; and a program for a requiem mass for L. Col. Clifford Roy Baker (2014).
An album with a red velvet cover contains 58 portraits of men, women and children. None of the photos contain dates. Photographers include Hendrickson & Zahner (Niagara Falls, N.Y.); Thos. Farmer (Hamilton); [Thos.] Charles (St. Catharines); Marshall (Guelph); J. Zybach & Co. (Niagara Falls, Ont.); A.E. McCollum (Brampton); Dobereiner & Ward (Guelph); Burgess & Son (Guelph); and T.S. Hill (St. Catharines). Many photos are labelled. Names include Aunt Lill; Aunt Maria; Will, Alf & Edith Fenwick; Charlotte Neil; Edith Fenwick; Kittie & Ida Skinner; Charles R. Newman (older brother to Grace Newman & former mayor of Niagara Falls); Berdia[?] & Ethel Mason; Kit Gunn; Grandmother Rouse / Priscilla Boulding; Albert Deming; Albert Hare; Will House; Aunt Liza; Great Grandmother and Grandfather Boulding; Steve Rouse; Will Fenwick; Gordon Fenwick; Will Word; John Rouse; Bertha Rouse; Mrs. Maclean; Bradley girls; Mrs. Harvey; Harry Schwartz; Mr. & Mrs. J.F. Henderson; and George Wright. Papers enclosed in the album include a Christmas card and pressed flowers.
One of the photos includes a man sitting on rocks with what appears to be the Niagara River rapids in the background
Mathematic Teachers’ Lived Experiences of Teachable Moments
Full text linkThis study emerged from a deeply felt tension rooted in my lived experiences as a teacher—moments when unexpected insights and connections surfaced in the classroom, calling forth profound questions about their essence and transformative potential. The study sought to interpret K–12 mathematics teachers’ lived experiences with teachable moments. More specifically: What is it like for K–12 teachers teaching mathematics to experience teachable moments? How is it like for these teachers to notice teachable moments? In what ways do these teachers take up teachable moments? The study adopted a pragmatic hermeneutic phenomenological approach, offering a dialogical pathway that illuminated the essence of participants’ lived experiences while embracing the relational and contextual nuances of their teaching practice. Open-ended interviews captured six participants’ lived experiences, with thematic analysis distilling their essence into crafted narratives from which eight themes emerged: noticing students' gaps in mathematics understanding, noticing students’ needs, engaging in dialoging and discussing with and among students, noticing students’ mistakes and opportunities to learn, questioning and broadening teachers’ understanding of mathematics content, bringing real-world applications into teaching, practicing self-reflection and continuous self-improvement, and noticing the emotional aspect of learning mathematics. Findings revealed teachable moments as relational and interpretive, transforming the ordinary into meaningful learning through shared engagement. Teachers described noticing as a reflective, attuned process requiring awareness of subtle classroom dynamics. These moments emerged as adaptive, collaborative practices, fostering empowerment, belonging, and capability beyond transactional teaching
Investigating the impact of dysregulated brain metabolism on synaptic and cognitive outcomes
Full text linkMetabolic diseases like Type-2-Diabetes and obesity have been shown to accelerate Alzheimer’s disease progression and suggest that metabolic impairments underly the progression of Alzheimer’s disease. However, questions remain for how metabolic impairments impact cognitive function. As such, this thesis represents a collection of 3 studies that outline the impact that metabolic dysregulation has on aspects of brain health and cognitive function. First, we explored the impact that insulin resistance had on neuronal protein expression and morphology in SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells. Second, we explored the impact that whole-body metabolic dysregulation, neuroinflammation, and changes in the metabolic environment of the brain had on the cognitive function in Ossabaw Pigs. Finally, we expanded upon the results found in both cell and animal models, and examined whether differences in inflammation, metabolism, and neuronal markers persisted in post-mortem human AD brain samples. Results from these studies showed 1) that metabolic dysregulation impaired the expression of key synaptic protein and impairs neuronal morphology (Study 1), 2) how the metabolic environment of the brain impacted cognitive outcomes and that these outcomes are made worse with metabolic dysregulation (Study 2), and 3) that brains of Alzheimer’s disease individuals are metabolically dysregulated and this dysregulation in the metabolic environment of the brain may contribute to disease progression (Study 3). Additionally, we also found that both age and sex have importance impacts on changes to brain metabolism: younger individuals have a more plastic metabolic environment compared to aged individuals, and females have a greater degree of metabolic dysregulation compared to males with Alzheimer’s disease. Overall, these studies provide evidence for the importance that brain metabolism has on cognitive outcomes and that metabolic impairment alongside a worsening metabolic environment in the brain may contribute to the progression of Alzheimer’s disease
Niagara ship papers collection, 1874-1905
Full text linkMelancthon Simpson built Great Lakes ships at Toronto, Oakville, and Hamilton before starting a shipyard in St. Catharines. It was located near Lock 5 of the second Welland Canal. His ships included the Asia; Persia; Manitoba; Cumberland; and Myrtle.
Alfred White built ships at many locations along the Welland Canal, including Thorold, Port Robinson, and Humberstone. He is best-known for constructing the Maid of the Mist in 1885. The ship took passengers closer to the base of the Horseshoe Falls than previous boats. This ship was used until April 1955, when it was destroyed by fire while in winter quarters in Niagara Falls, Ontario.The collection contains documents related to three Great Lakes ships that were built in the Niagara area: “Arctic”; “Grimsby”; and “Inez”
Dissecting the anti-allergic potential of carnosic acid during IgE and IL-33-mediated mast cell activation
Full text linkMast cells are critical immune sentinels and essential regulators of inflammation, most notably recognized for their central role in allergic inflammation. Allergen-induced cross-linkage of FcεRI complexes initiates a biphasic mast cell response, characterized by the immediate degranulation of preformed mediators and the delayed production and release of pro-inflammatory cytokine and chemokines. As a result of mast cells being the main perpetrators of the inflammatory responses associated with allergy, identifying novel mast cell stabilizing compounds is an area of intense investigation worldwide in an effort to alleviate the severity of the allergy epidemic. Carnosic acid (CA), a major polyphenolic constituent of the Lamiaceae family herbs has been shown to exhibit potent anti-inflammatory effects on other cellular models, but it’s role as a potential modulator of mast cell activation is currently undefined. Therefore, the purpose of this dissertation was to dissect the anti-allergy potential of CA in a mast cell model. Here, study 1 identified that out of the 3 major polyphenols derived from rosemary, CA showed the most promise as an inhibitor of mast cell responses, impairing mast cell degranulation and cytokine/chemokine release at increased concentrations, warranting its further investigation. Study 2 followed up on our previous investigation, to fully uncover the therapeutic potential of CA and its underlying mechanism of action. Here, we found that CA significantly impairs critical inflammatory responses during both the early and late phase response of allergic inflammation by targeting and inhibiting the upstream tyrosine kinase Syk, a novel mechanistic finding. To further establish CA as a mast cell stabilizer, study 3 determined its inhibitory effects following IL-33-induced mast cell activation in the presence or absence of allergen and SCF activation. Here, we found that similar to study 2, CA treatment significantly impaired the secretory mechanisms responsible for pro-inflammatory mediator release as IL-33-activated signaling and gene expression of mediators was significantly increased despite a decrease in secretion. Finally, study 4 investigated the role of CA treatment during the mast cell differentiation process. We determined that the presence of CA during differentiation has a dramatic effect on the presence of key mast cell surface receptors, and differentially regulates the inflammatory response following activation with allergen and or IL-33. Collectively, the findings of this dissertation help to establish the potential therapeutic utility of CA in a mast cell model of allergic and IL-33-mediated mast cell activation. We expect that the data presented will help the progression of future research identifying novel anti-allergy compounds and will contribute to better understanding the mechanisms responsible for mast cell function in various pathological contexts
Physiological and behavioural responses to temperature and humidity in fossorial amphibians
No full textAmphibians have been the focus of research investigating physiological and behavioural responses to temperature and humidity for over two centuries. However, fossorial (i.e., underground-dwelling) amphibians remain comparatively understudied despite the unique environmental pressures that they experience. The overarching goal of this thesis was to understand how temperature and humidity affected the physiology and behaviour of fossorial amphibians. By combining phylogenetic methods and laboratory experiments, my chapters address the topics of energetics, hydroregulation, thermoregulation, and overwintering emergence. First, I tested the prevailing hypothesis that fossorial amphibians should have reduced metabolic rates compared to non-fossorial ones. My results did not support this hypothesis, highlighting that a reduction in amphibian metabolism would be evolutionary unlikely given the limited energetic benefit. Next, I assessed the effect of seasonal acclimatisation (spring versus autumn) on the thermal sensitivity of metabolism and water loss in Ambystoma maculatum. My findings suggested that acute changes in temperature affected energy and water budgets. However, acclimatory changes in temperature affected metabolism but not water loss. I then examined how temperature (17°C versus 22°C) influenced behavioural hydroregulation in A. maculatum. I found that salamanders defended a constant vapour pressure deficit between temperatures, which was achieved by targeting higher relative humidity at 22°C than at 17°C. This suggests that salamanders can detect their rates of evaporative water loss, and employ behaviours to limit increased evaporative demand at warmer temperatures. I also evaluated how behavioural thermoregulation differed between seasons (active versus overwintering), and found that A. maculatum engaged in active behavioural thermoregulation despite the prediction that fossorial ectotherms should show little thermoregulatory motivation. Lastly, I assessed how extrinsic (temperature and negative geotaxis) and intrinsic (migration restlessness) factors influenced overwintering emergence in A. maculatum. My results suggested that migration restlessness and negative geotaxis collectively influenced overwintering emergence, shedding light on how fossorial amphibians may navigate complex underground environments. Together, my chapters underscore the intricate coupling between physiology and behaviour in mediating how fossorial amphibians respond toshort- and long-term environmental variation