Fall Lecture Series 2026
Lectures will be held on Tuesdays, 10 am to noon, from October 13 to November 10. We hope you can join us!
All lectures will be in-person lectures at:
Ruby Carroll Hall, Trillium United Church
415 Linwell Road, St. Catharines.
The church is fully accessible. There is a bus stop nearby and lots of parking across the street and at the church.
The cost of the series is $75. Individual lectures are $20.
Note:
- Lectures will not be recorded.
- Lectures are subject to change without notice.
- By attending an in-person lecture, you consent to being filmed or photographed.
October 13
Canadian Art in the 20th Century: A Feast for the Eyes and the Mind
Presented by: Susan Dobson, BA Fine Art, University of Guelph; Teaching Certificate, Brock University
Join us for beautiful slides and rich information about Canadians painting in the early to mid 20th century.
The regional art of the Toronto Painters Eleven and the better-known Group of Seven will be examined. In keeping with the regional theme, Les Automatistes of Quebec, and abstraction in the west will also be included.
Susan Dobson has been an art educator for over 40 years. She has retired from teaching studio art and art history at Ridley College and Appleby College.
Susan has remained very active in the field of art education and currently teaches adult drawing, painting and art history classes at the Niagara Pumphouse Arts Centre. She has also formed a painting group that meets at the Community Centre in Niagara-on-the-Lake.
Susan holds an honors BA in Fine Art from the University of Guelph and a teaching certificate from Brock University.
October 20
Uncertain Times: The Role of Social Services Agencies in Niagara and Beyond
Presented by: Elisabeth Zimmermann, Executive Director, YWCA Niagara Region
Social service organizations play a vital role in the health and well-being of the overall community, often acting as the final safety net for individuals who have fallen through systems’ cracks.
In a world that has become increasingly complex, this role has become even more important. Yet, social service organizations are continually under resourced and at the same time are being asked to do more.
How do we move from a charity mindset to a recognition that the requirements to maintain these organizations need staff with a higher level of skill and education that needs to be seen as an essential part of a healthy community and provides the high quality services expected?
Through this lecture we will explore the history of social services and the evolution to where we are today – looking at the opportunities and challenges we currently face in providing the services needed for a healthy community.
Elisabeth Zimmermann has spent more than 30 years working in the non-profit human services sector, including over 20 years as Executive Director of YWCA Niagara Region. In that time, she has helped shape the organization into a leader in supporting women and families experiencing homelessness, poverty, human trafficking, and gender-based violence through emergency shelter, transitional housing, and ongoing, wraparound supports.
Her work is grounded in a strong understanding of how systemic barriers impact women and families, and the importance of building responsive, community-based solutions. Under her leadership, YWCA Niagara Region has strengthened its role not just as a service provider, but as an advocate for change bringing a women-focused lens to housing, community safety, and poverty reduction across Niagara.
Elisabeth is widely respected for her expertise in homelessness and housing, and is regularly invited to contribute at local, provincial, and national tables. She has been actively involved with the Housing and Homelessness Action Plan Task Force, the Women’s Advisory Council for the National Housing & Homelessness Steering Committee, Niagara Region’s Homelessness Services Community Advisory Board, and both the Non-Profit and Government Advisory Councils with the Greater Niagara Chamber of Commerce, as well as the Town of Lincoln’s Housing Select Committee.
She has also brought strong leadership to governance roles across the region, including serving on the Board of Directors for Niagara Health, where she chaired both the Governance and Quality Committees, and as a member of the Brock University Board of Trustees. Her board work reflects a commitment to accountability, collaboration, and strengthening systems that impact community wellbeing.
A lifelong Niagara resident, Elisabeth is incredibly connected to the community she serves and brings both passion and practicality to her work. Her leadership has been recognized through a number of honours, including the Women in Business Community Spirit Award (2014), the Excellence in Non-Profit Award (2021), the King Charles III Coronation Medal in March 2025, and Community Leadership Award (2026).
Elisabeth continues to be an incredible and influential voice in advancing housing solutions and improving outcomes for women and families across Niagara.
October 27
Building Empathy as a Pathway toward Water Sustainability
Presented by: Dr. Julia Baird, Director, Professor and Canada Research Chair in Human Dimensions of Water Resources and Water Resilience in the Environmental Sustainability Research Centre, Brock University
Climate models for the Niagara region show changing patterns of water availability, the potential for greater flooding and erosion along our shorelines, and degraded water quality.
Often, these models fail to move people – the impacts feel far in the future and many of us fail to connect personally what can seem like vague, uncertain problems.
Empathy is a promising psychological ‘tool’ we can use that moves us past these barriers to take action for a better, more sustainable water future.
Dr. Julia Baird is Director, Professor and Canada Research Chair in Human Dimensions of Water Resources and Water Resilience in the Environmental Sustainability Research Centre at Brock University.
Julia is a sustainability scientist; her research is purpose driven and she aims to find solutions to real-world problems, working collaboratively with organizations.
Her research interests focus on water governance, the potential of individuals to have large-scale impacts on decision making for sustainability, and the role that empathy can play on behaviour change.
November 3
Aging Well from the Inside Out: Muscle, Mind and Metabolism
Presented by: Dr. Matthew Lees, Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Kinesiology, McMaster University
Aging is often framed as a slow decline, but in biological terms that’s an oversimplification. The truth is far more empowering – many of the changes we associate with aging are not inevitable and can be modified by our behaviour.
Muscle loss, metabolic dysfunction, and cognitive decline are deeply interconnected processes. Importantly, they can be influenced by how we move, eat, and live our lives.
Dr. Lees will explore the science of healthy aging through the lens of muscle tissue and how it influences metabolism. Drawing from cutting-edge research in exercise physiology and nutrition science, he will translate complex biology into practical strategies that support strength, independence, and quality of life.
Dr. Matthew Lees is a postdoctoral research fellow in the laboratory of Professor Stuart Phillips, a renowned expert in nutrition, exercise, and aging.
Matt’s research interests include muscle physiology, metabolism, and aging. His current work focuses on the mechanistic basis of anabolic resistance and the role of exercise and nutrition in maintaining health across the lifespan.
November 10
Ethnic Flutes from Around the World: From Paleolithic Bone Pipes to 3D Printers
Presented by: Douglas Miller, Principal Flute of the Niagara Symphony Orchestra
The flute is one of the oldest known musical instruments. For over 40,000 years, flutes have evolved from simple, end-blown tubes to the complex, acoustically refined flutes used today.
Found throughout the world, the various flute designs uniquely reflect the culture where the flutes evolved.
Douglas Miller will give short performances demonstrating many flutes from his vast collection, including flutes from Bali, China, Japan, India, South America, Eastern Europe, Native America, and flutes made entirely on a 3D printer. He will also explain how a flute produces the sound that is always recognizable as a flute.
Douglas Miller is principal flute of the Niagara Symphony Orchestra. He performs regularly with the Shaw Festival, Mirvish Productions, Stratford Festival and in most Ontario orchestras. He recently performed with the Toronto productions of Les Miserables, Wicked, and Lion King.
He has performed with Diana Krall and made videos with Idina Menzel, Jonathan Antoine, and Chantal Kreviazuk. He recorded the soundtracks of Road to Avonlea, David Suzuki’s Nature of Things, and other films.
Douglas holds a Master of Music from the University of Toronto, and a Bachelor of Music and a Licentiate in Music from McGill University, where he also studied recording engineering.
He is a founding member of The Gallery Players of Niagara, and regularly performs his multimedia show, ‘Flutes en Route!’ a showcase of ethnic flutes from around the world.
Lecture Series Registration
Tuesdays: October 13 to November 10
10 AM to 12 PM
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