(Ottawa, April 19, 2018)—Today, the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) of Canada announced the finalists of its 2018 Storytellers challenge.
SSHRC’s annual contest challenges postsecondary students from across the country to tell the story—in three minutes or 300 words—of how SSHRC-funded research is making a difference in the lives of Canadians. The top entries this year address a range of important issues, including children’s health, education, gender identity, immigration and integration. The stories highlight how knowledge about the social sciences and humanities helps Canadians understand and improve the world.
"In communicating their research stories, our talented finalists have masterfully informed us about key issues that impact our society. In doing so, they have effectively demonstrated the value of social sciences and humanities research, offering critical insights into modern social, cultural, economic and wellness issues that Canadians value,” said SSHRC President Ted Hewitt. “Congratulations to SSHRC’s 25 Finalists!”
The Top 25 Storytellers represent 15 postsecondary institutions across Canada. The finalists were selected from among nearly 200 entries by 18 expert judges from Canada and abroad. Each finalist receives a cash prize of $3,000 and the opportunity to compete in the Storytellers Showcase. This year’s Showcase will be held at the 2018 Congress of the Humanities and Social Sciences, taking place May 26 to June 1 at the University of Regina.
On Thursdays starting April 19, SSHRC will feature finalists from among the Top 25 on its website and on social media. SSHRC will also post a list of honourable mentions on its YouTube channel. Follow SSHRC’s Twitter feed and #SSHRCStorytellers to find out more about the campaign in the lead-up to the Storytellers Showcase.
This year’s Top 25 finalists are as follows (works are available in the language in which they were submitted):