SSHRC announces finalists for its annual research communication challenge

SSHRC’s annual Storytellers competition challenges postsecondary students from across the country to tell a research story—in up to three minutes or 300 words—of how SSHRC-funded research is making a difference in the lives of Canadians.

The 2020 Top 25 Storytellers represent 19 postsecondary institutions across Canada. The research stories include topics that are a priority for Canadians and have wide-reaching implications: climate change, the situation for refugees, the stigma of mental illness, and Indigenous communities.

“This year’s 25 Storytellers competition finalists show exceptional creativity in communicating the relevance of social sciences and humanities research to the daily lives of Canadians,” said SSHRC President Ted Hewitt. “I commend each of them for their outstanding talent and ability to convey concisely and with great impact, why such research matters. Congratulations to the finalists!”

Each finalist receives $3,000 and the opportunity to compete in the Storytellers Showcase. Given the exceptional circumstances caused by the global COVID-19 pandemic, and the nature of the Storytellers competition, where the finalists must learn to effectively communicate their research in front of a live audience, SSHRC decided to postpone the Storytellers Showcase. The Showcase was to have taken place at the 2020 Congress of the Humanities and Social Sciences at Western University in London, Ontario, which was cancelled.

The finalists will instead be invited to participate in the Storytellers Showcase at the 2021 Congress of the Humanities and Social Sciences, which will take place from May 29 to June 4, 2021, at the University of Alberta. The Final Five winners chosen at that event will be featured at SSHRC’s Impact Awards ceremony, to be held in fall 2021.

Given the postponement of the 2020 Storyteller Showcase to 2021, SSHRC will skip the 2021 edition. The 2022 edition of the competition will be launched in fall 2021.

Date modified:

2020-05-06