SSHRC’s Storytellers Challenge for Students in Canada

Funding Information

• Phase 1:
  • Twenty (20) Applicants in Phase 1 are eligible to receive $3,000 in exchange for SSHRC’s right to use their successful submission as marketing-communications content on SSHRC’s platforms (e.g., website, social media channels).
• Phase 2:
  • The final winners will receive an additional $1,000, in exchange for SSHRC’s right to use their winning submission as marketing-communications collateral.

Eligibility Criteria

• The Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council’s (SSHRC) Storytellers Challenge (the Challenge) is open to residents of Canada who at the time of entry:
  • Are students (undergraduate or graduate) enrolled at a Canadian postsecondary institution; and
  • Are nineteen (19) years of age or older (the applicants or applicant). The Challenge is not open to postdoctoral researchers.
• Employees of SSHRC, including immediate family members and/or those living in the same household (whether legally related or not) are not eligible. For the purposes of the Challenge, immediate family members are defined as spouse, domestic partner, parents, legal guardians, in-laws, grandparents, siblings, children and grandchildren.
• Previous winners are eligible to enter the Challenge if:
  • The research featured in their submission is materially different, as determined by SSHRC, from that of their previous winning submission(s); and
  • They meet all other eligibility requirements.

Judging Criteria

• Phase 1:
  • Phase 1 submissions that meet all eligibility requirements will be judged as follows:
    • 30% Creativity/Engagement (compelling your audience)
    • 30% Persuasiveness (communicating the impact)
    • 40% Clarity (explaining the research)
• Phase 2:
  • Phase 2 submissions that meet all eligibility requirements will be judged as follows:
    • 40% Creativity/Engagement (compelling your audience)
    • 30% Persuasiveness (communicating the impact)
    • 30% Clarity (explaining the research)

Application Requirements

• Phase 1:
  • To participate in Phase 1 of the Challenge, an applicant must submit a text, infographic, audio or video file featuring a research project or initiative funded by SSHRC and carried out at the institution at which the applicant is enrolled or affiliated at the time of submission (the Phase 1 submission).
  • A Phase 1 submission must not exceed:
    • 300 words for text or infographic (limit includes words in images or captions, but does not include the title of a submission, nor acknowledgements/credits) or three (3) minutes in length for audio or video;
    • 200 megabytes (all electronic files, including audio/video). (Uploading the files could take several minutes. If it takes more than five [5] minutes, they recommend you try again later.)
    • A Phase 1 submission must be submitted as a file via the SSHRC Storytellers Challenge Secure Upload.
• Phase 2:
  • To participate in Phase 2 of the contest, a finalist must give a live presentation (the Phase 2 submission) at the Storytellers Showcase, featuring the same SSHRC-funded research that is presented in their Phase 1 submission. The finalists will have only one opportunity to give their presentation.
  • A Phase 2 submission must not exceed three (3) minutes in length.
  • Finalists are permitted to use speaking notes at their discretion.

For more information, visit SSHRC.