Canada’s Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC), at its annual meeting on May 31, announced the names of the five winners of its 2020 competition. I have a story to tell. Among them is Orion Moriot, a student in the Department of Art History and Film Studies at the University of Montreal. His presentation “Writing for Virtual Reality” won the jury, which gathered virtually for the occasion.

A total of 25 finalists were selected for the first round in spring 2020; Each received a $3,000 prize and participated in a research communication workshop organized by SSHRC. He was then to record a presentation highlighting his council-funded research. In the case of Orion Moriat, it was his doctoral thesis The Mutation of Screenwriting in the Age of New Technologies: Writing Works Built with Virtual Reality Technologies, for which he received the Vanier Canada graduate scholarship.

Aimed at the post-secondary student community, the competition aims to showcase the impact of research in the humanities on society. Participants are asked to tell a story in 300 words or three minutes that demonstrates how new knowledge generated by research in the social sciences and humanities helps people understand and improve the world around them. The winners of the 2020 competition will be invited to present their projects at the Impact Awards ceremony, which recognizes achievements in the humanities in Canada.