Article originally published by Wilfrid Laurier University.
PhD candidate Cory Scurr (left) accepts his Participant's Choice Award from Allison Sekuler, associate vice-president and dean, Graduate Studies at McMaster University. (Photo by SimonWilson.ca)
Cory Scurr, a PhD candidate in the Tri-University History program, was announced as the Participant's Choice Award winner at the 2014 Ontario Three Minute Thesis (3MT®) competition held April 24 at McMaster University.
The Ontario 3MT® competition brings together graduate students from all 19 Ontario universities, across multiple disciplines, and challenges them to present their research and its significance to a non-specialist audience in only three minutes.
Presentations were judged on a student's communication style by a panel of judges including the Tragically Hip's Rob Baker and award-winning author Terry Fallis. In addition to the judges’ selections for the competition’s winner and runners up, the Participant’s Choice Award, which Scurr took home, is voted on by the competitors themselves.
Scurr's presentation, Cold War Warrior? Diefenbaker and Canadian-Soviet relations, focused on how the personal and ideological convictions of former prime minister John Diefenbaker shaped Canadian-Soviet relations from 1957 to 1963.
"Being chosen as the Participant's Choice award winner is a tremendous honour," said Scurr. "I loved the entire 3MT® experience, from developing my presentation, delivering it to a packed-house at McMaster and engaging with research projects from across the province."
Congratulations, Cory!