PhD Bryan Gallagher earns finalist spot in SSHRC Storyteller competition

Beedie School of Business PhD student Bryan Gallagher.

Beedie School of Business PhD student Bryan Gallagher has been selected as a Top 25 Finalist in the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) Storyteller competition.

Gallagher was shortlisted for his short video explaining key findings from his paper, “Urban Entrepreneurship and Indigenous Identity: An interview Study on the connections between indigenous identities and Entrepreneurial Practices in Australia”. The study examines the effects that Indigenous entrepreneurship has on Indigenous Peoples’ identity, and asks whether entrepreneurship could strengthen or erode this identity.

Gallagher’s research involved him interviewing 90 Indigenous entrepreneurs in both Canada and Australia. It revealed that most Indigenous entrepreneurs found that entrepreneurship strengthened their identity, as opposed to the common belief that being an entrepreneur will lead Indigenous Peoples to assimilate.

“I wanted a way to communicate to interviewees and the Indigenous business community what my research had found in an accessible and interesting way, and decided to create a video to do so,” says Gallagher. “Being shortlisted for this award by SHHRC is validation that communicating meaningful research is a priority for the Canadian research community, and that Indigenous entrepreneurship is important to Canadians.”

In being selected for the Top 25 Finalists, Gallagher’s video, which was produced by Beedie Senior Video Producer Richard Maerov, earned $3,000 in prize money. It will now be considered for the top five prize in The Storytellers Showcase at the 2015 Congress of the Humanities and Social Sciences, to be held from May 30 to June 5 at the University of Ottawa.

“I am glad that this video will highlight on a national level the terrific work that Indigenous entrepreneurs in Canada and Australia are doing in order to make a living, strengthen culture, and provide for their communities,” says Gallagher. “This award is a great showcase of what should be the ultimate goal of research: understandable and useful information to make Canada a better place for Indigenous and non-Indigenous Canadians.”

The annual SSHRC Storyteller competition challenges post-secondary students from across the country to demonstrate in up to three minutes or 300 words how SSHRC-funded research is making a difference in the lives of Canadians. The 25 finalists were selected from among nearly 250 entries by some 30 expert judges from Canada and abroad.

For more information on the SSHRC Storyteller competition, visit www.sshrc-crsh.gc.ca/society-societe/storytellers-jai_une_histoire_a_raconter/index-eng.aspx

View the award-winning video below: