On March 12, 2026, the regional final of the My Thesis in 180 Seconds competition, organized by the  Acfas-Toronto-Centre-Sud-Ouest, brought together student researchers and a curious audience in Toronto around a shared goal: making science accessible to everyone. The event took place atÌýGlendon HallÌýandÌýthe GlendonÌýTheatre, andÌýoffered a dynamic showcase for French-language student research in the region.Ìý
The concept of the competition is both simple and demanding: participants must present their research project in just three minutes, using clear and accessible language, in front of a non-specialist audience. In this very limited time, each participant must deliver a presentation that is clear, concise, and convincing. This exercise in scientific communication challenges young researchers’ ability to communicate their work while allowing the public to discover a wide range of research topics.
2026 Winners
This year’s finalists distinguished themselves through the clarity, originality, and rigor of their presentations.
College & Undergraduate Category
1st place – LauraÌýBirateÌý(Collège LaÌýCité)Ìý
Thesis title (in French):Ìý
ProfilageÌýimmunoenzymatiqueÌýdesÌýbiomarqueursÌýsériquesÌýdeÌýl'endométrioseÌýÌý
2nd place – DorvalÌýTchiazonÌý(Université deÌýl’OntarioÌýfrançais)Ìý
Thesis title (in French):Ìý
LesÌýdisparitésÌýdeÌýl’aideÌýhumanitaireÌýaméricaine dans les paysÌýenÌýsituation deÌýcrise :ÌýcasÌýde laÌýRépubliqueÌýdémocratiqueÌýdu Congo et deÌýl’UkraineÌýÌý
3rd place –ÌýThieryÌýDonfackÌý(Collège LaÌýCité)Ìý
Thesis title (in French):Ìý
Thesis title (in French):ÌýLesÌýcompétencesÌýpourÌýréussirÌýà ÌýmieuxÌýinclureÌýlesÌýpersonnesÌýenÌýsituation de handicap sur leÌýmarchéÌýdu travailÌýÌý
Master’s Category
1st place – RebeccaÌýSarcheseÌý(Glendon / 91ÑÇÉ«)Ìý
Thesis title (in French):Ìý
MédiationÌýnormative dans laÌýtraductionÌýlittéraireÌýdesÌýidentitésÌýS/sourdesÌý:Ìýchoix de laÌýterminologieÌýemployéeÌýenÌýfrançaisÌýetÌýenÌýespagnolÌýÌý
Emily Mashaal (University of Waterloo)Ìý
Thesis title (in French):Ìý
Thesis title (in French):Ìý
Pouvons-nousÌýaugmenterÌýnotreÌýapprentissageÌýdans unÌýcoursÌýenÌýutilisantÌýdesÌýphénomènesÌýdeÌýlaboratoire ?ÌýÌý
Doctoral CategoryÌý
1st place – SaraÌýZoghbiÌý(University of Toronto)Ìý
Thesis title (in French):Ìý
Pluralité,ÌýidentitésÌýetÌýtransformations :ÌýuneÌýrelectureÌýde laÌýfrancophonieÌýau Canada à traversÌýsesÌýdiversitésÌýculturelles,ÌýlinguistiquesÌýetÌýhistoriquesÌýÌý
2nd place – JacobÌýLegault LeclairÌý(University of Waterloo)Ìý
Thesis title (in French):Ìý
TransitionÌýséculièreÌýet transmission religieuse au Canada, aux États-Unis etÌýenÌýEurope :Ìýanalyse quantitative desÌýeffetsÌýde la migration et de la socialisation religieuse au sein de laÌýfamilleÌýÌý
3rd place – PierreÌýLesbatsÌý(91ÑÇÉ«)Ìý
Thesis title (in French):Ìý
ImpactÌýd'insectesÌýsur les surfaces desÌýmoyensÌýde transportÌý
Public Prize
DorvalÌýTchiazonÌý(Université deÌýl’OntarioÌýfrançais)Ìý
Thesis title (in French):Ìý
LesÌýdisparitésÌýdeÌýl’aideÌýhumanitaireÌýaméricaine dans les paysÌýenÌýsituation deÌýcrise :ÌýcasÌýde laÌýRépubliqueÌýdémocratiqueÌýdu Congo et deÌýl’UkraineÌý
The regional final brought together students from colleges and universities across Southwestern and Central Ontario. One by one, participants summarized their work before an attentive audience and a jury composed of figures from the academic, media, and cultural sectors.
For the 2026 edition, the jury included Kathleen Adams, Director of Communications at TFO; Eunice Boué, Director of the Salon du livre de Toronto; Marco Fiola, Principal of Glendon College; François Bergeron, Editor-in-Chief of l-express.ca; and Chantal Bois, professor and researcher in education at Collège La Cité.
The evening was hosted by Nicolas Haddad, from the daily radio program Y a pas deux matins pareils, broadcast on Radio-Canada. The event began at 5 p.m. with a welcome reception and networking aperitif, allowing participants and audience members to connect before the competition started at 6 p.m.
More than $4,000 in prizes were awarded for the evening’s best presentations. Sara Zoghbi, who received first prize in the doctoral category, will represent the region at the Canadian national final of the competition, to be held as part of the Acfas Congress.
Free and open to the public, the event once againÌýdemonstratedÌýthe importance of science communication and the richness of research conducted by the next generation of French-speaking scholars. The regional final of My Thesis in 180 SecondsÌýcontinues to play a key role as a must-attend event for discovering the diversity and relevance of research conducted in French in the region.Ìý