From the Nominator

"This essay introduces a standing section of the magazine called Thesis, which invites readers to contemplate a topic or idea—encapsulated in one or two words—in a variety of ways. The essay serves as the opener to five or six stories that call on University of Alberta grads or faculty members and researchers for their expertise. 

In this case, the topic is “the edge.” The essay explores the ideas of the riparian zone between forest and wetland, low-orbit satellites at the edge of space, and the transformative experiences of pilgrimages. The stories in the section include researchers on the cusp of curing diabetes, an athlete/mathlete who pushes his body to the limits, and a knife with no edge that has revolutionized brain surgery.   

Always top of mind for New Trail, as a magazine for grads of a top research university, is to show readers how the University of Alberta brings value to their lives. The Thesis essay and section as a whole is a strategic way to show readers the diverse research and scholarship taking place at the university without having to invest the amount of time and number of pages normally devoted to a feature. 

It also allows the magazine to showcase work that doesn’t always get the spotlight—the small discoveries that can have a big impact, the knowledge that can help shape the world or scholarly work in disciplines such arts and humanities that can be hard to headline."

From the Judges

Very interesting and creative way of approaching storytelling. The writing is excellent.