Images of Research

We are delighted to announce the return of the Images of Research competition for 2024, as part of the celebrations with the Festival of Research and marking our bicentenary. 

Images of Research is a competition that allows doctoral students and research staff to showcase their research with one image taken by themself and a 150-word description of their research explaining why it is important. This is a great way to show your research from a creative angle. 

Applications have now closed for the 2024 competition. 

Shortlisted entries will be available to view in our exhibition on campus, on the first floor of the School of Digital Art (SODA), from Monday 25 November to Thursday 5 December.

Winners will be chosen by a specialist panel of judges, and announced after the end of the Festival of Research (Friday 6 December 2024).

We have fantastic prizes up for grabs - a £100 voucher each for three winners. 

How are entries assessed?

Judges’ Choice

There will be two panels responsible for choosing the Judges’ Choice winners. 

There will be a shortlisting and a judging panel, both made up of Academic and Professional Services colleagues from a range of disciplines and expertise. Both the Judges’ Choices and initial shortlisting will be assessed against the following criteria: 

• To what extent does the image engage the viewer and make them want to know more about the research? (third of total score) 
• To what extent does the abstract communicate the story behind the image, to a non-specialist audience? (third of total score) 
• To what extent does the submission as a whole (image and abstract) communicate the beneficial impact of the research on society, culture, the environment or the economy? (third of total score) 

People’s Choice

Staff and students can vote for the People’s Choice winner by either visiting the exhibition in SODA to vote in person, or by voting online (details to be shared shortly). The entry with the most total votes will be awarded the People’s Choice prize. 

The Judging Panel

The 2024 Images of Research competition will be judged by:

• Professor Nick Brook, Pro-Vice Chancellor of Research
• Professor Anya Ahmed, Academic Director of the Doctoral College
• Sam Gray, Director of Research and Innovation

Prizes

Shortlisted entries will be displayed on campus as part of the celebrations with the Festival of Research, marking our bicentenary (location to be confirmed). University staff and students can vote for their favourite entry. 

The prizes will be: 

• Judges’ Choice (doctoral student): £100 gift voucher (Amazon, Etsy or book token)
• Judges’ Choice (research staff): £100 gift voucher (Amazon, Etsy or book token)
• People’s Choice: £100 gift voucher (Amazon, Etsy or book token)

If you are happy for us to use your profile picture, please send in a good-quality head and shoulders photo with your entry.