Madison Reporter

The University of Wisconsin–Madison is calling for entries to their annual Cool Science Image Contest, inviting the university community to submit science visuals including photos, renderings, and art that are created during research and discovery. The contest, which is in its 15th year, aims to highlight the exploratory and aesthetic values of scientific visuals. It is supported by Promega Corp, based in Madison.

Over the years, the contest has welcomed hundreds of scientific images and videos that depict various subjects like animals, insects, plants, and more. Typically, there are 10 winning still images and two videos that are showcased in both the Mandelbaum and Albert Family Vision Gallery at the McPherson Eye Research Institute and at Promega’s headquarters. Submissions have in the past included work by both distinguished scientists and novices, achieving recognition in major international image contests.

Qualified submissions will be featured on UW–Madison's websites and other communication platforms, in addition to science outreach and art exhibits. Those interested in participating can submit up to three science images or videos by visiting the contest's website for guidelines and the submission form. The deadline for submissions is May 31.

Prominent past winners have seen their work celebrated internationally, yet the contest continues to recognize newcomers who manage to capture extraordinary scientific phenomena through their imagery.