Images of Research 2023

Research Photography Competition 2023.

Images of Research

How do you convey research and research impact through a single image? 

Research across the University is rich, impactful and diverse and imagery can capture so much of that. So, we challenged our research staff and students to submit a single image which captures and explains their research from a different angle and to different audiences. 

We asked that the images inform, intrigue and engage people, and leave them wanting to know more! 

After thoughtful deliberation, the judging panel announced the winners. 

The 2023 Winners are... 

Judges prize (Research staff) 

Winner:  Stephen Lokier 

Runner-up:  David Elliot

Honourable Mention: 

Judges prize (PGR students) 

Winner:  Farzeen Heesambee

Runner-up:  Rhys Furlong

Honourable Mention: 

People's vote 

Winner: Rebecca Owen

Runner-up:  David Patton

Images from 2023

  • A selection of hats and a single glove, arranged in a circle.
  • A number of people wearing virtual reality headsets.
  • Writing in different coloured inks.
  • A magnifying glass being held up to a mould-infested wall, and data analysis icons.
  • A young child doing a movement assessment for sport.
  • An auger showing different layers of soil extracted.
  • A handbag with botanical artwork on the side.
  • Cartoon drawing depicting a young person looking sad and overwhelmed by social media images.
  • A person standing and holding a briefcase, in a desert scrub area.
  • Images and text from the African Union Forum on Business and Human Rights shared on Twitter
  • A laptop, documents and books representing data journalism, the BAME community and Covid-19.
  • A board game, Lego bricks, counters and dice representing game-based learning.
  • Diagram representing steps in Adaptive Machining.
  • A speaker and microphone being used in audio research in an anechoic chamber.
  • Images representing a simulation of continental rifting and oceanic basin formation.
  • A person in dark clothing under an overcast sky, reflecting on Long Covid symptoms.
  • An accidental close-up photo of clothing taken with a mobile phone.
  • A circular fence-like structure made of wood, surrounded by trees, with wildflowers in the foreground.
  • A researcher using puppets in a discussion with primary school children.
  • An 8-step diagram representing a surgical safety checklist.
  • An image of Darth Vader with a lab pipette and colours representing a harmful protein structure.
  • A patient suffering from long-term Covid symptoms watching the news on TV, in bed with the curtains drawn.
  • A sanctuary of greenery and plants, glimpsed through a gap in foliage.
  • A disused pub building with faded signage.
  • A colourful poster for the UK Caribbean Carnival research project.
  • A caravan in Greenwich Park, with a group of people sat around it.
  • A poster with text and images about Deep Neural Networks.
  • Close-up of a drip forming on the end of a stalactite.
  • A colourful picture representing the Derwent Valley and writers who spent time there.
  • Coloured paper clips linked together on white paper background.

Terms and conditions

  • Open to research staff and Postgraduate Research Students at the University of Derby only 
  • Only one entry per individual – if you submit more than one, only your first submission will be accepted
  • Entry opens on the 15 May 2023, 9am and closes 9 June 2023, 5pm
  • Submission by website form only
  • Title (max. 80 characters) and narrative (max. 800 characters) must be included to be eligible
  • The narrative should explain what your image shows and how it relates to your research. The narrative must be accessible to a non-specialist audience
  • Images should be 2000x1333 pixels (mobile phones should support this – camera settings may need to be altered before photos are taken)
  • Images must be submitted as a JPEG or PNG file
  • Submissions that do not conform the competition rules, guidance and judging criteria will be deemed ineligible and removed from the competition
  • It is the responsibility of the photographer to secure permission from any identifiable persons in their photograph. Please see our example of a Consent form (*downloads as a Word document* )you might use. Submissions without a consent form from all identifiable persons of support will be removed from the competition
  • The University of Derby shall not be liable in any way for a submission
  • You must be the sole owner and author of your entry 
  • The University of Derby retains the right to use all submitted images (including non prize-winners) in promotional materials and on the University website and social media channels without further permission from, or compensation to, the photographer. The use of images may also extend to online galleries. Credit will be given to the photographer if reproduced. The photographer will retain copyright
  • Did the image make the viewer want to know more about the research? 
  • Did the narrative communicate the story behind the image and how it relates to the research?  
  • Was the narrative written in language appropriate to a non-specialist audience? 
  • To what extent does the submission as a whole (image and text) communicate the impact of the research on society, culture, the environment or the economy?  
  • Submissions need to meet the required specifications and eligibility criteria
  • The decision of the judging panel is final
a galaxy in the sky

2022: Images of research

Discover our contestants' entries from last year. To the right is Christopher Barnes' image of 'Night sky Connection and Conservation'.

Find out more about last year's competitionFind out more about last year's competition