Research and knowledge exchange

ECR Image Competition 2024

Applications open on Tuesday 7 May

Want to give the world a glimpse into your research day-to-day? The ECR Image Competition is a creative way for researchers to communicate the work they undertake and showcase it to a wider audience - and to win up to £200 towards their research!

As well as the online gallery here, shortlisted entries will be exhibited at ACCA during the ECR Symposium on Thursday 13 June. 

This year's shortlist will be judged by Maggie Symes (Research and Open Scholarship Librarian), Stuart Robinson (University of Sussex photographer) and Susanna Broom (Head of the Sussex Researcher School).

In need of inspiration? Check out last year's entries in the Sway below. We can't wait to see what you submit!

Prizes

First Place: £200 towards your research 

Second Place: £100 towards your research

People’s Choice: £100 towards your research 

Eligibility

The Image Competition is open to Early Career Researchers (ECRs) at the University of Sussex.

ECR is defined as staff on a research-only contract at grades 6-8, broadly encompassing research assistants, postdoctoral researchers and research fellows.

Postgradute researchers (PGRs) are not eligible to apply.

 

Competition guidance

Entrants should note the following:

  • Images must be generated as a result of research carried out while working as an ECR at Sussex.
  • Each researcher can only submit one image.
  • Submitted images must be accompanied by a title and caption (max. 150 words) that explains what your image shows and how it relates to your research.
  • The abstract must be accessible to a non-specialist academic audience.
  • Images must be submitted as a JPEG or PNG file. The image resolution needs to be 300dpi.  At A4 size that means your photo will need to be about 2500 x 3500 pixels.
  • It is the responsibility of the photographer to secure permission from any identifiable persons in their photograph before submitting to the competition.
  • Your image must not have been entered into a previous ECR or PGR Image Competition at Sussex.
  • The University of Sussex shall not be liable in any way for a submission.

Copyright

The University of Sussex retains the right to use all submitted images – including those not chosen to win prizes – in promotional materials and on the Research Staff website, online galleries and Twitter account without further permission from, or compensation to, the photographer. Credit will be given to the photographer if reproduced. The photographer will retain copyright.

Judging criteria

Judges will assess the images according to the following criteria:

Image

  • Is the image eye-catching and engaging?
  • Does the image effectively communicate the nature of the research?
  • Is the image of sufficient technical quality?

Title and caption

  • Is the title engaging?
  • Is the caption written in a style that is accessible to a non-specialist audience?
  • Do the image, title and caption work together to form a coherent and clear narrative?
Key Dates 
Applications open Tuesday 7 May
Deadline for submitting your entry Tuesday 28 May, 12 noon
Entries reviewed by judging panel Tuesday 28 May - Friday 7 June
Shortlisted images announced, and online gallery launched w/c Monday 3 June

Voting for People's Choice - online

Monday 10 June - Thursday 13 June, 4.30pm

Exhibition at ECR Symposium, and in-person voting for People's Choice 

Thursday 13 June, 10.00am-5.00pm
Winners announced at Symposium prize-giving ceremony

Thursday 13 June, from 4.45pm

Research Image Competition 2023 Entries

 

 

Contact Us

E: researchstaffoffice@sussex.ac.uk

T: 01273 877979

Research Staff Office, Research and Enterprise Services, Level 1, Falmer House, University of Sussex, BN1 9QF

 Twitter @SussexResearchr