Materials research, because of its critical focus on structure-property relationships, offers abundant opportunities to capture or simulate images of microstructure that have visual impact, as well as scientific significance. It is with this in mind that the Department of Materials Science and Engineering and the Electron Microbeam Analysis Laboratory are sponsoring the 2009 Imaging Microstructure Contest. Students and researchers in materials science are invited to submit images from their work or studies that are particularly visually stimulating examples of microstructure, ranging from atomic scale to micro and macrostructures. An independent panel of artists and scientists will judge entries, and winners will be announced at the 2009 MMS Spring Banquet in April.

Deadline for Entry: March 27, 2009

Grand Prize (Scientific Merit)

16 Gb Apple iPod Touch

Grand Prize (Artistic Merit)

16 Gb Apple iPod Touch

Category Awards*

1st Prize: 8 Gb iPod Nano

2nd Prize: $100 iTunes gift certificate

3rd Prize: $ 50 iTunes gift certificate

* Categories

I. Optical and Scanning Electron Microscopy
II. Transmission Electron Microscopy, X-ray imaging and Surface Probe Techniques
III. Simulated Microstructures as Products of Computational Materials Science
IV. Digitally Enhanced or Colorized Images of Microstructures
V. Noncompetitive category for showing the best work of Postdoctoral Fellows, Research Scientists, Faculty and Staff.

Each entry must be accompanied by a technical description of the subject, and the scientific/technical principles that are illustrated by the image. A brief description of the instrument used for imaging and image capture and post capture processing should be included.

For more details and to submit an entry, go here.