6 August 2014

Enter the Science Visualization Challenge

Richard Fienberg

Richard Fienberg AAS Solar Eclipse Task Force

Some of science's most powerful statements are not made in words. From Da Vinci's Vitruvian Man to Rosalind Franklin's X-rays, science visualization has a long and literally illustrious history. Illustrations provide the most immediate and influential connection between scientists and other citizens and are the best hope for nurturing popular interest. They are a necessity for public understanding of research developments.

The National Science Foundation (NSF) and Popular Science are cosponsors of the long-running Visualization Challenge, now called The Vizzies. The competition, which runs through 30 September 2014, aims to recognize some of the most beautiful visualizations from the worlds of science and engineering.

Visualization Challenge participants can submit their entries in one or more of five categories:

  1. Photography
  2. Video
  3. Illustration
  4. Posters & Graphics
  5. Games & Apps

The Experts' Choice winner in each category will be awarded $2,500, and a People's Choice prize of $1,000 goes to the best overall entry.

Expert judges appointed by NSF and Popular Science will select a winner in each of the five categories.

Contest results will be publicly announced in Popular Science and on popsci.com in March 2015, and Popular Photography will recognize the winning photo. NSF will also publish the names of the winners on its website.

We urge you and your colleagues to enter the competition now! If you have questions, please contact [email protected].

NOTE: NSF previously cosponsored the competition with the AAAS journal Science. The competition was formerly named the International Science & Engineering Visualization Challenge (SciVis).

Adapted from the NSF website.