Olympus launches first Global Image of the Year Life Science Light Microscopy Award

Inspired by the beauty and breadth of images submitted for the 2018 Image of the Year Life Science Light Microscopy Award held in Europe, Olympus has launched its first Global Image of the Year Life Science Light Microscopy Award, recognizing the best in life science imaging worldwide. Participants can win a CX43 microscope with a DP27 digital camera, X Line objectives, or an OM-D E-M5 Mark II camera.

Those interested in participating can enter through Jan. 31, 2020 by uploading images at Olympus-LifeScience.com/IOTY. Winners will be selected by a jury panel and announced in March 2020.

The jury consists of global representatives from both science and the arts, including photographer Ron Caplain; Geoff Williams, a bioimaging facility manager at Brown University; Urs Ziegler, the head of a microscopy imaging facility at the University of Zurich; Stefan Terjung, the operational manager of an advanced light microscopy facility at EMBL Heidelberg; Hiroaki Misono, a graduate school professor of brain science at Doshisha University; Zhu Xueliang, a professor at the Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences; Yalin Wang, Director of Biomedical Research Core Facilities at Westlake University, Hangzhou, China; and Wendy Salmon, a light microscopy specialist of a bioimaging facility at MIT.

All entries will be evaluated based on artistic and visual aspects, scientific impact, and microscope proficiency. Regional prizes in Asia, Europe, and the Americas will be awarded in addition to the global prize.

The Image of the Year European Life Science Light Microscopy Award began in 2017 to celebrate both the artistic and scientific value of microscopy images. Now on a global scale, the competition aims to encourage people to look at scientific images in a new way, appreciate their beauty, and share images with others.

Participants may upload up to three microscopy images when submitting the online form. Images, accompanied by a brief explanation that notes the equipment used, can be uploaded until Jan. 31, 2020. The jury will select and notify the winners in March 2020.