Categories and Awards

 

Competition is open during the spring semester. All images except for the People’s Choice Award will be judged by a professional panel defined by the Department of Materials Science and Engineering and the Materials Research Institute.

Best of Show

  • Prize is $500

All images submitted will automatically be considered for Best of Show and evaluated holistically in this category, on being visually compelling while maintaining scientific integrity. Ranked-choice voting will be used to determine the winner.

 

Visual Appeal

  • First place $250
  • Second place $100
  • Third place $50

Images in this category should be visually compelling and may be altered to enhance their appearance. Examples of acceptable enhancements include altering color, cropping, adjusting saturation or contrast, colorizing greyscale images, and rendering additional graphics to enhance the original. The resulting image should maintain the scientific integrity of the source data, but the focus will be on its visual impact.

Images submitted in either Computational Rendering or Scientific Imaging categories are also eligible to enter in the Visual Appeal category (to be judged separately on the criteria below), but an image can also be entered into Visual Appeal only.

The Visual Appeal category is judged on:

  • Aesthetics: The visual appeal of the entry, including elements such as color, composition, and overall design. Judges will consider whether the entry is aesthetically pleasing and/or commands their attention.
  • Creativity: The level of creativity and originality demonstrated in the entry. Judges should consider whether the entry brings a fresh perspective or new approach to the visualization of materials science data.

 

Imaging categories

Scientific images can fall into one of two categories, either computational rendering or scientific imaging depending on the data source and postprocessing methods used. Participants will designate which category their image will be judged in when they submit their image. The two category choices are Computational Rendering and Scientific Imaging.

Computational Rendering

  • First place $250
  • Second place $100
  • Third place $50

Computational Rendering — the data source is from computational modeling OR the image has been heavily postprocessed using computer graphics or rendering. Images in this category most often illustrate the output from computational materials science approaches. The image should be computer generated and clearly communicate a scientific message to the viewer based on the calculations. Images based on experimental results may also belong in this category if their visualization relies heavily on computer graphics, thus making the entry ineligible for the Scientific Imaging category.

Scientific Imaging

  • First place $250
  • Second place $100
  • Third place $50

Scientific Imaging — the data source is from scientific imaging of a physical object AND the image has been only lightly postprocessed (cropping, exposure, contrast, etc.) Images in this category should represent scientific imaging data in the purest form suitable for visualization. Images may be cropped, adjusted for exposure and/or contrast but should otherwise not be altered or retouched beyond what would appear in a scientific publication.

Submissions in both categories are judged on the same criteria. Entries are only judged against others in the designated category. The criteria for both are:

  • Relevance: The relevance of the visualization to the field of materials science. Judges will consider whether the entry addresses an important or topical issue in the field, and whether it advances the understanding of the subject.
  • Technical Capability: The entry demonstrates exemplary use of technology appropriate to the subject, showcasing technical proficiency in the creation of the visualization. Judges will consider the level of technical skill demonstrated in the entry and whether the technology used is appropriate and effectively supports the communication of the scientific information.
  • Clarity: The clarity of the visualization, including how easily the information is conveyed and understood. Judges will consider whether the entry effectively communicates complex scientific information in a way that is easy to understand.

 

People’s Choice

This is a fun way for everyone to get involved. All entries will be available online for the public to view and vote electronically for their favorite image. The image that receives the most votes will receive the People’s Choice Award and a $100 prize.

All MCV winners will be published online. All images except for the People’s Choice Award will be judged by a professional panel defined by the Department of Materials Science and Engineering and the Materials Research Institute.