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Research in Focus

Research in Focus is an annual research photography competition that accepts submissions from UWinnipeg students, faculty, staff, retirees, and alumni. This competition is a chance to take viewers into the field, inside the lab, or onto the stage to visualize what researchers have witnessed, discovered, or created as they pursue academic excellence. The competition also serves as a reminder of the breadth and depth of research carried out by the UWinnipeg community.


2024 Winners  |  2024 Overall Submissions

Submit to Research in Focus 2025 HERE

(submissions close January 31, 2025)


Submissions are accepted in five main categories:

Image showing a paper with a pencil with a paintbrush tip on one side

Artistry in Research:
Images which represent the researcher’s work in music, drama, visual art, art history, and the humanities.

Image of a head with with thought lines above

Faces of Discovery:
Images which depict the people involved in research activities.

Graphic of a handshake

Community Catalysts:
Images which demonstrate community impact or which represent research done with partners to benefit communities.

Icon of plant with a ruler next to it

Framing Fieldwork:
Images which demonstrate fieldwork.

graphic of an eye with an arrow pointing up in the iris

Powered Perception:
Images which reveal the subject in greater detail than is possible with the human eye, such as x-rays, microscopic images, computer models, etc. 

A multidisciplinary jury is responsible for reviewing the anonymized submissions in these five categories and judging their aesthetic appeal, creativity, and insight.

2024-25 Guidelines:

One winner and one runner-up will be chosen from each of the five main categories, as well as a grand prize winner. One (1) grand prize winner will be awarded $500, chosen from the winners of the five (5) main categories, while each of the five (5) main category winners will receive $300 and runners up will receive $200.

The winner and runner-up in a sixth category, Viewer’s Choice, will be determined by public voting from February 17 to March 3, 2025.

A seventh and final category, Best Description, will be judged in each category for best accompanying written description.

The winning photos will be announced at the awards ceremony (TBD), and all submitted entries will be displayed publicly along with their accompanying text both on campus and online.

All photos are required to be original work, taken by the entrant, and depict UWinnipeg-affiliated research. Entrants could submit up to one photo per category.

A full list of 2025 contest rules is available in our Terms of Reference.