Art of Research

Art of Research

Art of Rowan Research Contest & Exhibition

The Art of Rowan Research Contest & Exhibition celebrates student-created imagery revealing the artistry of scientific research and creative inquiry underway at Rowan University.    
 

2025 Timeline

Submissions: Jan. 21, 2025 through March 4, 2025
Judging begins: March 5, 2025
Winners notified: March 17, 2025
Award ceremony and exhibit: Rowan Research Day, March 26, 2025 
 

Prizes and recognition

Prizes:  
First place: $500
Second place: $300
Third place: $100
 
Winners will be announced during Rowan Research Day on March 26, 2025. Selected images will be featured on Rowan Today, showcased on Rowan University’s website and various publications, and displayed for public view on campus.
 

Who may submit

Open to all students of the Rowan University community.

What can be submitted

Submissions must be original images of research affiliated with Rowan University. Images may include color-enhanced microscopy, photographs taken in the lab or in the field, graphic illustrations or drawings, fractal imagery or other photos revealing the artistry that is inherent in research, scholarship and creative activity.
 

Submission rules and guidelines

Photographs or illustrations must be your original work. Any use of artificial intelligence or digital tools to create or enhance the image must be detailed in your description with the submission. 
 
Entries should be a minimum of 5 MB. 
Maximum upload size for images is 25 MB.  
Photo resolution must be a minimum of 300 dpi and at least 1,500 pixels wide. 
Low-resolution images may be disqualified.
Files must be submitted as JPEG or JPG or TIFF.
Images must not contain watermarks.
Images must not contain any personally identifiable information.
Images must not be derived from patient data or samples.
Images of laboratory animals are not permitted and will not be judged. 
Images of microbiological material, cells or microorganisms are permitted.
 
There is no fee to apply. 
 
Submissions must include a short title and a brief (150-300 words) description of the research the image is portraying, written in language non-researchers can understand. Include the name of the project’s principal investigator (PI) and any explanation of what was involved in capturing the photograph or illustration. If applicable, please secure permission for your image from the project’s PI at Rowan, prior to submitting.   
 
Submissions must be relative to current or ongoing projects, with no entries of projects prior to January 2024. Limit is five entries per person. 
 
Images from the same research project may not win more than once.
 
No person can win more than one prize.
 
Any operation of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV/drone) by a contestant must be in compliance with laws and policies.
 

Judging

Judges: 
  • Tabbetha Dobbins, Ph.D., professor of physics and dean of the School of Graduate Studies 
  • Lori Marshall, assistant vice president of University Relations
  • Mary Salvante, director and chief curator, Rowan University Art Gallery & Museum
  • Andrew Hottle, professor of art history and communication studies, Ric Edelman College of Communication & Creative Arts
Evaluation criteria
Works will be judged based on their artistic and scientific value.  
 

Where images may be displayed

All entries submitted shall remain the property of the artist who submitted the entry. However, contest submissions may be displayed and used in the following ways with full credit given to the creators:
  • Displayed for public exhibit on the Rowan campus
  • Posted on Rowan websites
  • Posted on Rowan social media accounts
  • Reproduced in Rowan’s printed materials including magazines, brochures, signage and promotional materials
 
Questions about the contest? Email us at artofresearch@rowan.edu.