Your science captured through your lens. From the microscopic to the macro universe, what image best captures your science and how you want that to be shown to the world?
'Show us your Science' has returned in 2026.
The competition will open 1 July and close 30 September. Take us behind the scenes and show us a snapshot of what your science looks like. All Faculty of Science staff and students are welcome, with cash prizes on offer for winners.
Entered the Lens of Discovery photography competition? All Faculty of Science entrants will be automatically entered into 'Show us your Science' for consideration.
The prizes
We have a generous pool of prizes available throughout the competition. In July, August and September we will announce a monthly theme, and award Image of the Month to the entry best representing the prompt below. These prizes are open to both staff and students and will not exclude you from being shortlisted for our overall prizes.
Once the competition concludes on 30 September, we will announce Overall Faculty Winners and the People's Choice Award.
Image by Skye A Mackenzie (2025)
Monthly prizes
Image of the Month
$200
The entry that best represents the monthly theme, as decided by the Dean, will be awarded Image of the Month (3 winners total). Themes will be announced on this page, in the Dean’s Circular, and on our Faculty Instagram page @scimelb
Coffee Lucky Dip
$10
Didn't win Image of the Month? No problem. Eligible entries in each calendar month will also go into a draw for one $10 coffee voucher (3 winners total).
Overall Faculty prizes
Staff prizes
All staff members within the Faculty of Science are eligible to enter. Winners can be from any School and/or category.
Overall Faculty winners (decided by judging panel)
$600 First place
$300 Second place
People’s Choice Award (awarded to the most popular entry voted on social media)
$600 First place
$300 Second place
Honourable mentions (decided by judging panel)
$100 each for two entries
Student prizes
All students studying a science program are eligible to enter. Winners can be from any study level.
Overall student winners
$600 First place
$300 Second place
People’s Choice Award
$600 First place
$300 Second place
Honourable mentions
$100 each for two entries
Show us your (Science) Desk
August monthly theme
What does a typical day in science really look like? Is your workspace in an office, a lab, or a field site? Perhaps it’s out in space! Show us the tools of the trade: the chemicals, samples, microbes, data, graphs, scans, instruments and equipment that define your science.
Image by Michele Trenti (2025)
The judging criteria
Entries will be shortlisted by the following elements:
- Creative impact of the image
- Original representation of your science
- Representation of Science at Melbourne values and mission
- Usability of the image for different channels, including adherence to guidelines
- Content must be an original product
We love to see how scientists show up in the world.
Who do you work with? What change are you making together? We want you to show us the people of science in action, in all their glorious diversity.
However, it's important that identifiable people who appear in your entry consent to having their image shared. Images that feature individuals other than the photographer will require an accompanying talent release form before we can progress with your entry. Please - either yourself or the relevant people - complete the below to submit alongside your entry (select image competition where appropriate).
Frequently asked questions
Not quite ready to show us your science? Perhaps these frequently asked questions may help. Alternatively you may email the Faculty of Science Marketing team at science-marketing@unimelb.edu.au
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The Faculty of Science image competition is open to all science staff and students at the University of Melbourne. These are the people immersed in day-to-day research, teaching and learning, and are the most effective ambassadors for Science at Melbourne.
Staff includes academic and professional employees in the Faculty of Science, including contract and casual staff.
Students include students currently enrolled in a science program. This extends to undergraduate and postgraduate (coursework, graduate research, postdoctoral).
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For this competition we will be accepting images in the following specifications: .jpeg, .jpg, .tiff, .png, with minimum 300 dpi.
Images must be submitted in their original form (no doctoring or heavy filtering). You may submit as many images as you like, but each entry can only be entered once and only by the image owner.
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If your image features another scientist or student, please confirm they consent to having their image shared. Please share this talent release form to anyone pictured and ask them to provide their details. Select ‘Image competition’ from the drop-down menu under ‘Content,’ and submit along with the entry.
Unfortunately, we will not be able to proceed with your entry if this information is missing.
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All entries must be sent through our submission form. We ask you complete the relevant fields, which includes the following:
- A little bit about you: Name, contact details and faculty/school/course affiliation.
- Short text describing what your image portrays, and includes location (including Traditional Land if image was captured on Australian Country) and/or names of other people in image.
- An accompanying talent release form if there are other identifiable people in your image.
- Agreement to competition terms and conditions.
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Any images submitted can be used across all University channels – including marketing, communications, social media, EDMs and on the website – and in external channels as part of University promotion. However, we will ensure you (the photographer and image owner) will always be credited.
Winning and shortlisted entries may be shared on digital screens in Faculty of Science buildings across all University of Melbourne campuses. If you are shortlisted for the People's Choice Award, we may share your image on our social media channels for voting.
Note: not all images will be downloaded and stored by the Faculty.
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All Faculty of Science entrants from the Lens of Discovery photography competition have been automatically entered into Show us your Science for consideration. If we have further questions, we’ll reach out to you directly.