Teagasc has unveiled the winners of its Vision of Research and Innovation photography competition 2024, with an image titled “The Irish green” announced as the overall winner.
The aim of the competition was to identify the most innovative and compelling images showing the range of research and innovation activities taking place across Teagasc.
The winning image shows an array of green grass samples in test tubes, awaiting analysis in the Crops Science Department in Oak Park, taken by Dr. Marta Niedzicka, a postdoctoral researcher at Teagasc Oak Park, Carlow.
Teagasc said this work represents a “fundamental step” in its work in Integrated Pest Management (IPM) strategies. The overall winner was announced at an event in Oak Park House, Carlow on Wednesday, November 13.
When asked about her winning entry at this year’s competition, Dr. Niedzicka said: “Photography gives us a chance to pause and to reflect on a specific moment in time.
“Here, I captured my moment of reflection, as these samples are a slice of the greenery that we often stop noticing, seen through the lens of the laboratory analysis.”
The competition, which has been running since 2015, is open to all Teagasc staff and students with entrants aiming to visually capture the wide variety of research innovations related to their area of work.
Teagasc photo competition
This year’s competition attracted 38 entries (who entered 74 images) with the top 12 selected for an exhibition held at the Teagasc Head Office in Oak Park House on Wednesday night.
The 12 winning photos featured in the exhibition were:
This year’s competition was judged by editor of TResearch magazine, Teagasc, Catriona Boyle; science lecturer and project manager, Dundalk Institute of Technology, Ronan Bree; and professor of geography, University of Galway, Chaosheng Zhang.
Teagasc said the winning photographs will be included in its annual calendar which will be delivered to stakeholders before Christmas.
Teagasc director Prof. Frank O’Mara said the finalists captured the diverse range of research undertaken by Teagasc, and said “it’s great to see such a strong focus on sustainability and biodiversity in the winning images”.
The Vision of Research exhibition is part of Science Week at Teagasc, which runs from November 11-16, packed with engaging, hands-on events that spark curiosity, inspire learning, and bring the latest scientific advancements to life.