Terms
1. Spot-On-Micro Contest is a micrograph image contest organised by Heriot-Watt University in the context of the International Year of Light. The main aim is to bring science and technology closer to the public via the use of artistic images in public exhibitions.
2. Participation. Any UK resident can participate in this contest, providing that the following requisites are fulfilled. By taking part in this contest, participants agree with these terms. Each participant can submit a maximum of three images. The participants will provide their contact data, information about the image (title, place of production and equipment used), the digital file of the image, as well as an accompanying text about the image (maximum 50 words, in English). The contact data will be used only for the purpose of the competition, and will not under any circumstances be given to a third party. The title and accompanying text will be also used during the evaluation process.
3. Dates. The images can be submitted for the contest from 19th March 2015 to 27th June 2015 at 14:00 (GMT). Submission will be done using the media provided on this webpage.
4. Requisites of the images. The sender certifies to be the author of the images, and that said images have not been awarded a prize in any other previous contest. Such images must be produced in UK territory. The images have been obtained using any microscopy or magnification technology (optical or electronic microscopy, AFM, STM... among others). The real dimension of the photographed object has to be smaller than 1 mm. The images will be submitted in JPEG, GIF, or PNG format, and their smallest dimension will be higher than 1,200 pixels. The images must be produced starting from a real object and can be modified by the use of editing software.
5. Evaluation process. During the evaluation process, only the image, its title and the accompanying text will be provided to the jury. Any reference that could help to identify the authorship will be omitted in this process. The following criteria will be observed during the evaluation: artistic quality, novelty, originality, technical skills, educational aim and clarity.
6. Awards. There will be three cash awards for the three images selected by the jury: 1st award (£250), 2nd award (£150) and 3rd award (£100). Only one award per participant will be allowed. Moreover, there will be a People’s Prize, based on the vote of the visitors to the exhibition. This award will be £200.
7. Jury. The jury will be composed of a mix of scientists, artists and professionals in the area of scientific communication. Their decision will be final.
8. Exhibition. A selection of the best images selected by the jury and the organisations will be compiled to be exhibited on the Internet as well as in live exhibitions. The names of the authors and their institution will be displayed along with the title and the accompanying text. A first exhibition will be held in autumn 2015, where the visitors will vote to choose the People’s Prize winner.
9. Copyright and right to reproduce the image
By submitting images to Spot On Micro, an image contest event organised by Heriot-Watt University through the school of Engineering and Physical Sciences (“the Organiser”), the entrants confirm that they accept all the terms and conditions on this website. The entrants also declare that they are the legitimate and sole author, and that they own the property rights of the images. Entrants have not licensed or disposed of any rights in the image that would conflict with uses to be made by the Organiser; and they have received any necessary permissions from the owner(s) of objects included in submitted images for the usage rights required by the Organiser and will indemnify the Organiser against any claims made by any third parties in respect of such infringement.
The entrants allow the Organiser the right to reproduce and publish the images as well as to exhibit them in any media for any purpose related to the contest, including but not limited to display in physical exhibitions, on-line galleries, or for publicity of the contest, or sub-licensing to the media for promoting the competition.
Entrants retain the copyright of the submitted images and the Organiser will make every reasonable effort to ensure that name credits are given to published images. The Organiser reserves the right to remove or refuse any entries that do not comply with the requisites of the competition. The Organiser assumes no responsibility for loss, damage or injury incurred as a result of participation in the competition, exhibition and awards. If a breach has occurred, the organisers may request the return of a prize.
