HESN Photo Contest 3.0:

Don’t forget to grab your camera!

In the summer, HESN’s global reach is especially evident. Students from the eight Higher Education Solutions Network (HESN) Development Labs serve as ambassadors of science, technology and innovation as they partner to tackle the world’s toughest development challenges. Alongside local communities, our network is engaging in innovation design summits, implementing creative solutions to pressing needs, or conducting rigorous research that broadens our understanding of development in the 21st century.

Through the support of USAID’s U.S. Global Development Lab and the HESN Development Labs, our students, faculty, staff and researchers are presented unique opportunities to generate impact. This creativity and desire to explore is integral to our community, and we want to share these experiences!

We are thrilled to launch the third annual HESN photo contest, and with it, have an opportunity to showcase the talent and learning of our network. We hope you will contribute, view, and vote!

Are you a student, researcher, faculty member or alumni of an HESN Development Lab? This summer, grab your camera and start documenting! Submission are open now, and in September, the entries will be uploaded onto a Flickr album in an eye-catching display of HESN’s global impact. After public voting, we will select a grand prize winner and two runners up. Check out last year’s album or scroll below to see some inspiring photographs from the 2014 competition. We had over 6,000 viewers last year — let’s break that record this time around!

Submission guidelines:

• Accepted formats: high quality JPG and PNG
• High-resolution photos that are at least 1600 pixels long, which is about 200 pixels per inch (ppi). Please send us the highest resolution version of the photo you have (at least 1 MB). If you are using Photoshop, please send only level 7 or higher compressed photos.
• Only 3 photos per contestant will be accepted; if you submit more than 3, photo contest administrators will choose 3 for you
• Photos must each be an original submission (submitted by photographer or with permission)
• Photos must each include a credit: name of photographer and Development Lab affiliation (if applicable), and the names of any people featured in the photograph.
• Photos must include a caption, which includes a description of what is going on in the photo, who is involved, where and when it was taken (country tag is especially important), and how it is a part of or relates to the Higher Education Solutions Network.
• Photos should tell the story of HESN, the photographer, and his/her accomplishments

To submit a photo, please email HESNphotos@gmail.com with all the information required above and attach photo(s). Photo submissions due by Sunday, October 4th, and accepting submissions starting immediately!

NEW: Prizes announced!

First place: $500

Second place: $300

Third place: $150

Need inspiration?

There are no categories in the HESN photo contest, but it helps to keep an eye out for these three subjects: nature, tools, and people. Below are a few examples of last year’s photos — we hope it inspires you to document and share your experiences this summer!

Saudiyaar VDC, Dang District, Nepal. Photo by: Vanessa M. Taylor from the Development Impact Lab at UC — Berkeley.

Landscapes have the power to embody culture and reveal how people live and work alongside the natural world. Agriculture and the environment are integral to development — use that beautiful sunset to tell a story!

Ahmedabad, India. Photo by: Sydney Beasley at MIT’s Comprehensive Initiative on Technology Evaluation.

Many HESN programs have a galore of prototypes, tools and gadgets that pique curiosity. A piece of technology may not be interesting on its own (or maybe it is— prove us wrong!), but a tool at work represents progress and innovation and generates questions about how and why it is used.

Uttar Pradesh, India. Photo by: Jessica J Lewis of the Social Entrepreneurship Accelerator at Duke

In science and technology for development, people are still the focus. One of the most striking ways to convey impact is to capture images of the people you met, worked and partnered with. What made them memorable? How can you visualize their accomplishments? Remember to be sensitive of the situation and ask permission!

Submit your photos today!

For more information on the Higher Education Solutions Network and the U.S. Global Development Lab, visit our website, follow us on Twitter & Facebook, or sign up for our newsletter.