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Photos to inspire a more sustainable world

Stanford Earth's 2019 photo contest drew 226 photographs from around the world from faculty, students, and staff. Photos captured the natural world, students at work in the field, and research in the lab.

By
Barbara Buell
Torres del Paine in Chile by Nora Hennessy
Sunrise Chile039s Los Torres and Los Cuernos del Paine formations, carved by glaciers, rise out of a fog hanging over the Rio Serrano at dawn. The granite monoliths reflect a deep pink, almost purple sunrise, characteristic of the far southern h

The 2019 Stanford Earth Photo Contest yielded photos from Chile, Peru, Palau, Antarctica, Indonesia, and multiple regions of the U.S. that are home to some of the most beautiful landforms in the world.

This year’s contest drew 226 submissions, even more than the inaugural contest launched by the School of Earth, Energy & Environmental Sciences  (Stanford Earth) last year. “These photos represent the incredible field learning and research so many of our students participate in,” said Stanford Earth dean Stephan Graham. “There is nothing like seeing the actual coral reefs, fisheries, outcroppings, and rivers to understand how the Earth works and inspire our next generation to appreciate the need for sustaining our natural resources.”

Photos were submitted throughout the fall, and were judged by a team of faculty, students, and staff based on composition, content, and technical skill. Judges included graduate student David Gonzalez, undergraduate Andea Scott, Educational Affairs Director Audrey Yau, Associate Communications Director Dee Tucker, Digital Media and Marketing Specialist Elenita Nicholas, Associate Dean for Marketing/Communications Barbara Buell, Associate Dean for Educational Affairs Robyn Dunbar, Senior Associate Deans Margot Gerritsen and Scott Fendorf, and Dean Stephan Graham.

This year’s contest winners are:

Category: LANDSCAPE - 1st place winner

Galaxy

The Milky Way rises above Nevado Salkantay in the heart of the Peruvian Andes. The glaciated mountain soars more than 20,000 ft above sea level, towering above Soraypampa where hikers spend the night waiting to cross the mountain pass.

Photo by Nora Hennessy, Energy Resources Engineering PhD student

Milky Way

LANDSCAPE: Runner up

Hiding Out

A tiny clown fish hides in its anemone home on a reef in Indonesia. Photo by Heidi Hirsh, Earth System Science PhD student

A tiny clown fish in an anemone world.
Photo by: Heidi Hirsh

Category: FIELD - 1st place winner

Back to school

E-IPER PhD candidate Shannon Switzer Swanson swims amongst a school of sardines in Luwuk, Central Sulawesi, Indonesia. A local tour operator took her to a secret spot of schooling fish, which recently recovered due to a new law limiting the types of gear allowed to catch them. 

Photographed by Shannon Switzer Swanson, E-IPER PhD student.

Underwater Fish

FIELD Runner up

Dunes 

Sunset at Ibex Dunes in Death Valley National Park. Photo by Katie Dunn, Earth Materials Lab manager

Sunset at Ibex Dunes in Death Valley National Park
Photo by: Katie Dunn

Category: LAB - 1st place winner

Say cheese

Earth Systems Program MS Natasha Batista uses a microscope to photograph an insect specimen at Jasper Ridge for a community engaged learning project with Grassroots Ecology.

Photographed by Julia Goolsby, Earth Systems Program MA student.

natasha batista at jasper ridge lab

More finalists - all categories

King Penguins, South Georgia, South Atlantic Ocean
King Penguins, South Georgia, South Atlantic Ocean. Photo by Joan Roughgarden
Eitan Rovero-Shein, MBA/MS E-IPER student, capturing fellow International Antarctic Expedition members in an "iceberg graveyard" in Neko Harbour, Antarctica.
Eitan Rovero-Shein, MBA/MS E-IPER student, capturing fellow International Antarctic Expedition members in an "iceberg graveyard" in Neko Harbour, Antarctica. Photo by Eitan Rovero-Shein
The Grand Canyon, seen from the Desert View Watchtower, falls into silhouette at sunset.
The Grand Canyon, seen from the Desert View Watchtower, falls into silhouette at sunset. Photo by Melina Walling

 
Former undergrad (and first year E-IPER PhD student), Meghan Shea, troubleshoots our total alkalinity robotitrator in the lab, Palau International Coral Reef Center.
Former undergrad (and first year E-IPER PhD student), Meghan Shea, troubleshoots our total alkalinity robotitrator in the lab, Palau International Coral Reef Center. Photo by Heidi Kathryn Hirsh
Graduate student, Alex Kendrick, calibrates a sensor in the lab measuring a water level.
Graduate student, Alex Kendrick, calibrates a sensor in the lab measuring a water level. Photo by Leighton Watson
Torres del Paine in Autumn
Torres del Paine in Autumn. Photo by Nora Hennessy
Stephen Dobbs (PhD candidiate) appreciating the Patagonian landscape atop Cerro Tenerife.
Stephen Dobbs (PhD candidate) appreciating the Patagonian landscape atop Cerro Tenerife. Photo by Matt Malkowski
Foam Bubble distribution in a rough micromodel.
Foam Bubble distribution in a rough micromodel. Photo by Negar Nazari
X-Ray fluorescence map of calcium (purple) and iron (blue) showing the compaction of sediments around carbonate concretions.
X-Ray fluorescence map of calcium (purple) and iron (blue) showing the compaction of sediments around carbonate concretions. Photo by William Hodgskiss
The coral reef at my field site in Banggai Island, Central Sulawesi, Indonesia.
The coral reef at my field site in Banggai Island, Central Sulawesi, Indonesia. Photo by Shannon Leigh Swanson
Students on the Wrigley Field Program overlook the foggy canyons of Koke’e National Park on Kaua’i during an early morning hike.
Students on the Wrigley Field Program overlook the foggy canyons of Koke’e National Park on Kaua’i during an early morning hike. Photo by Hanna Joy Panye
A red footed boobie poses for visitors along a hike in Galápagos.
A red footed boobie poses for visitors along a hike in Galápagos. Photo by Hanna Joy Payne
Peruvian alpacas graving land once occupied by the retreating glaciers of Nevado Ausangate
Peruvian alpacas grazing land once occupied by the retreating glaciers of Nevado Ausangate. Photo by Katie Dunn
A microscope image of water-extractable soil organic matter deposited on a gold foil for C-NEXAFS analysis.
A microscope image of water-extractable soil organic matter deposited on a gold foil for C-NEXAFS analysis. Photo by Emily Morgan Lacroix
Shaka!
Shaka! Photo by Heidi Kathryn Hirsh
Marisa Mayer checking on her purple phototrophs in the anaerobic chamber.
Marisa Mayer checking on her purple phototrophs in the anaerobic chamber. Photo by Anna Rasmussen
Smoke clouds the mountains in Yosemite after a series of fires.
Smoke clouds the mountains in Yosemite after a series of fires. Photo by Olivia Popp
A family of giraffes peaks curiously over the tops of the trees at a safari vehicle in South Africa's Kruger National Park.
A family of giraffes peek curiously over the tops of the trees at a safari vehicle in South Africa's Kruger National Park. Photo by Hanna Joy Payne
Two travelers pause above one of the famous green sand beaches on the south side of the big island of Hawai’i, their jeep parked precariously on the edge of the cliff.
Two travelers pause above one of the famous green sand beaches on the south side of the big island of Hawai’i, their jeep parked precariously on the edge of the cliff. Photo by Hanna Joy Payne

Media Contacts

Barbara Buell

650-723-1771

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