Science and Photography to Converge in International Exhibition at RIT: Images from Science debuts Oct. 12
Who says science can’t be scenic? A groundbreaking event at Rochester Institute of Technology will soon highlight the beauty observed from inside laboratories around the globe.
This fall, RIT’s School of Photographic Arts and Sciences, among the premier schools for photographic education in the United States, hosts Images from Science. The international exhibition will feature photographs submitted in various scientific disciplines including astronomy, biology, engineering, geology, medicine, oceanography and physics.
RIT photography professors Michael Peres and Andrew Davidhazy are coordinating this first-of-its-kind event. Peres, chair of RIT’s biomedical photography program, initially proposed the idea last year after an exhibition of his work.
"I found it fascinating the way people reacted to viewing my pictures for non-scientific reasons," recalls Peres. "That’s when I realized the possibility of converting photographs intended for scientific applications into something that people could relate to on a different level."
Images from Science will feature 58 photographs chosen on the basis of their aesthetics, visual impact and scientific content. The images were selected from nearly 300 entries, submitted by photographers and scientists from 15 countries. Judging for the exhibition was conducted by photography editors at several international publications and by faculty members from RIT’s College of Science and the School of Photographic Arts and Sciences.
Organizers relied solely on the power of the Internet to create this international showcase. Invitations to potential exhibitors were distributed through various cyber channels, such as news groups, chat lines and electronic bulletin boards. The judging was also accomplished online.
"It’s been a real process of discovery," explains Davidhazy, chair of RIT’s imaging and photographic technology program. "Scientists and researchers that might not normally have the opportunity to show their work in a gallery really appreciate having this forum."
Several companies are helping to underwrite the project, including Durst Dice America Inc. of Rochester. The digital imaging services provider will donate the printing for each photograph to be showcased during the exhibition.
In addition, the Cary Graphic Arts Press, the publishing arm of RIT’s Cary Graphic Arts Collection, is producing a full-color catalog to accompany the display. The publication features an introduction by David Malin, world-renowned astronomical photographer from the Anglo-Australian Observatory.
Images from Science opens at 7 p.m. on Oct. 12 in the SPAS Gallery, third floor of RIT’s Frank E. Gannett Building.
NOTE: Internationally recognized as a leader in imaging, technology, fine and applied arts, and education of the deaf, Rochester Institute of Technology enrolls 15,000 full- and part-time students in more than 250 career-oriented and professional programs, many of which are unique and enjoy worldwide recognition. Its cooperative education program is one of the oldest and largest in the nation.
For the past decade, U.S. News and World Report has ranked RIT as one of the nation’s leading comprehensive universities. RIT is also included in Yahoo Internet Life’s Top 100 Wired Universities, Fisk’s Guide to America’s Best Colleges, as well as Barron’s Best Buys in Education.
RIT's renowned School of Photographic Arts and Sciences, part of the College of Imaging Arts and Sciences, is among the top photography schools in the country. Degree programs are offered in biomedical photography, advertising, fine art, imaging and photographic technology, imaging systems management, and photojournalism. The College of Imaging Arts and Sciences’ MFA photography program is ranked No. 1 by U.S. News and World Report.