The UF Elegance of Science contest is back and now accepting entries.
The contest, which has been on a three-year break, is being organized by the Marston Science Library and the Florida Museum of Natural History.
It is accepting entries of 2-D images that show the connection between artistic and scientific perceptions of reality from UF students, faculty and staff.
The prize for first place is $150, second place is $100 and third place is $50.
The Marston Science Library held the contest in 2008, 2009 and 2011, wrote Valrie Minson, Marston Science Library chairwoman, in an email.
Sponsors and partners those three years in the Architecture and Fine Arts Library, the Health and Science Library and the UF Alumni Association were generous, she said.
"We very much wanted to hold the contest in the years leading up to this year’s 2014-2015 contest, but were struggling with the amount of time it takes to coordinate a successful contest," Minson said.
The contest will close for judging Dec. 20, and winners will be announced early next year. The winning entries will be displayed at both the Marston Science Library and the Florida Museum of Natural History.
"It was a lot of fun to purposefully find the aesthetic aspects of my research," said Emily Thompson, 25, a UF alumna who placed second in 2011.
Thompson said she enjoyed participating in the contest and was shocked and disappointed that it had not been held for the past three years.
She said the contest is beneficial because visualization of science and research can be difficult.
It is an important skill for any scientist to present his or her work through pictures and infographics.
"Some of the large research conferences, like the biannual Materials Research Society, also have science art competitions," Thompson said. "I think it is really enjoyable to take a second and appreciate that not only is the research scientists do around the world really awesome in terms of innovation and future impact, it can also be very beautiful."
Participants can submit up to five entries. Instructions for submitting entries are at flmnh.ufl.edu/elegance-science/overview/.
[A version of this story ran on page 4 on 8/5/2014 under the headline "Art and Science collaboration contest returns"]
