Over the summer we asked you to grab your cameras (or phones) and show us STEM in action. You did not disappoint. From the tiniest details of life in a hive to experiments on the water and the balance of stones on a windswept beach, the variety and quality of entries has been fantastic.
After much discussion and plenty of admiration, we are excited to announce this year’s winners.
Michael’s entry was buzzing with detail. His series of photos captured the life of bees in all its complexity, from the symmetry of the honeycomb to the teamwork inside the hive. What made this one really stand out was how well the images told the science story. Biology, chemistry and even maths all came together in some cracking close-up shots. A worthy winner that shows STEM at its most natural.
Trevor’s photo proves that physics is everywhere, even in a quiet moment on the coast. His shot of stone stacking is beautiful on its own, but when you start thinking about balance, gravity, friction and centre of mass, it becomes a perfect example of science hiding in plain sight. It is one of those pictures that makes you stop and think, which is exactly what this competition is all about.
3rd Place – Water Experiments by @Gordon Taylor
Gordon’s set of pictures brought STEM back to the classroom, or in this case the canal. His students were clearly having a brilliant time testing, experimenting and working together. It is hands-on science, teamwork and curiosity all rolled into one, and that sense of fun really came through in the photos.
Honourable Mentions
A breath-taking image packed with geological wonder. Stalactites and stalagmites in every direction, showing nature’s architecture at its most dramatic.
Milky Way and Peacock Butterfly – @Jacob Hunter
Two stunning shots that could not be more different, yet both full of science. From the dust and gas clouds of our galaxy to the intricate symmetry of a butterfly’s wings, Jacob’s photos were a real celebration of scale in STEM, from the cosmic to the delicate.
Special Award – Best Classroom Demonstration/Usable Resource – Wave Diffraction by @Simon Poliakoff
Simon’s photo of wave diffraction on the shores of the Azores was a standout for sheer usefulness in teaching. The clear curved wave patterns between the rocks provide a spectacular real-world demonstration of diffraction, the kind of image every physics teacher would love to bring into a lesson. Even better, Simon also captured a video of the effect in action, making this an instantly usable classroom resource. A perfect reminder that sometimes the best STEM visuals are the ones nature creates for us.
Plain text link to video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lj-ZZTG0ddU
Thank You
A big thank you to everyone who took part, whether you submitted a photo or just joined in the voting. It has been a brilliant reminder of the many different ways STEM touches our lives. Keep your cameras handy, we will be back next year for more.
You can view all of this years entries on this thread: https://community.stem.org.uk/discussion/summer-of-stem-photo-competition-2025-now-open
Congratulations again to all of our winners - I will be in touch with you next week to sort your prizes! :-D