envisioning research

a group of people sit, some in chairs and some on the floor, looking over a documents

Aug 21, 2026

Celebrating Observation and Discovery

This year, we celebrate 43 winners and the captivating images, graphics and videos of their research. Their entries highlight how communities engage natural resources, the beauty of invisible structures, unique ways of visualizing data — and much more. As ever, we are thrilled to showcase how our community documents learning and discovery.

a white robot resembling a moth creates ripples in purple water as it flaps its wings

Jan 20, 2026

NC State Contest Seeks Research Images from Students, Faculty, Staff

NC State calls on students, postdocs, faculty and staff to take part in the university’s annual research image contest.

Faculty/Staff Photography, 1st Place by Alice Alonso Unique ecosystems, known as estuaries, form where rivers meet the sea. Imagery from the Landsat 8 satellite reveals the blackwaters of the Suwannee River contrasting against the greenish-blue waters of the Gulf of Mexico, capturing large-scale relationships between upstream change, river flow, and oyster reef health. Upstream changes in land use and land cover impact estuarine environments, leading to degradation of many nearshore habitats.

Oct 17, 2025

A Decade of Envisioning Research

If a picture is worth a thousand words, then Envisioning Research — a contest and collection of captivating scientific videos and images captured across NC State — represents thousands of hours dedicated to discovery.

our animal-processing tent overlooking the Peruvian Amazon at sunset.

Aug 21, 2025

The Beauty and Breadth of NC State Research

The annual Envisioning Research contest commemorates its tenth year in 2025. For the past decade, students, faculty and staff have submitted their images to the competition, helping our campus highlight the beauty and importance of scientific exploration and discovery.

Jan 13, 2025

Share Your Research Photos and Images With Us!

Share your images of research being done at NC State.

A microscopic image of the sexual structure of a powdery mildew with a dark orange and brown center with a halo of light blue tendrils around it.

Sep 11, 2024

Gallery: The 2024 Envisioning Research Winners

From volcanoes to microscopic polymers, NC State researchers highlighted their vital work in natural resources, biochemistry, engineering and more through the 2024 Envisioning Research Contest.

Several blue and yellow tentacles wave from a blue and yellow stem against a black backdrop

Aug 26, 2024

The Scope of Our Research: Winners of the 2024 Envisioning Research Contest

The 2024 Envisioning Research contest captures the spectacular landscape of research being conducted at NC State.

Feb 15, 2024

Show Us Your Research, NC State!

NC State is calling on graduate students, undergraduate students, postdocs, faculty and staff to take part in Envisioning Research, the university’s annual research image contest.

a woman holds a small bird in one hand while attaching a band to its leg with her other hand

Aug 23, 2023

The Beauty of Research

The winners of the 2023 Envisioning Research contest showcase the scope of research being done at NC State.

aerial view of a wetland forest shows many green trees and large patches of floating weed in the water

Feb 7, 2023

NC State Researchers: Show Us What You’re Working On

Research can produce remarkable photography, microscopy, data visualization, and more. Share them with us!

blue-ish white dots and lines against a black backdrop resemble a night sky, but are actually a microscopic image of salt crystals and a fluorescently labeled virus

Aug 24, 2022

Researchers Capture the Beauty of Our Weird, Wonderful World

Winners of the 2022 Envisioning Research contest help us understand, and appreciate, our world.

multi-colored shards of material, resembling a stained-glass window

Aug 19, 2021