Imagery has the power to communicate volumes, sometimes in a surprisingly economical way. Edward Tufte, author of Visual Explanations points out in the introduction, “Those who discover an explanation are often those who construct its representation.” The 2009 International Science & Engineering Visualization Challenge, co-sponsored by the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the journal Science, and published by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) aims to boost public understanding of research developments by challenging creators of photographs, illustrations, informational graphics, interactive media and non-interactive media to make new visual meaning in communicating science, engineering and technology for education and journalistic purposes.

Awards categories include: Photographs/Pictures, Illustrations/Drawings, Informational/Explanatory Graphics, Interactive Media, and Non-Interactive Media.

Winning entries will be published in a special section of the February 19, 2010 issue of the journal Science and Science Online and on NSF’s website. One winning entry will appear on the front cover of Science.

For more information, see: http://www.nsf.gov/news/scivis