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Last year, to celebrate our transition from BioMed Central to BMC, we held our first ever ‘Research in progress’ photo competition. We received hundreds of fantastic entries covering everything from microscopy, ecology, and public health.

A year on, we are pleased to announce the launch of the 2nd ‘Research in progress’ photo competition. Once again we want to see your enthusiasm for science and progress reflected in your photography.

Your image should be related to research and can be focused on any area of your work and from any discipline including physical sciences, mathematics and engineering. Anyone with an interest in research can enter, from anywhere in the world.

To fit our theme of ‘Research in progress’, we’re looking for bright, modern and inspiring photographs that reflect innovation, curiosity and integrity. If you’re looking for inspiration, why not take a look at the previous winners and selected images?

The winning entries will be chosen by a panel of Springer Nature employees’, who will be looking for images that reflect originality, photo quality, creativity, composition and visual appeal.

The overall winner will receive a cash prize of €550 (~£490/$645), while the runner-up will receive €350 (~£310/$410). The prize-winning images will be featured on the BMC blog, BMC website and in our promotional materials. Last year the winning images were featured in major outlets such as The Guardian, IFL Science, and The Independent.

How do you enter?

It’s easy. First ensure that your image conforms to the image criteria below*. Then submit your entry by emailing your photo to researchinprogress@biomedcentral.com.

Your entry must include the following details:

• Name
• Image
• Description (Max. 300 words)
• File type
• Data attribution (if applicable)
• Affiliation (if applicable)
• I agree to release this image under a Creative Commons License (CC-BY):  Y/N
• Twitter handle (optional)
• How did you hear about this competition?

*Your image must conform to the following criteria:

A minimum 300dpi (1831 x 1831 pixels for a raster image). In one of the allowable formats – EPS, PDF (for line drawings), PNG, TIFF, JPEG, BMP, DOC, PPT [Please note that it is the responsibility of the author(s) to obtain permission from the copyright holder to reproduce figures or tables that have previously been published elsewhere.]

In line with our policies on open access, entry to the competition implies release of the images under a creative commons license, to allow file sharing with proper attribution. By entering this competition you agree to make your entry available under such a license.

We’ll be posting regular updates on the competition throughout the coming months, so don’t forget to keep up to date by reading our blog or by following us on our Twitter and Facebook page. If you have any queries, please do not hesitate to email us at researchinprogress@biomedcentral.com.

Closing date for entries is midnight, 16th November 2018, with winners being announced in December.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

Please read these terms and conditions carefully. By entering into this BMC ‘Research in progress’ photo competition (“Promotion”), you agree that you have read these terms and that you agree to them. Failure to comply with these terms and conditions may result in your disqualification from the Promotion.

1. Information about how to enter and prize details form part of these Terms and Conditions. Entry into this Promotion is deemed to be an acceptance of these Terms and Conditions.
2. This Promotion is run by BioMed Central Limited, with its registered office at The Campus, 4 Crinan Street London, N1 9XW (“Promoter”).
3. To enter this Promotion you must be: (a) resident in a country where it is lawful for you to enter; and (b) aged 18 years old or over (or the applicable age of majority in your country if higher) at the time of entry. This Promotion is void in Cuba, Iran, Myanmar, Russia, Ukraine, North Korea, Sudan, and Syria or where otherwise prohibited or restricted by law. Any government officials that enter the Promotion are responsible for ensuring that they may enter and/or receive a prize if they win and that the prize does not exceed the relevant limit for their role and jurisdiction. If a winner is not able to accept the prize then a charity donation can be made instead to a Springer nature approved charity.
4. This Promotion is not open to directors or employees (or members of their immediate families) of Promoter or any affiliate of Promoter. Promoter reserves the right to verify the eligibility of entrants.
5. The Promotion is open for entries between 00:00 on 27/09/2018 and 23:59 on 16/11/2018 BST.
6. No purchase is necessary to enter this prize Promotion and will not increase your chances of winning.
7. You can enter this Promotion by emailing your photo to researchinprogress@biomedcentral.com.
8. Only one entry per eligible person. Multiple entries will be deemed to be invalid and may lead to disqualification. Entries should be a minimum 300dpi (1831 x 1831 pixels for a raster image) in one of the allowable formats – EPS, PDF (for line drawings), PNG, TIFF, JPEG, BMP, DOC, PPT.
9. Promoter accepts no responsibility for any entries that are incomplete, illegible, corrupted or fail to reach Promoter by the closing date for any reason. Proof of posting or sending is not proof of receipt. Entries via agents or third parties are invalid. No other form of entry is permitted. Please keep a copy of your entry as we will be unable to return entries or provide copies.
10. The prize for the Promotion consists of the following: The overall winner will receive a cash prize of €550 (~£490/$645), while the runner-up will receive €350 (~£310/$410). The prizes can only be paid into the bank account of the winners.
11. The winning images will be featured on the BMC blog, BMC website and in our promotional materials alongside participants’ name and affiliation (if applicable). The winning entries will be chosen by a panel of Springer Nature employees, who will be looking for images that reflect originality, photo quality, creativity, composition and visual appeal. Springer Nature reserves full editorial discretion in choosing winner(s), and may decide to award none of the entries.
12. The prizes shall be awarded as follows: The prize will be decided in the two weeks following the close of the Promotion. The winner(s) will be notified via email. Winner(s) will be selected by a panel of Springer Nature Full names of the judging panel will be available on request. Any decision will be final and binding and no further communication will be entered into in relation to it.
13. By submitting your image for the Promotion, you consent to the image being published on a CCBY basis. This means that readers may copy, distribute and transmit the image as long as it is attributed back to the author. Readers are permitted to alter, transform or build upon the image, and to use the image for commercial purposes. In addition to the above the entrant specifically grants to the Promoter a non-exclusive, irrevocable, worldwide license to publish, display, use and store the image in all forms and editions, revisions, translations and derivatives for the full period of copyright in all media. The image may be used in promotional or marketing material in print and online. You confirm that your entry is your own original work, is not defamatory and does not infringe any laws, including privacy laws, whether of the UK or elsewhere, or any rights of any third party, that no other person was involved in the creation of your entry, that you have the right to give Promoter and its respective licensees permission to use it for the purposes specified herein, that you have the consent of anyone who is identifiable in your contribution or the consent of their parent, guardian or carer if they are under 18 (or the applicable age of majority), it is lawful for you to enter and that you agree not to transfer files which contain viruses or any other harmful programs. Please note that it is the responsibility of the entrant(s) to obtain permission from the copyright holder to reproduce third party intellectual property. Any identifiable person in the entry may be required to sign a model release.
14. The winner(s) of the Promotion shall be notified as follows: contacted by email no more than three weeks after the competition closes. 
15. The winner(s) will be required to confirm acceptance of the prize within five working days and may be required to complete and return an eligibility form stating their age and residency details, among other details. Promoter will endeavour to ensure that winner(s) receive their prizes within 45 days of the date they confirm acceptance of the prize and have fulfilled any post-promotion requirements. If a winner does not accept the prize within five working days of being notified, they will forfeit their prize and Promoter reserves the right to choose another winner(s). Promoter’s decision is final and Promoter reserves the right not to correspond on any matter.
16. The name, region of residence and likeness of the winners may be used by Promoter for reasonable post-event publicity in any form including on Promoters website and social media pages at no cost.
17. You can find out who has won a prize by checking blogs.biomedcentral.com.
18. Promoter reserves the right to cancel or amend these Terms and Conditions or change the Prize (to one of equal or greater value) as required by the circumstances.
19. All personal data submitted by entrants is subject to and will be treated in a manner consistent with Promoter’s Privacy Policy accessible at https://www.biomedcentral.com/privacy-statement. By participating in this Promotion, entrants hereby agree that Promoter may collect and use their personal information and acknowledge that they have read and accepted the Promoter Privacy Policy.
20. Promoter may at its sole discretion disqualify any entrant found to be tampering or interfering with the entry process or operation of the website, or to be acting in any manner deemed to be disruptive of or prejudicial to the operation or administration of the Promotion.
21. Other than for death or personal injury arising from negligence of the Promoter, so far as is permitted by law, the Promoter hereby excludes all liability for any loss, damage, cost and expense, whether direct or indirect, howsoever caused in connection with the Promotion or any aspect of the Prize. All activities are undertaken at the entrants own risk. Your legal rights as a consumer are not affected.
22. These terms and conditions shall be governed by and construed in accordance with English law. Disputes arising in connection with this Agreement shall be subject to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of the English courts.