Nikon Announces Judging Panel for the 51st Annual Small World Competition

MELVILLE, N.Y., May 13, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Nikon Instruments Inc. today announced the judging panel for the 2025 Nikon Small World photomicrography and Small World in Motion video competitions, which will be held June 4–5 at the Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL) in Woods Hole, Massachusetts.

For over five decades, the Nikon Small World competition has been regarded as the premier platform for displaying the intricate beauty of life as seen through the light microscope. As in previous years, the competition will honor the top 20 photography and top 5 video winners, in addition to awarding honorable mentions and images of distinction. Submissions will be evaluated on originality, informational content, technical proficiency, and visual impact. Winners may receive up to $3,000 and international media recognition.

"Every year, each member of our judging panel brings a unique perspective that helps curate a collection of images and videos that not only reflects advancements in scientific imaging and research but also sparks curiosity and wonder for a global audience," said Eric Flem, Senior Manager, Communications and CRM at Nikon Instruments.

The 2025 judging panel features five top-tier experts in the fields of science and media, each of whom will leverage their diverse expertise in both science and art to evaluate which submissions best align with the competition's criteria:

• Deboki Chakravarti, PhD is a science writer based out of western Massachusetts who focuses on creating educational science videos and podcasts, including "Journey to the Microcosmos," "Tiny Matters," "Scishow Tangents," and "Crash Course Organic Chemistry." From designing better bike seats to existential crises inspired by amoebas, Chakravarti's work covers a wide range of subjects, all of which are tied together by her fascination with how science interacts with the culture around it. Chakravarti received her PhD in biomedical engineering from Boston University, where she worked on engineering T cells for cancer immunotherapy. Prior to that, she earned her bachelor's degree in bioengineering and English from The California Institute of Technology.
  
  
• Jeff DelViscio is the chief multimedia editor/executive producer at Scientific American. He is the former director of multimedia at STAT, where he oversaw all visual, audio, and interactive journalism. Before that, he spent more than eight years at The New York Times, where he worked on five different desks across the paper. DelViscio holds dual master's degrees from Columbia University in journalism and in earth and environmental sciences. He has worked aboard oceanographic research vessels and tracked money and politics in science from Washington, D.C. He was a Knight Science Journalism Fellow at MIT in 2018–19. DelViscio's work has won numerous awards, including two News and Documentary Emmys.
  
  
• Andrew Moore, PhD is a postdoctoral scientist in the Lippincott-Schwartz Lab at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute's Janelia Research Campus who specializes in cell biology with a focus on organelle-cytoskeleton interactions. He completed his graduate training in the Holzbaur Lab at the University of Pennsylvania, where he researched mitochondria quality control and dynamics. Currently, Moore's work centers on understanding how cells organize and position their organelles, particularly exploring the interactions between vimentin intermediate filaments and the endoplasmic reticulum. His research combines advanced light and volume electron microscopy techniques to delve into the complexities of cell structure and function. Moore is no stranger to Nikon Small World; he has placed six photos and six videos in the competitions since 2018 and looks forward to experiencing this year's competition from the other side of the judges' table.
  
  
• Liz Roth-Johnson, PhD is a scientist turned science communicator with more than a decade of experience making complex scientific ideas accessible and compelling to broad audiences. At the California Science Center, Roth-Johnson oversees the development of fun, memorable exhibit experiences that spark curiosity and inspire science learning in all ages and backgrounds. Recent projects include a Nikon Small World exhibit that explores some of the light microscopy tools and techniques scientists use to study life. Prior to her tenure at the California Science Center, Roth-Johnson created popular online food science content, reported science stories for KQED Science, consulted for the Autry Museum of the American West, and designed introductory biology courses for undergraduate students at UCLA. Roth-Johnson earned her PhD in molecular biology from UCLA and received her BA degree from UC Berkeley, where she majored in molecular & cell biology and music. She completed postdoctoral work as a Discipline-Based Education Research Fellow in the UCLA Department of Life Science Core Education.
  
  
• W. Gregory Sawyer, PhD is chief bioengineering officer and chair of the Department of BioEngineering at the Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, Florida. Professor Sawyer has published over 200 journal papers, has over 16,000 citations, holds over 20 patents, and is most proud of his numerous PhD students who are now faculty members and scientists across the globe. He was a member of the original Mars Rover Program (NASA-JPL), a speaker at TED 8, led the first space-tribology experiments on the International Space Station (ISS), developed novel biomaterials for the ocular surface, and is currently leading efforts in Cancer Engineering.

The Nikon Small World in Motion video winners will be announced in late September, and the winners of the Nikon Small World Photomicrography Competition will be released in mid-October, 2025.

For additional information, please visit www.nikonsmallworld.com, and follow the competition on Facebook, LinkedIn, X (@NikonSmallWorld), Instagram (@nikonsmallworld), and Bluesky (@healthcare.nikon.com).

About Nikon Small World Photomicrography Competition
The Nikon Small World Photomicrography Competition is open to anyone with an interest in photography or video through the microscope. Participants may view details and upload digital images and videos directly at www.nikonsmallworld.com. For additional information, contact Nikon Small World, Nikon Instruments Inc., 1300 Walt Whitman Road, Melville, NY 11747, USA, or email us at [email protected].

ABOUT NIKON INSTRUMENTS INC.
Nikon Instruments Inc. is the US microscopy arm of Nikon Healthcare, a world leader in the development and manufacture of optical and digital imaging technology for biomedical applications. For more information, visit https://www.microscope.healthcare.nikon.com/ or contact us at 1-800-52-NIKON.

SOURCE Nikon Instruments Inc.