STS Elionix Scientific Images Winners Announced for Q1 2026

Date Posted : 5 May 2026

Tyndall extends its congratulations to the winners of the STS Elionix  Scientific Image Competition of Q1 2026!

Open to all researchers at Tyndall, the competition provides a platform to celebrate the artistic side of science, as seen through the microscope. Entrants were invited to submit images that not only reflect their research but also captivate the eye.

The judging panel for this quarter included Professor William Scanlon, CEO, Tyndall; Dr Graeme Maxwell, Head of Specialty Products & Services; Dr Daniela Iacopino, Researcher, MNS; Ursula Morrish, Marketing and Communications Manager

The judges selected three winning entries based on their originality, visual impact, and scientific relevance. The winners of the Q1 2026 competition are:

  • Liam Roos – “Small Victories“
  • Rupa Ranjani Palanisamy and Rupa Kasturi Palanisamy – “Colourburst Chaos“
  • Anina Anju Balaraman and Ruth Houlihan – “PiezoelectriCITY”

Each winner will receive a €150 Me2You Gift Card, generously sponsored by STS Elionix, in recognition of their contribution to scientific communication and visual storytelling.

 

Small Victories

By Liam Roos, Photonics Packaging

This image shows a microscopic chessboard fabricated using two-photon polymerisation, a high resolution 3D printing technique capable of producing complex structures on the microscale. In my research, the same method is used to fabricate micro-optical components that control the propagation of light within photonic systems. These structures can be designed to focus, redirect, expand, or otherwise shape optical beams with high precision. This particularly relevant in photonic packaging, where optical functionality must be integrated into very small volumes. The image therefore illustrates both the geometric precision of the fabrication process and its application to the development of functional micro-optics for advanced optical integration.

 

Colourburst Chaos

Rupa Ranjani Palanisamy and Rupa Kasturi Palanisamy, Advanced Energy Materials Group (AEM)
and Materials Chemistry and Analysis Group
(MCAG)

“Colouburst Chaos” presents a vividly false-coloured FESEM image of a carbon-based electrode material, revealing a dynamic landscape of irregular micro and sub-micron scale fragments. The sharp edges, layered textures, and diverse particle geometries highlight the high surface area and structural complexity essential for enhanced electrochemical performance. The contrasting colours emphasize variations in morphology arising from synthesis and activation processes, offering a clear view of the material’s heterogeneous architecture.
 
In a poetic sense, the image evokes a burst of colour suspended in motion, like a moment of energetic transformation captured in time. This image is linked to research at Tyndall under the TRANSLATE project, which focuses on converting low-grade waste heat into electricity. The engineered carbon electrode plays a key role in improving energy conversion efficiency by facilitating effective charge transport and ion accessibility. Such detailed morphological insights are crucial for designing advanced materials that enable sustainable energy harvesting technologies.

 

PiezoelectriCITY

By Anina Anju Balaraman and Ruth Houlihan, IPES

The image transforms the hidden interior of a piezoelectric multilayer ceramic capacitor into something strikingly familiar; a cityscape. Captured using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and revealed through a precise xenon focused ion beam (FIB) cut, the image exposes a dense arrangement of polycrystalline grains and layered structures that resemble tightly packed buildings rising from the ground. There’s a sense of order and purpose in this microscopic “city,” where every structure plays a role in keeping the system functioning. Just as a real city thrives on connection and movement, this engineered landscape quietly enables the flow and conversion of energy; a bustling metropolis at a scale far beyond human sight.