2025 Photomicrography Competition
Top 20
Honorable Mentions
Images of Distinction
Judges
Dr. Deboki Chakravarti
Science Communicator
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
Chief Multimedia Editor and Executive Producer at Scientific American
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.
Dr. Andrew Moore
Postdoctoral Scientist in the Lippincott-Schwartz Lab at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute's Janelia Research Campus
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 he is grateful for the opportunity to experience this year’s competition from the other side of the judges’ table.
Dr. Liz Roth-Johnson
Curator of Life Sciences at the California Science Center
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.
Dr. W. Gregory Sawyer
Chief BioEngineering Officer and Chair of the Department of BioEngineering at the Moffitt Cancer Center
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 40 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 remotely space-tribology experiments on the International Space Station (ISS), developed novel biomaterials for the ocular surface, and is currently leading efforts in Cancer Engineering.
