IUPAP Photo Contest: Celebrating Quantum Imagination—Yaseera Ismail

At a Glance: 2nd place photo, Experimental site of the optical ground station of the first quantum satellite link in the Southern Hemisphere at Stellenbosch University, by Yaseera Ismail

To celebrate the 100 years since the formulation of quantum mechanics, the International Union of Pure and Applied Physics (IUPAP) launched an international photo contest to capture the beauty of quantum research and technology developed worldwide, as well as the presence of quantum science and technology in our daily lives. 

The competition, part of the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology (IYQ2025) global events, opened submissions on June 9 in two categories:  

Beyond Our Eyes

“Dedicated to images captured using scientific instruments or produced through simulations of quantum processes, bringing to life phenomena we can’t usually see.”

At a Glance

Welcomed photos “that revealed the aesthetic beauty of scientific instruments, visible quantum effects in nature, such as light patterns, or creative interpretations inspired by quantum concepts.”

Through these categories, IUPAP encouraged scientists, students, and enthusiasts to look beyond technical boundaries and explore the poetry within science. 

The IUPAP–IYQ2025 Photo Contest received submissions from around the world until August 31. After rigorous review, the jury selected winning photographs for their scientific relevance and artistic quality. The IUPAP announced the six winners (three for each category) on October 24. In this series of IYQ blog posts, we intend to feature each winning photograph and the artist who created it, one for each post. 

Experimental site of the optical ground station of the first quantum satellite link in the Southern Hemisphere at Stellenbosch University, photo by Yaseera Ismail, second place in the category At a Glance