RTG 2530 Photo ContestFourth picture of the 'Hall of Fame'

16 January 2026, by RTG2530

Photo: UHH/RTG2530/Puerto Rueda

The RTG 2530's annual photo contest brings science and art together. Doctoral researchers have the chance to showcase their work creatively, whether through photography, graphics or illustrations. This year's winning picture, created using a microscope, is a wonderful example of the aesthetic potential of scientific research. It opens a view into a fascinating world that would normally remain invisible to the naked eye. We would like to thank Diana Nicole Puerto Rueda for sharing this perspective with us, as well as all other participants for their original and inspiring submissions. The picture will be displayed in the 'Hall of Fame' on the ground floor of the Institute of Plant Science and Microbiology, in the corridor near Room E.084.

The picture was taken on the first day of a mesocosm experiment, before the water temperature was increased. “The spiky green algae, round diatoms, elegant chains, and small single-celled drifters you see here are all part of a microscopic network that keeps the estuary running, moving energy and carbon from one organism to the next”, explains Diana Nicole Puerto Rueda.

The network character of the picture becomes immediately apparent: different forms, larger and smaller structures, as well as sharply defined elements are found alongside others that appear slightly blurred. In this way, the diversity appears in motion, seems lively, and at the same time comes together in a calm, balanced composition. The restrained, cohesive colour palette reinforces this impression and directs attention to the interplay of forms. The photographer describes this state as balance.

UHH/RTG2530

On the significance of the picture within the context of her research, she offers an insightful reflection: “My research looks at how warming can shift this balance: some groups grow faster, others fade, and the relationships between them start to rearrange. Even when the overall activity stays steady, the structure of the community can change in surprising ways. This picture captures that network at its most natural and undisturbed, offering a glimpse into the intricate world that supports so much of the ecosystem above it."