The Water Institute at UNC announced winners of a global photography competition, "Reflections," on Oct. 4 at its annual Water and Health Conference. The Institute had invited photographers in the United States and around the world to submit powerful images about water, human health and development. Winning photographs appear in the 2012 Water Institute at UNC calendar, which is currently available for pre-order.

 

"Water is far too often a bad news item in public health - a cause of disease outbreaks, the drudgery of collecting water and carrying it home, etc." said Jamie Bartram, PhD, professor of environmental sciences and engineering and Institute director. "With this competition, we saw creative energies directed toward the good news - water for life, health, development, prosperity and recreation."

The competition was sponsored by Stephen Morse, PhD, alumnus of UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health, in which the Institute is based, and member of the School's Public Health Foundation Board. "I am proud to support this worthy event," Morse said. "I hope it will help to highlight the importance of water to human health and survival across the globe."

From more than 200 photographs entered in the contest, 55 were selected for display at the 2011 Water and Health Conference. Conference attendees had the opportunity to vote for their favorite photographs, and a team of judges, including Bartram and Morse, finalized the winners.

The grand prize of $500 was awarded to Niharika Bhattarai for her photograph, "Pump," taken in Utter Pradesh, India. Bhattarai said the image portrays water as a force binding people together. Two photographs tied for the $250 second-place awards: Sarah Yerian's "The Water Trough," taken in Kenya, and Wencong Chen's "Mother's Touch," taken in Atlanta. Eleven photographs received an honorable mention:

• Eleanor Swimming in Far North Queensland, Australia by Roxanne Turpen
• A Woman Prepares to Collect Water in Tiruchirapalli, India by Heather Arney
• Fisherman in Raleigh, North Carolina by Ted Richardson
• Water of Life, Water of Death in Boussoulou, Togo by Sara Holtz
• Celebration in Soroti, Uganda by Emily Zuehlke
• Pincushion Gloeotichia echinulata by Barry Rosen
• Bath Time in Lake Kivu, Rwanda by Birgit Bolton
• Boy in Canoe on the River Volta in Ghana by William Narteh Gblerkpor
• Ocean Sailing in Vilanculos, Mozambique by Linn Bergander
• Water Carriers in Hyderabad, India by Heather Arney.

The photographs are featured in a 2012 calendar currently on sale to benefit projects at The Water Institute at UNC. The calendars can be pre-ordered for $17.50. Find more information about pre-ordering a calendar online.

 
UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health contact: Ramona DuBose, director of communications, (919) 966-7467 or ramona_dubose@unc.edu.