OFFICIAL COMPETITION RULES

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY

1. COMPETITION: The Images of Research Competition (the “Competition”) is conducted by The Governors of the University of Alberta (“U of A”), and administered on behalf of the U of A by University of Alberta Library (“UAL”) and by the Faculty of Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies (“GPS”). The Competition is open to U of A GPS students as per the eligibility criteria set out in these Official Rules.

2. ELIGIBILITY: To be eligible for the Competition (an “Eligible Entrant”) you must be:

a. Eighteen (18) years of age or older;

b. A currently enrolled U of A GPS student. A current U of A GPS student must be in good standing with U of A. A “student in good standing” at the U of A is set out in the U of A calendar to mean a student who has first class, satisfactory or marginal standing, provided if a student has marginal standing, such student cannot be on probation or the subject of an academic warning.

You are not eligible for the Competition if you are a resident of Quebec. All decisions regarding eligibility to enter this Competition and the Entry Submissions will be determined by the U of A at its sole discretion. This Competition is void where prohibited by law.

3. ENTRY SUBMISSIONS: Subject to the following limitations, an Eligible Entrant may only submit one Submission that represents their research (“Entry Submission”). Each Entry Submission must be submitted to the U of A as provided for in these Official Rules. Only high-resolution digital images of photo and print quality will be accepted for final judging. The submissions can include photographs, images, visualizations and drawings. All Entry Submissions should be in .jpg, .png, or .tiff file formats and a minimum 200 dpi when the print size is at 12" x 18 or 15”x15". If the image size does not fit this aspect ratio, the IOR team reserves the right to resize the image for both digital and print display, in consultation with the participant and in adherence to the 200 dpi minimum requirement. Entry Submissions must not be resampled in Photoshop to increase the size or dpi. Entry Submissions not meeting these specifications will be disqualified.

Entrants who have entered this competition in previous years are welcome to reapply; however, a new image, title and description must be submitted. Winners from previous years are ineligible to enter this Competition, even with a new image.

Eligible Entrants will grant to the University of Alberta the non-exclusive rights to reproduce, and/or distribute the Entry Submission in print and digital media in an open access environment under the “Attribution CC BY license.” This license lets others distribute, remix, tweak, and build upon the Entry Submission even commercially, as long as the user credits the Eligible Entrant for the original creation. See Creative Commons for more information: https://creativecommons.org/licenses. Entry Submissions may be reproduced for purposes including Competition promotion and scholarly objects archiving in the U of A open access institutional repository https://era.library.ualberta.ca/.

4. NUMBER, APPROXIMATE VALUE OF PRIZES AND CHANCES OF WINNING: There are four (4) prizes available to be won in this Competition (the “Prizes”), being one (1) 1st place Prize, one (1) 2nd place Prize, one (1) 3rd place Prize, and one (1) People’s Choice Prize. The Prizes are described in paragraph 10 below. The chances of winning a Prize will depend on the number of Eligible Entrants received in accordance with these Official Rules during the Entry Period as defined herein.

5. COMPETITION SCHEDULE: This Competition commences on Tuesday, April 2, 2024 at 9:00 a.m. (Edmonton Time) and closes on Sunday, April 28, 2024 at 5:00 p.m. (Edmonton Time) (the “Entry Period”). Entry Submissions must be received by the U of A before the competition closing time to be eligible to win a Prize.

6. HOW TO ENTER: No purchase is necessary to enter this Competition. To enter, the following rules apply:

a. An Eligible Entrant must complete the entry form found at https://www.library.ualberta.ca/images-of-research/competition-details, including the image the form describes.

Each Entry Submission is to include a title and a short description that explains how the image is related to the Eligible Entrant’s research (max. 1200 characters). The description should be clear and in plain language, as the description will be judged along with the image.

To enhance the accessibility of the Entry Submission, each must also include an Alt text (alternative text) description. This description should succinctly convey the essence and details of the image for those who are unable to view it, such as individuals using screen readers. The Alt text must be clear and concise (max. 125 characters), ensuring it effectively communicates the visual aspects relevant to the research depicted in the image.

If the Entry Submission represents a collaborative project, the entry form must list all collaborators. However, only the group representative will be contacted.

b. All original images must be the creative work of the Eligible Entrants, or they must have obtained the relevant permissions to submit the image and allow UAL to use it as stated in paragraph 3. All Eligible Entrants are responsible for ensuring that no copyright has been infringed and that any necessary release has been signed; and

c. An Eligible Entrant must submit the Entry Submission to the U of A before the Competition Closing Time and in accordance with the instructions on the website and the provisions detailed in these Official Rules.

Once submitted, all Entry Submissions become the property of the U of A and will not be returned. All Entry Submissions will be reviewed, and any Entry Submissions which are deemed to be late, illegible, incomplete, inaccurate, inappropriate, offensive, plagiarized, subject to copyright or other intellectual property considerations, do not meet the Alberta Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (“FOIPP”) or privacy considerations, as set out in paragraph 19 herein, and otherwise, will be disqualified. Participants are responsible for obtaining consent from any identifiable people in the image using this form. The U of A reserves the right, but not the obligation, to require any Eligible Entrant to provide such consents or permissions from any individual appearing in an Entry Submission, failing which an Entry Submission may be disqualified. The U of A reserves the right, but not the obligation, to not award a Prize. All these determinations will be in the sole discretion of the U of A, are final and binding and cannot be challenged.

7. COMPETITION DETAILS: The Entry Submissions will be adjudicated by a multidisciplinary jury to determine the winners between Monday, April 22, 2024 and Sunday, April 28, 2024. The Entry Submissions will be judged based on the following categories:

a. Overall originality/creativity of the submission;

b. Visual appeal of the image;

c. Relationship between the image and the entrant’s research;

d. Clarity of written description and title (the “Competition Categories”).

Following the initial screening, each judge will choose a short-list of top entries to be discussed at the adjudication meeting. Winners will be determined by the consensus of the jury.

The People’s Choice voting is open to the public and includes the top 24 images, as chosen by the judges. Voting will open on Monday, May 13, 2024 at 9:00 a.m. (Edmonton Time) and closes on Sunday, May 26, 2024 at 5:00 p.m. (Edmonton Time). The image with the highest number of votes will be declared the People’s Choice Winner.

The Eligible Entrants whose Entry Submission is selected and has complied with these Official Rules, including without limitation the provisions of paragraph 9; will be declared a Winner. If necessary, should a Prize or Prizes be unclaimed, or should the Winners be unwilling, unable or ineligible to win a Prize as set out in these Official Rules, the Prize or Prizes will be forfeited and the U of A shall have the right, but not the obligation, to select, as replacements only, additional prize winner(s). All participants (including without limitation Eligible Entrants and any Winner) must comply with these Official Rules. The determination of the Winner by the U of A is final and binding. No communication with Eligible Entrants will be entered into except with the Winners. All matters related to the selection and the verification of the eligibility of the Eligible Entrants and Winner will be conducted by the U of A, or by persons designated by the U of A in its sole and absolute discretion. All decisions made by the U of A in this regard are final and binding and cannot be challenged.

8. NOTIFICATION: the U of A will notify the Winners, via email, on or before Monday, May 27, 2024, to obtain personal details from the Winners about the Prize to be awarded.

9. DECLARATION OF WINNER: An Eligible Entrant(s) will not be declared a Winner in accordance with these Official Rules unless and until:

a. The U of A has determined that the winners are Eligible Entrants pursuant to these Official Rules; and

b. The Eligible Entrant executes any further release or documentation as may be required by the U of A as provided for in these Official Rules.

Once these requirements have taken place, the Eligible Entrants will be declared the winners (a “Winner”; collectively the “Winners”).

10. PRIZES: There will be four (4) Prizes consisting of: one (1) 1st place prize of $800 (CDN); one (1) 2nd place prize of $600 (CDN); one (1) 3rd place prize of $500 (CDN); and one (1) People’s Choice prize of $250 (CDN). Prizes are subject to tax. Winners will be issued a T4A for tax filing purposes.

A Prize is not transferable and must be accepted as awarded with no substitutions, except at the U of A’s sole discretion. The U of A reserves the right to substitute a Prize of equivalent monetary value if the U of A is unable to award the Prize as described. The U of A will not be responsible, however, if factors beyond the U of A’s reasonable control prevent the Prizes from being fulfilled. In any such event, a winner will not be provided with a substitute prize or cash equivalent. All Prizes will be distributed through the U of A via transfer of funds after the reception using the personal details provided at the time of notification.

11. COMPETITION MODIFICATION OR CANCELLATION: The U of A reserves the right, without prior notice and at any time, to delay, or terminate the Competition, in whole or in part, or modify, suspend, amend or extend the Competition in any way, in its sole discretion including without limitation if the U of A determines that the Competition is not practicable or is impaired or corrupted or that fraud or technical problems, failures or malfunctions (including without limitation, computer viruses, glitches or printing or production errors) have destroyed or severely undermined the proper conduct, integrity, and/or feasibility of the Competition. In the event the U of A is prevented from continuing with the Competition as contemplated herein by any event beyond its control, including but not limited to fire, flood, natural or man-made epidemic or health or other means, earthquake, explosion, labour dispute or strike, act of God or public enemy, riot or civil disturbance, terrorist threat or activity, war or any federal, provincial or local government law, order, or regulation, public health crisis, the order of any court or jurisdiction, or by any other cause not reasonably within the U of A’s control (each a “Force Majeure” event), then subject to any governmental approval which may be required, the U of A shall have the right to modify, suspend, extend or terminate the Competition.

12. PARTICIPATION: Participation in this Competition constitutes an agreement by each participant to comply with these Official Rules.

13. DISQUALIFICATION: It is the participant’s responsibility to ensure that they have complied in full with all of the conditions and requirements contained in these Official Rules. If any Eligible Entrant or Entry Submission is found to be ineligible, or if an Eligible Entrant has not complied with these Official Rules or declines the Prize for any reason prior to award, such Eligible Entrant or Entry Submission will be disqualified and, at the U of A’s sole discretion, an alternate Winner may be selected. No illegible, incomplete, forged, or other automated multiple entries will be accepted. The U of A reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to disqualify any individual who is found to be tampering or attempting to tamper with the entry process or the operation of the Competition; to be acting in violation of these Official Rules; or to be acting in an unsportsmanlike or disruptive manner, or with the intent to disrupt or undermine the legitimate operation of this Competition, or to annoy, abuse, threaten or harass any other person. ATTENTION: ANY ATTEMPT TO DELIBERATELY DAMAGE https://www.library.ualberta.ca/images-of-research OR ANY RELATED WEBSITE OR TO UNDERMINE THE LEGITIMATE OPERATION OF THE COMPETITION MAY BE A VIOLATION OF CRIMINAL AND CIVIL LAWS SHOULD SUCH AN ATTEMPT BE MADE, THE U OF A RESERVES THE RIGHT TO SEEK REMEDIES AND DAMAGES TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO CRIMINAL PROSECUTION.

14. RELEASE AND INDEMNIFICATION: By entering the Competition, each participant: (a) releases and agrees to hold the U of A and its respective directors, officers, employees, and agents harmless from and against any and all costs, injuries, losses or damages of any kind, including, without limitation, bodily injury and property damage, or any other damage or loss, due in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, to participation in this Competition, any Competition related activity, or from acceptance, possession, use or misuse of any Prize, or participation in any Prize related activity; and (b) agrees to fully indemnify the U of A and its respective directors, officers, employees, and agents from any and all claims on the part of any third party or parties related in any way and for any reason to the Competition or the Prize including, without limitation, death, and personal or property damage or injury.

15. LIMITATION OF LIABILITY: The U of A assumes no responsibility or liability for incorrect, damaged, illegible, incomplete, mutilated, spoiled, destroyed, stolen, misplaced, lost, late, misdirected or incomplete Entry Submissions, which may be judged void, any notifications, responses, replies, or for any computer, telephone, hardware, software or technical malfunctions that may occur. The U of A assumes no responsibility for any theft or destruction or unauthorized access to, or alteration of, Entry Submissions. The U of A is not responsible for any injury or damage to participants in this Competition.

16. PUBLICITY RELEASE: By entering this Competition, each participant who submits an Entry Submission, hereby agrees and grants to the U of A, without further compensation, the unrestricted rights, but not the obligation, to use the entirety of the Entry Submission, as set out in these official rules and otherwise, and to use his/her name, picture, portrait, likeness, voice, along with his/her address (City and Province) and any statements made by or attributed to such Eligible Entrants, or other individuals associated with an Entry Submission, in any and all media, now known or hereafter devised, without notice, review or approval, in perpetuity and throughout the universe, and for educational, advertising and promotional purposes in connection with the Competition, and any other promotions and programs, whatsoever, without further notice or compensation and hereby releases the U of A from any liability with respect thereto.

17. OFFICIAL RULES AND LAWS: These are the official rules (the “Official Rules”). This Competition is governed by and construed and enforced in accordance with the laws of the Province of Alberta and federal laws of Canada applicable therein and the parties hereby attorn to the jurisdiction of the courts of the Province of Alberta. In the event a court determines that this Choice of Law clause is invalid or unenforceable as against an Entry Submission, such Entry Submission will be void. These Competition rules are subject to change without notice in order to comply with any applicable federal, provincial and municipal laws or the policy of any other entity having jurisdiction over the U of A. These Official Rules, as amended from time to time, will be posted on the UAL website at: www.library.ualberta.ca/images-of-research/competition-details.

18. CONSTRUCTION: Words importing the singular shall include the plural and vice versa. The invalidity or unenforceability of any provision of these Official Rules shall not affect the validity or enforceability of any other provision. In the event that any provision is determined to be invalid or otherwise unenforceable or illegal, these Official Rules shall otherwise remain in effect and be construed in accordance with their terms as if the invalid or illegal provision were not contained in these Official Rules. Headings and captions are used in these Official Rules solely for ease of reference, and shall not be deemed to affect in any manner the meaning or intent of these Official Rules or any provision hereof. These Official Rules cannot be modified or amended in any way except in writing by a duly authorized representative of the U of A. Employees of the U of A are not authorized to modify, amend or waive these Official Rules.

19. PRIVACY: The personal information requested pursuant to these Official Rules is collected, used and disclosed under the authority of the Alberta Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (“FOIPP”) and will be protected in accordance with Part 2 of that Act. It will be collected, used and disclosed for the purpose of administration of the Competition. All personal information collected for the purposes of administration of the Competition will be retained for two (2) years from the closing of the Competition. Direct any questions about this collection, use or disclosure to Images of Research, c/o Patti Sherbaniuk, Librarian, psherban@ualberta.ca.

20. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY: This section sets out the rights you, as the Eligible Entrant, are granting in relation to your participation in the Competition. (1) The Eligible Entrant is warranting that: (a) the content of the Entry Submission is his or her original work, and its content does not contain any material infringing the copyright of others; or, where the Entry Submission is not entirely the Eligible Entrant’s original work, the Eligible Entrant has obtained all necessary permissions in writing to grant the rights outlined herein. (b) where the Eligible Entrant shares co-ownership of copyright in the Entry Submission, he or she has obtained the co-owners written consent; and c) where the Eligible Entrant has used a generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) tool to assist with the creation of the Entry Submission, the Eligible Entrant has confirmed that sharing the work as described in this section 20 is consistent with the terms of use of the specific generative AI tool(s) used in its creation. (2) The Eligible Entrant agrees to: (a) for entries created with the assistance of a generative AI tool, to clearly identify the specific generative AI tool(s) used in the creation of the Entry Submission, and to permit the U of A to use and share the Entry Submission in any way provided the name of the Eligible Entrant is appropriately associated with the Entry submission in any such use or sharing; and (b) for all other entries, license the copyright in the Entry Submission to the U of A on a non-exclusive, world-wide, sub-licensable, perpetual, royalty-free basis under an “Attribution CC BY 4.0 license”, which permits others to distribute, remix, tweak, and build upon the Entry Submission, on a commercial or non-commercial basis, provided the user credits the creator for the original creation, provides a link to the license, and indicates if changes were made (See Creative Commons for more information). Submission of an Entry Submission amounts to an agreement to the above terms.

Submission of an Entry Submission amounts to an agreement to the above terms.