Best of CASE District VII Award
 

Institution: California State University, Chico

Title of entry: The Coolest Place on Campus

About this entry: How do you photograph the coolest place on campus? This was photographer Jason Halley’s challenge as he was tasked to capture students at work in a lab where researchers are cooling atoms to near absolute zero, nearly freezing them in space so they display their true quantum nature.

Halley would need to understand the equipment being used and how to properly capture the scene. Through careful planning and execution, he ultimately captured a student peering through a magneto-optical trap, essentially “looking through” the cooled atoms. The positioning of the student reflects the curiosity inherent in all scientific research.

The photographer used a digital camera with off-camera lighting equipment to highlight the typically dark lab environment. A tripod was used to ensure a sharp image that retained intricate details of the equipment, while maintaining focus of the student peering through the apparatus.

The image was assigned to accompany a feature article in the alumni magazine, Chico Statements. Additionally, the image has been used on social media, websites, and digital advertising. It is also being used to showcase the cutting-edge technology used in scientific research in the Physics Department.