Grand Prize: Between Light and Time | “This photograph was taken at Gyeongbokgung Palace in Seoul during my exchange program in South Korea in 2023. The image captures two visitors dressed in traditional hanbok, softly illuminated by a lantern as they look at a phone together. I was drawn to the quiet intimacy of the moment, where contemporary life and historical setting intersect seamlessly.” | Pushuai Wang, MA student in East Asian studies

Winner, Scenes from Abroad: Carriers of the Mountain | “This photograph was taken during a trip to a Tibetan region in Yunnan, China, in 2023. In the image, a group of mules carries woven baskets along a mountain path, moving through a landscape where daily labor remains closely tied to the terrain. I was struck by the rhythm of their movement and the way human activity is embedded within the surrounding environment.” | Pushuai Wang, MA student in East Asian studies

Winner, Arts & Architecture: Through Layers of Time | “This photograph was taken during a visit to Jincheng, Shanxi Province, China, in 2025. The image layers reflections of historical sculptures with a courtyard scene beyond, where light, foliage, and architecture intersect. I was drawn to the way different visual planes overlap, creating a sense of ambiguity between presence and reflection.” | Pushuai Wang, MA student in East Asian studies

Winner, Cultures & Traditions: Ritual in Motion; Hsinchu, Taiwan | “This photograph was taken during a cultural exchange program in Taiwan in 2024. The image captures a street procession in which performers wear elaborate costumes and masks, moving through an urban environment surrounded by onlookers. I was drawn to the intensity of the colors and theatrical presence of the figures, which transform an ordinary street into a ritual space.” | Pushuai Wang, MA student in East Asian studies

Winner, Natural World: Green Mirror; Yuri, Guainía, Colombia | “As part of my research, I conducted ethnographic work among Indigenous communities across the Inírida River. My research focuses on peatland conservation in Colombia. I was traveling with my advisor to share our findings with communities we have worked with over the past three years. I captured this picture as we approached the community of Yuri, with the sun setting and giving the impression that we were walking on a dream.” | Sergio Sanchez, Center for Latin American Studies affiliate and PhD candidate in the Emmett Interdisciplinary Program in Environment and Resources

Winner, Global Classroom and Winner, Popular Vote: Curiosity at Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle | “This picture is of Iris – my labmate and friend whom I met through my internship – looking at an Ice Age sloth skeleton at the Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle in Paris during a Université Paris-Saclay FAST Lab weekend excursion. As a group of biophysics researchers, we shared an interest in biology, and this visit allowed us to explore the natural world beyond our experiments. This photo reflects the sense of curiosity and discovery that shaped my internship and highlights the friendships I formed during my time there.” | Malaya Gaerlan, molecular and cellular biology major and Global Studies Internship Program participant

Winner, Signature Snap: Reflections Under the Midnight Sun | “Imagine a world where you can glide by boat past icebergs as the midnight sun glows in the sky and hear the thunderous sound of a calving glacier, only to return to land where a community of sled dogs bark to welcome you. You have reached Ilulissat, Greenland, home to the Ilulissat Ice Fjord, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and a veritable icy dreamscape. Its otherworldly ice formations and glassy waters invite reflections, both literal and figurative.” | Kristyn Hara, outreach and finance manager, Stanford Global Studies

Honorable Mention, Global Classroom: Man and Tree | “I took this photo of my dear friend and long-term research assistant in the lowland rainforests of Costa Rica’s Osa Peninsula in July 2024. He has been invaluable to our investigative efforts for the past five years. Stanford’s Center for Latin American Studies awarded me a Graduate Field Research Grant to conduct conservation biology research in Costa Rica as part of my PhD research.” | Edgar Francisco, PhD candidate in Earth system science

Honorable Mention, Cultures and Traditions: Shiva; Tamil Nadu, India | “This picture was taken at the Isha Yoga Center, where a large statue of Shiva is present. People congregate to pray and meditate at the center. I visited with the hope of understanding the local culture better.” | Raghad Asirib, coterminal master’s student in bioengineering and Global Studies Internship Program participant

Honorable Mention, Signature Snap: Coimbra Rainbow | “I was fortunate to catch a spectacular, fast-moving rainstorm while in Coimbra, Portugal’s oldest university city. Like many old Portuguese cities, it is a hilly place. This photo looks across a narrow valley to an outlying neighborhood.” | Rob Rakove, lecturer in International Relations