First Place | “At the End of the World” | Santa Cruz, Argentina

This is the Perito Moreno Glacier in the Argentinian Patagonia. It is almost 100 square miles of ice — a breathtaking sight. We approached the glacier by boat and then actually hiked on it using crampons. We then took another boat around to the other side of the glacier and got this view. I loved the contrast of the bright green nature and the hard cold ice.

Second Place | “Waiting for Documents” | San Giovanni, Italy

Three refugees who escaped a brutal civil war in Libya pose for a portrait at their temporary home in San Giovanni, Italy. The men, who asked that their identities be obscured, made the dangerous journey across the Mediterranean with hopes of a better life. At the time of this photo, they were waiting to hear about the status of their asylum. “If you don’t have documents, there is nothing you can do. Nothing,” said one of them.

This photograph was taken as part of the 2015 Vimy awarded project, “Divided by the Sea.” The Vimy Grant offers funding for interdisciplinary research or service projects outside the United States. While bringing additional attention to the migration crisis, the group sought to tell the individual stories that are often overlooked in humanitarian crises. The UNC team consisted of Gabriela Arp, master’s student in the School of Media and Journalism, Andrea Patiño Contreras, master’s student in the School of Media and Journalism, and William Moose, master’s student in the Department of City and Regional Planning.

Third Place (Tie) | “Muhasin and the Goat” | Bangalore, India

During the summer of 2015, I often walked around alone in Bangalore, trying to put as much distance between myself and the touristy parts of town as possible. One Sunday, I met Muhasin and his family. While his parents and older siblings were all busy with chores, Muhasin’s only task was keeping an eye on their restless baby goat.

Third Place (Tie) | “Indian Train Station” | Rajasthan, India

During my time in India, I observed several chaotic scenes in train stations. People hop onto the tracks to get from platform to platform, and some even get on top of train cars. When this person started running down the train, I got ready to take this photograph. I was in Jaipur doing public service work, and trains are a popular mode of transportation between cities.

Chancellor’s Choice | “Not Your Mama’s Kitchen” | Hanoi, Vietnam

I came across this shot while strolling through the streets of Hanoi with my wife and son, looking for something to eat. When I turned a corner, the colors and smells of this makeshift kitchen captured my attention.

Chancellor’s Quote: The texture and rich colors immediately caught my eye. The scene is unexpected and raises a number of provocative questions—who cooks here and for whom are they cooking? What are they making? Where do they source their ingredients? We all eat, but understanding the food on our plates—and how it got there— requires a layered, multi-angled look at food systems that our current 2015-2017 university-wide academic theme, “Food for All: Global and Local Perspectives,” encourages.

Chancellor’s Choice | “The Beauty of Simplicity” | Marina Bay, Singapore

It is always refreshing to see a taste of simplicity in the complex matrix of technology and architecture within Marina Bay, Singapore. I took this picture to show the beauty of something as simple as riding a bike in an area that is filled with high-tech transportation.

Chancellor’s Quote: The strong silhouettes, architectural details, contrast, and layering of this photograph work well together. The photograph was taken during one of UNC’s unique study abroad programs, the UNC faculty-led Southeast Asia Summer Program (SEAS), which provides up to 25 students with an eight-week course of study in Southeast Asia during the summer following their first year at Carolina. The program was designed for students during this early stage of their academic careers so that it could influence their academic paths—and we’re thrilled that the program inspires many participants to study abroad again.

Chancellor’s Choice | “Elegance in Research” | Isla Colon, Panama

A French-born researcher tosses a gill net at dusk to catch sardines. There was something so elegant about this mundane scientific ritual. This researcher was one of 20 international scientists in residence along with me at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute’s Bocas Marine Station. The station was a melting pot of Italian, French, Panamanian, and American culture. We all shared a curiosity for the natural world and a recognizable restlessness to push geographic limitations.

Chancellor’s Quote: The movement, beauty, and serenity captured in this photograph are so striking. As a female environmental scientist, this image reminded me of my own field research investigating the effects of mercury and arsenic in our waterways and food systems. It is exciting to see researchers so passionate about water research; they will truly make a difference in helping us protect our natural resources for future generations.