To celebrate MTU Innovation and Enterprise month 2021, The Teaching and Learning Unit, AnSEO and The Arts Office brought you 'Moments: Teaching and Learning at MTU', a photo and caption competition. The competition ran throughout March, 2021, and was open to all MTU students and staff.
The aim of the competition was to capture moments in the lives of students and staff across all campuses at MTU, celebrating our diversity and collective, as well as individual, experiences.
We sought submissions that were striking, thoughtful and fun, with an evocative caption.
Photographers of all abilities submitted more than 300 images under 4 categories:
- Together Apart
- Creative in Challenging Times
- Teaching and Learning at a Distance
- Make me Smile
We had prizes for the top 2 images in each category as well as one overall winner, who received €1000 of Canon photographic equipment from our sponsors O’ Learys Cameraworld, 90 Oliver Plunkett St, Cork.
We would like to thank our external judging panel and special guests for their time and effort:
- Jean Francois Turbide – O’ Learys Cameraworld
- Kevin McStravock – Deputy President of the Union of Students in Ireland
- Terry Maguire – Director of the National Forum for the Advancent of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education
- Paul Cowhig – Wavebreak Media
- Special Guest James Crombie – Irish Press Photographer of the Year 2021
- Professor Maggie Cusack - President of MTU
- Trish Brennan - Head of the Department of Fine Art and Applied Art
Additionally, we had the Presidents Prize, kindly sponsored and chosen by MTU president Professor Maggie Cusack.
A list of our 2021 winners can be found below the finalists slideshow.
| Category |
Place |
Name | Department/Course | Image |
| Together Apart |
Winner |
Avril O’ Sullivan |
BA Photography with New Media |
Are you there? |
| Together Apart |
Runner-up |
Avril O’ Sullivan |
BA Photography with New Media |
There is a first time for everything |
| Creative in Challenging Times | Winner | Xhan Angeles | BA Creative Digital Media | Creative Isolation |
| Creative in Challenging Times | Runner-up | Pearse Healy | Food Photography | What happens when the books run out? |
| Teaching & Learning at a Distance |
Winner |
Samantha Zaccaria | BBus Business | Mind is our library |
| Teaching & Learning at a Distance |
Runner-up |
Avril O’ Sullivan |
BA Photography with New Media |
I'll try the wall |
| Make me Smile |
Winner |
Fiona Tobin | Hotel, Culinary & Tourism |
The truth behind turned off cameras |
| Make me Smile | Runner-up | Cliona Power |
BSc Nutrition & Health Science |
The bittersweet reality of virtual learning |
| Overall Prize | Winner | Dr Krishnakumar Chullipalliyalil |
CAPPA – The Centre for Advanced Photonics & Process Analysis |
Look who's talking now - Lasers, Lights & COVID-19 |
| Presidents Prize | Winner | Cian O' Regan | RISAM PhD Student |
"We choose to go to the moon...not because it is easy but because it is hard" JFK |
