Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) opened its newest DNA Learning Center in Brooklyn (DNALC NYC) and is hosting a photography contest to fill a gallery with the faces of diverse New Yorkers. The exhibit, titled All The World in NYC, aims to highlight a hopeful message of genetics in our lives and celebrate the many races, cultures, and ethnicities represented by the people living in New York City (NYC). Submissions are due January 31, 2022. The top 40 photographs will be exhibited in the gallery; the photographers will earn a $500 award.
The DNALC NYC is located at the NYC College of Technology in Brooklyn. The Center opened on September 24, 2021, and is a collaboration between CSHL and the City University of New York (CUNY). One of the main goals of the DNALC is making research experiences accessible to a diverse population and “raising the bar of equity and inclusion in the sciences and STEM,” according to CUNY Chancellor Félix V. Matos Rodríguez. NYC Mayor Eric Adams added, “Our students, these predominantly black, brown, and immigrant students, are going to be on the cutting edge of new technology.” Many of the DNALC programs are designed to expand lab-based STEM education in biology and genetics to thousands of NYC middle and high school students. The hope is that more diverse students will be inspired to pursue careers in science.
At the opening ceremony, CSHL President and CEO Bruce Stillman thanked the crowd of stakeholders, supporters, and donors for their support and involvement in the $30 million project. CSHL Trustee Laurie J. Landeau shared her excitement about the Center, stating that “it is just the beginning” of many possibilities for NYC students.
The contest judging panel will be chaired by Jeanne Moutoussamy-Ashe, a celebrated photographer and public health activist on the CSHL Board of Trustees. Photographs and subject biographies will be judged blind. A maximum of three photos may be submitted per photographer. For more information on submission details and guidelines, visit this webpage.
Written by: Jasmine Lee, Content Developer/Communicator | publicaffairs@cshl.edu | 516-367-8845