SNOLAB is hosting its second annual poster contest to celebrate Dark Matter Day – an international outreach initiative. This year we are expanding eligibility to include a universal age category, open to adult participants. Designs can be created using any two dimensional medium. Awards will be given to first place winners in each age category. All contest submissions will be displayed at the SNOLAB facility!
Everybody loves a mystery — and one of the biggest mysteries in our universe is dark matter. Scientists around the world are working together to come up with ideas, and to build experiments that are trying to solve the mystery of dark matter. Dark matter seems to make up most of the matter in the universe, but we don’t know much about it yet. Scientists are not sure if dark matter is a new type of particle, or if it can be explained by new physics. Learning about it will teach us more about our universe and our place in it.
SNOLAB is Canada’s deep underground science laboratory and there are different types of dark matter experiments there that people all over the world work together to build. The experiments that are looking for dark matter underground at SNOLAB are designed to record dark matter particles passing through them. There are many more experiments around the world that are looking for dark matter. Some experiments use telescopes that look deep into space to learn about dark matter, and there are other experiments that smash particles together to try and make dark matter using huge particle colliders.
Participants are invited to create an original piece of visual artwork, in any medium, that explores the theme of dark matter. This can include the mystery of dark matter, the role that it plays in the universe, the science behind it, the people studying it, or anything they find interesting about this topic. Participants can be as creative as they like, letting their design shine as bright as the stars! Imagine an individual dark matter particle, or how it holds the universe together! They could dream up their own cosmic blueprint for an experiment or travel deep into space following their imaginations into the oldest parts of the universe. Looking for inspiration? View the submissions from last year here!
The deadline to enter is Sunday, October 27th at 11:59pm ET. All artworks must be entered using the submission form.
Poster mapping tool for educators
Use a graphic organizer or this poster mapping worksheet to help plan out poster designs.
Eligibility
This contest is open to everybody! Categories will be organized into the following:
- Primary (ages 4-8)
- Junior (ages 9-11)
- Intermediate (ages 12-16)
- Senior (ages 17-19)
- Universal (ages 20-100+)
Entry requirements
- Poster size is suggested to be 8.5” x 11”. This is standard letter size paper;
- Submissions will be accepted digitally. Artwork can be scanned or photographed (high resolution images are suggested and photo submissions may be cropped for display. Scanned submissions are preferred;
- Artwork must be an original work by the student, created by hand or digitally without the use of automated digital image generation (AI);
- Artwork is limited to one entry per student;
- Entries must be submitted using the submission form by Tuesday, October 29th at 11:59pm ET.
Criteria for judging
Submissions will be judged based on originality, innovative techniques, interpretation of the theme (dark matter), and the overall appearance of the artwork.
Prizes
Winners in each category will receive a SNOLAB prize pack, have their artwork printed and displayed 2km underground at SNOLAB, and shared on SNOLAB social media channels. All submissions will be digitally displayed at the SNOLAB facility. Winners and honourable mentions in each category will have their printed artwork returned to them after it has been displayed in the underground laboratory – 2km underground! Prize packs will include:
- A signed SNOLAB award certificate;
- SNOLAB stickers;
- books selected by the SNOLAB judging panel;
- other surprise items.
FAQ
What is dark matter?
There is a huge amount of stuff out there in space that is completely invisible to us. This stuff does not reflect, emit, or absorb light (in fact it does not interact with the electromagnetic spectrum at all!) but it does interact with gravity. We can see the pull it has on matter like stars and galaxies. But it’s not regular matter. It’s not a black hole. This stuff is not like anything that we have ever seen before, but it is definitely there. Scientists named this mysterious stuff dark matter.
Dark matter makes up 85% of the matter in the universe. That only leaves a small amount of regular matter that we know and understand.
Most scientists think that dark matter is a completely different type of matter in our universe, and many think it could be a new kind of particle. One dark matter candidate is the WIMP (Weakly Interacting Massive Particles). WIMPs are believed to have much more mass than regular matter particles like protons but interact very rarely with regular matter – making them extremely difficult to study.
Resources and information about dark matter for grade K-6 students:
- Watch a TedEd animation about how we build dark matter experiments at SNOLAB
- Explore some of the dark matter experiments at SNOLAB
- Watch a class presentation about dark matter with Dr. Erica Caden
- Watch a TedEd animation about dark matter – the matter we can’t see
- Learn about dark matter from the NASA kids website
- Learn more about Dark Matter Day – an international outreach celebration
- Watch a Peekaboo Kidz video about dark matter
Resources and information about dark matter for grade 6-12 students:
- Learn about the dark matter at SNOLAB website
- Watch a short video from the Globe and Mail about dark matter searches at SNOLAB
- Watch a TedEd animation about how we build dark matter experiments at SNOLAB
- Explore some of the dark matter experiments at SNOLAB
- Read an article reviewed by students about dark matter
- Do an experiment to learn how scientists make observations about dark matter
- Listen to a podcast episode about visiting SNOLAB to learn about dark matter
- Watch a TedEd animation about dark matter – the matter we can’t see
- Learn about dark matter from the CERN website
- Learn more about Dark Matter Day – an international outreach celebration
What is Dark Matter Day?
A public outreach initiative from the Interactions Collaboration, an international community of particle physics communication specialists, Dark Matter Day celebrates the work underway at laboratories and institutions around the world. Dark Matter Day events begin in late October and highlight the global search for dark matter, the many fascinating ways scientists search for this elusive substance, and the value of devoting scientific resources to unraveling this cosmic riddle. For more information and resources, visit the Dark Matter Day website.
What information will be publicly shared?
When winning posters are shared, only the first name, age, and country of origin will be published. No other personal information about the contestants will be published or shared.
Can I use words on my poster?
Poster entries may or may not include text. As a general rule of thumb, no more than 50 words should be used. Please do not include your personal information, such as names, school names, age, etc.
How will the winners be announced?
Results will be announced on SNOLAB’s website and will be posted on SNOLAB social media accounts on Dark Matter Day: October 31st, 2023. Winners will be emailed in advance of the announcement.
Where can I see other submissions?
All submissions will be posted to the SNOLAB Flickr, under the album “2024 SNOLAB Dark Matter Day Poster Design Contest”. See past submissions on the SNOLAB Flickr, under the album “2023 Dark Matter Day Poster Contest”.
How do I enter the contest?
Enter the contest using the “Submit Here” button located at the top of this page. Entries must be submitted by Tuesday, October 29th at 11:59pm ET.
What if I have a question not answered here?
If you have questions about the 2024 SNOLAB Dark Matter Day Poster Design Contest, please send an email to outreach@snolab.ca!