A3TS 2026 photo competition

" Immortalizing materials science practices for tomorrow's young generation ".

A3TS is organizing its traditional photo competition, open to all pupils and students in heat treatment and surface treatment training courses, under the supervision, for the year 2025-2026, of Frédéric Meunier (Senior project engineer Prod. Technology - Oerlikon), Fabrice Turpin (Professor of Industrial Engineering Sciences), Imane Dhaouadi (Professor of Physical Chemistry Sciences), Séverine Roger (Management Assistant - A3TS) and not forgetting the participation of our sponsor Lam Plan with Jérôme Seureau.

Several prizes enable the winners to receive metallographic preparation consumables directly for their classes/institutions. The total value of these prizes donated by Lam Plan and A3TS is between €3,500 and €4,000.

The awards will be presented in front of the entire profession at the A3TS Mattris '26 national congress and trade show, to be held in Dunkirk on July 1-3, 2026.

1.THEME OF THE 2025-2026 COMPETITION

The theme of the competition is defined each year. The photographs submitted must illustrate the theme and follow the presentation guidelines set out in the rules.

This year's theme is: " Immortalizing materials science practices for tomorrow's young generation ".

Participants are invited to capture the world of materials through gestures, environments, tools, experiments or moments of discovery illustrating the future of the discipline. The competition offers the possibility of including people in the photographs, to highlight the human work behind these practices. 

However, to guarantee respect for image rights, any person appearing in a photo must not be identifiable. Faces must therefore be hidden or unrecognizable (back shots, masks, hand framing, deliberate blurring, etc.).

2. CONDITIONS OF PARTICIPATION

The competition is open to high school pupils and students of full age and minors in heat treatment and surface treatment courses (permission to take part to be provided by the legal representative if the minor is not under the supervision of a teacher).

Each individual or group participant presents one and only one photograph.

This photograph may not be retouched (with the exception of the transition from color to black and white) or edited using photo software.

3. TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF PARTICIPATION

The competition is open until May 18, 2026.

All entries from the same school must be submitted by a single "referent" teacher for this competition.

For each participant wishing to compete, it is expected:

¤ the following completed form, including the signature sheet covering image rights: https: //forms.gle/t8XHbbmG4QDapXWk9

¤ Your work sent by email in pdf format, formatted as follows (+refer to the attached document template):

Only one document may be attached to this e-mail (to s.roger@a3ts.org)(must be in pdf format).

This pdf file will include on a single page in A3 format :

• The photo: its definition will be established to allow quality printing in A3 format (as a rough guide, an image resolution of 250 dpi is a good choice). This A3 format will be the one displayed on the A3TS congress forum.

• A scale if relevant

• The title you have chosen for your work

• The author(s) (first name(s) + last name(s))

• The name of the school and the course followed

• In the box provided (maximum size 10 cm * 20 cm), a text (minimum font size 12) describing :

o A general description of the experimental practice(s) staged.
o Technical and scientific information.
o the nature of any materials and associated treatments
o any preparation(s) carried out for this laboratory practice.
o any other additional points deemed necessary.

The generic model of the expected work is presented in the appendix.

¤ Send by post:

Send a printout, ideally in A3 format (used for jury deliberation), of the deliverable defined in the paragraph above. Of course, if several entries are received from the same class, please send only one by post.

The main advantage of sending by post is to ensure that all entries are taken into account. E-mail entries are sometimes blocked by computer systems.

Mailing address :

A3TS
Photo Contest
71 rue Lafayette
75009 PARIS

4. COMPETITION JURY AND SELECTION CRITERIA

A jury of material processing professionals is formed each year to select the photographs. Under the presidency of a member of the A3TS, the jury will evaluate the photographs presented by the candidates.

Photographs will be judged on the following aspects:

- Relevance of the subject,
- Originality,
- Artistic interest,
- Technicity in relation to the professions of materials science, heat treatment and surface treatment,
- Interest in terms of communication in the industrial or academic sectors of heat treatment and/or surface treatment.

The organizer reserves the right to invalidate or cancel all or part of an entry if it appears that fraud or malfunctions of any kind have occurred during participation in the contest. It also reserves the right to exclude images that may infringe public order, public decency or the rights of a third party.

The decision of the jury is final and will not be justified under any circumstances.

5. PRIZES AND AWARDS

A prize will be awarded to the authors of the photograph selected in the following categories:

• Winner of the "1er Prix" competition

• Price of esthetique

• Technicality award (in this case, the elements provided by the image and the content of the explanatory text will be taken into account)

• Originality Award

• Communication awards (the target audience here is the next generation)

The winners' home establishments will receive equipment from A3TS and Lam Plan (sponsor of the competition).

The prizes will be awarded in public at the A3TS Congress, in the presence of members of the Jury.

The winners will have their pictures published on the website and in the A3TS magazine.

For the 2025 competition, the total prize money of €2,800 was awarded directly in the form of a voucher for LAM Plan metallurgical preparation products.

6. PERSONAL DATA

In accordance with the provisions of article 34 of the French Data Protection Act 78-17, participants are hereby informed that the personal information collected by A3TS is necessary for their participation in this competition and will be processed electronically.

To find out more about how your personal data is managed and to exercise your rights, please refer to the privacy policy here: https: //www.a3ts.org/politique-de-confidentialite

7. RIGHT TO IMAGE

Participants declare and guarantee that they are the authors of the photos submitted and, consequently, that they are the exclusive holders of all literary and artistic property rights, in particular the right to the name, the right of reproduction and the right of public representation of the said photos. As such, they agree that these photos may be exhibited and/or published on any A3TS communication medium. The name(s) of the author(s) will appear each time the photographs are published.

They also declare and guarantee that they have obtained theprior written authorization of any persons who may be identifiable in the photos presented, or of the owners of the goods represented. The organizer cannot be held responsible for the use of these photos.

Participation in the contest implies full acceptance of the present rules, with no possibility of complaint regarding the results.

Sponsored by :