24/08/2026
The winner of the 2026 Hilda Canter-Lund award in the Micro category is Hirak Samir Parikh: “Geometry of a Glass Cell”.
Image originally captured by Dr. Jeffery R. Stone, Indiana State University; edited and refined by Hirak Samir Parikh.
Hirak Samir Parikh is a PhD candidate in the Department of Earth and Environmental Systems at Indiana State University, where his research focuses on diatom taxonomy, systematics, ecology, and their applications in understanding aquatic environmental change. His work combines light and electron microscopy with molecular and ecological approaches to investigate the remarkable diversity, morphology, and evolutionary history of diatoms.
Hirak would also like to acknowledge his academic advisor, Dr. Jeffery R. Stone, who personally captured the original image featured in “Geometry of a Glass Cell.” With Dr. Stone’s permission, Hirak edited and refined the image and submitted it to the competition. Dr. Stone’s mentorship has also been instrumental in developing Hirak’s skills in diatom identification and microscopy and in shaping his appreciation for the intricate valve architecture and microscopic beauty of diatoms.
This award was established by the British Phycological Society in recognition of Hilda Canter-Lund, whose stunning photographs will be known to many members. Her photomicrographs of freshwater algae combined high technical and aesthetic qualities whilst still capturing the quintessence of the organisms she was studying.
We thank everyone who submitted images this year and the competition will open around the same time again next year.
