The winning entries of the 2012 Photography Competition at the Department of Engineering, sponsored by Carl Zeiss, provide a stunning visual insight into the ways in which engineering makes a vital contribution to our lives.

Engineering is about much more than dams and bridges. A glance at the hundreds of stunning images submitted for the 2012 Photography Competition at the Department of Engineering, sponsored by leading optical systems manufacturer Carl Zeiss, offers a window into a world of ground-breaking research in a staggering array of fields, encompassing applications that range from new adhesives and inkjet printing techniques through to the development of replacement human tissues.