Wang Jiayi

(Chinese Mainland)

Wang Jiayi is a PhD candidate in Geology at China University of Geosciences, Beijing, specializing in orogenic gold systems. An experienced mountaineer, he has summited multiple peaks above 7,000 meters. As a scientific photographer, he integrates high-resolution imaging—from microphotography to drone mapping—into geological research. His work, honored in Nature’s #ScientistAtWork competition, bridges scientific documentation and visual storytelling, revealing the dynamic relationship between earth processes and human exploration.

-3800m | +8848m: Human Sagas at Vertical Extremes

This project documents the parallel lives of miners and mountain guides who endure Earth’s most extreme vertical environments—from the intense heat and pressure 3,800 meters underground in South Africa’s Mponeng Gold Mine, to the sub-zero temperatures and thin air 8,848 meters high on Mount Everest. Across this 12.8-kilometer vertical span, both groups embody remarkable human resilience, yet their stories are seldom seen side by side. Through visual storytelling, this work reveals the unseen labor and survival that define existence at these vertical frontiers, offering a profound narrative on endurance and the human spirit in the planet’s most demanding conditions.

From the Judge

Masako Sato

“This exceptionally challenging project—photographing the extremely harsh environments of a South African gold mine located more than 3,000 meters underground and Mount Everest rising above 8,000 meters—two places at opposite extremes that both resist human presence—is something that only Wang Jiayi, who is not only a geologist and mountaineer but also a highly skilled photographer, can truly accomplish.”