​St. Mary’s Dominican High School senior Theresa Carter’s entry, Medusa In The Spotlight, was among the top 100 winning entries in the 2025 American Association of Physics Teachers High School Physics photo contest that drew more than 600 submissions. For several years, the contest has provided teachers and students with an opportunity to learn about the physics behind natural and contrived situations by creating visual and written illustrations of various physical concepts. Students compete in an international arena with more than 600 of their peers for recognition and prizes.

Drawn to art from an early age, she shared, “I have always been fascinated by colors and how they can mix and create other colors.” She shined red, green, and blue spotlights on her original artwork of a Medusa head containing several multicolored serpents and observed the serpents change color under various lighting conditions. She submitted a photo of her original artwork as seen under those lighting conditions. Her photo of her artwork demonstrates the physics principle that the color an object appears to be depends on the color of light shining upon it.

St. Mary’s Dominican High School senior Theresa Carter with her winning entry, Medusa In The Spotlight.