AGI Announces Earth Science Week Theme and New National Contests for 2005

ALEXANDRIA, VA -- The American Geological Institute (AGI) announces the theme for Earth Science Week 2005: “Geoscientists Explore the Earth.” Focusing on the wide variety of careers available in the geosciences and the contributions geoscientists make to society, this theme will raise awareness among students and the public of the exciting opportunities to work in the field. Earth Science Week takes place October 9-15, 2005.

Earth Science Week 2005 will mark the eighth year that AGI has sponsored this international event as a service to the public and the geoscience community. Each year, local geoscience organizations, educators and interested individuals organize events to celebrate Earth Science Week. The week was developed to give the public new opportunities to discover the Earth sciences and stewardship of the Earth, as well as highlight the important contributions the earth and environmental sciences make to society. Earth Science Week is supported by the U.S. Geological Survey. To learn more about this event, visit www.earthsciweek.org.

In the United States, special events for Earth Science Week will include three national contests, hosted by AGI. The contests encourage students and the public to become involved in Earth Science Week by submitting artwork, an essay or a photograph. Entries must be received by October 1, 2005. A grand prize winner in each category will win $300 and a one-year subscription to Geotimes, AGI's monthly news magazine for the Earth sciences.

• Visual Arts: Students in grades K-5 are eligible to compete in the Visual Arts Contest. They should make a drawing, collage or other 2-dimensional piece of artwork that illustrates the theme "Earth Jobs." Students should depict themselves as geoscientists, engaged in a career they might like to have in the Earth sciences. The artwork should also show some of the scientific tools that would be used in the chosen career. Submissions should be flat and no larger than 24 x 36 inches.
• Essay: Students in grades 5-8 are encouraged to compete in the Essay Contest. Submissions should answer the question: “What kind of geoscientist would you like to be, and why?” Essays should be fewer than 500 words in length and should be based on student research about a particular career in the Earth sciences. Students might imagine themselves as geoscientists, explaining the reasons they are interested in their chosen careers.
• Photography: The Photography Contest is open to the general public. Submissions should illustrate the theme “Extreme Earth Science” by showing an exciting Earth science subject or geoscientists in an amazing location or situation. Examples might include (but are not limited to) geology field trips to exotic locations, unique geological samples, or photos that capture the breathtaking beauty of the Earth. The goal is to create pictorial evidence of why Earth science is an exciting field to study. Photographs of children under age 18 must be accompanied by a parental consent form that can be found on www.earthsciweek.org/contests. Submissions can include print or digital photographs.

More information on the Earth Science Week contests, including rules and submission guidelines, can be found at www.earthsciweek.org/contests.

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The American Geological Institute is a nonprofit federation of 43 scientific and professional associations that represents more than 120,000 geologists, geophysicists, and other Earth scientists. Founded in 1948, AGI provides information services to geoscientists, serves as a voice of shared interest in the profession, plays a major role in strengthening geoscience education, and strives to increase public awareness of the vital role the geosciences play in society's use of the resources and interaction with the environment. More information about AGI can be found at www.agiweb.org/. The Institute also provides a public outreach site at www.earthscienceworld.org/.