AGI Announces Earth Science Week Theme
and New National Contests for 2005
ALEXANDRIA, VA - The American Geosciences 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 http://www.earthsciweek.org/contests.
The American Geosciences 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 http://www.agiweb.org/. The
Institute also provides a public outreach site at http://www.earthscienceworld.org/.
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