Earth Science Week Contest Rules
Earth Science Week contests are limited to one submission per entrant(s) per applicable contest type.
Original Work Requirements
By submitting an entry, the entrant(s) certify that the submission is their original work and that they are the sole owner of all rights to the submitted materials. Entries must not have been previously submitted to another contest or published in any format, including websites, blogs, social media platforms, or other online publications.
Submissions must represent the genuine creativity, ideas, and efforts of the entrant(s). The use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools or other automated systems to generate, create, or substantially modify contest entries is not permitted.
This includes, but is not limited to:
- AI-generated images, artwork, photographs, videos, audio, text, or other content.
- AI-assisted generation or substantial modification of creative work.
- Digitally created or synthetic content presented as original work.
- Content copied, traced, plagiarized, or substantially replicated from another creator or source.
For photography and video contests, entries must represent photographs or video footage captured by the entrant(s), not images or footage created electronically through AI or other automated tools. Standard editing and production techniques that do not alter the authenticity or meaning of the submission may be permitted as described in the individual contest guidelines.
For visual arts contests, submissions must represent artwork created by the student entrant and may not include artwork generated or substantially created through AI or other automated tools.
AGI reserves the right to disqualify any submission determined to contain prohibited AI-generated content, plagiarism, copyright violations, or other violations of these rules.
Rights and Permissions
By submitting an entry, the entrant(s) retain ownership and copyright of their work. However, submission grants the American Geosciences Institute (AGI) a royalty-free, worldwide, perpetual, non-exclusive license to publicly display, distribute, reproduce, and create derivative works from the entry, in whole or in part, in any media now existing or later developed, for AGI educational, promotional, outreach, and other organizational purposes.
The entrant(s) also grant AGI permission to use their name(s), school or organization affiliation (if provided), and contest submission details when recognizing participants, finalists, or winners on the AGI website or through AGI communications, without additional compensation unless prohibited by law.
AGI will not be required to provide additional payment or obtain additional approval for uses permitted under this license.
Safety and Location Requirements
For contests involving photographs, videos, or artwork created at a specific location, entrants are responsible for obtaining appropriate permission to access and record at that location.
Entrants are responsible for maintaining safe practices and respecting featured locations, property, other people using the site, and wildlife.
Submission Requirements and Liability
The American Geosciences Institute, its agents, employees, and contractors are not responsible for lost, late, misdirected, incomplete, damaged, or postage-due entries.
Contest entries are subject to all eligibility requirements and deadlines listed in the individual contest guidelines.
General Conditions
Contests are void where prohibited or restricted by law. AGI reserves the right to cancel a contest, modify contest rules, or take other actions necessary to administer the contests fairly and effectively.
All decisions made by AGI regarding contest eligibility, judging, and awards are final and binding.