The IESO is the International Earth Science Olympiad.  It is one of twelve high school International Olympiads chartered by the United Nations.  It is organized under the guidance of the International Geological Education Organization,  (IGEO.)

 

Each year, the top Earth Science students from participating countries attend the IESO.  At the Olympiad they are assessed for individual content knowledge in the fields of Geology, Oceanography, Meteorology and Solar System Astronomy.  This is important for the students because it recognizes them for their personal academic excellence.  To try out for the team is also quite an acomplishment.  Students from Team USA have been accepted into the most prestegous universities in America.

 

Besides the individual work, another core of the IESO is the International Team Field Investigations.  (ITFI)  Here the students are placed on small international teams.  The students communicate in English and are given a 'real world' challenge to solve together.  Some challenges require field work and data collection as they continue research on-line.  Finally, the team presents to a jury of professors, politicians, and professionals their conclusions.

 

The serious, real world Earth Science issues facing us will require international cooperation. Ocean acidification, sea level change, climate destabilization, plastic pollution in the oceans require not only international cooperation, but will demand that we can talk to scientists around the globe and work together.  This work starts at the IESO.

 

Are you ready to step up to the international level?  Are you ready to work with your peers from around the world on real issues?  One of the challenges given to the international teams in Brazil 2015 was to evaluate the El NINO phenomena in terms of the interrelation between the spheres: geosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere, biosphere and human-sphere.   How would you answer that question?

 

If you are a teacher, please use the IESO based classroom activities posted here, and consider nominating some of your more advanced students.  Please let us know how you used the attached classroom activities.

If you are a student and are interested in becoming a member of Team USA for the IESO 2017 Olympiad, please read this entire site and find a science teacher to nominate you. 

 

If you make the team, you will travel to a foreign country, work to communicate your knowledge of Earth Science, and join a team of students from all over the world.

 

Please visit the site of the Japanese IESO to see what the 2016 program was like.