The first Estonian Earth Science Olympiad was organized on 30 March at the Tallinn University of Technology. About 50 secondary school pupils put their knowledge and cleverness into test in a 6-hour long examination. The best performers in the natural science contest will be sorted out by the 4th of April, and they will represent Estonia in the international olympiad in south Korea.
The jury chairman of the Earth Science Olympiad and the director of the Geological Survey of Estonia, Alvar Soesoo states that the new olympiad assists through practical and creative assignments to advance the understanding of the Earth as a system. “Our target is to raise the interest of pupils on Earth science, which provides already today immense future prospect. We hope that the new undertaking improves the teaching of geosciences in schools and motivates the teachers to complement their knowledge. The olympiad certainly motivates such pupils that are already now talented in geosciences and stimulates them to improve their skills even further,” said Soesoo.
The assignments in the olympiad comprising geology, meteorology, oceanography and environmental sciences were mainly focused in opening the essence of natural scientific research and in capability of solving problems and making conclusions. The answers required both creative and analytical thinking and cleverness for applying knowledge gained in the lessons of geography, physics, mathematics and chemistry.
The best participants will form a team, which travels in August to the international olympiad in south Korea. Last year four schoolboys from Tallinna Reaalkool (Tallinn Secondary School of Science) represented Estonia in Thailand, bringing home altogether four medals – one silver and three bronzes. Ten best-performing pupils of the olympiad get a guaranteed access to study at the Tallinn University of Technology, including the Institute of Geology.
The eight-member Earth Science Olympiad jury comprised: Alvar Soesoo (TalTech professor, Tartu University visiting professor, Geological Survey of Estonia), Siim Veski (TalTech professor), Olle Hints (TalTech professor), Rutt Hints (TalTechi program manager), Sirje Keevallik (TalTechi professor emerita), Sigrid Hade (Geological Survey of Estonia senior specialist), Argo Jõeleht (Tartu University senior scientist) ja Piret Karu (Tallinn Secondary School of Science geography teacher).
The results of the olympiad will be published at the TalTech home page www.taltech.ee/kooliopilasele/olumpiaadikool/ and the best ones will be personally contacted not later than on 4 April 2019.
