Alexandria, VA -- The American Geological Institute (AGI) is pleased to announce the winners of the 2006 Earth Science Week contests. The national contests capped off a week of celebration as students, educators, and members of the public explored the importance of citizen science as part of the 2006 Earth Science Week theme "Be a Citizen Scientist!". This year a record of more than 1,000 submissions were sent in from across the country for the three contests which included photography, visual arts, and an essay contest.
Carson Conover of Orrtana, Pennsylvania received the top award in the Photography contest for his picture of windmills on the waters edge. Submissions in this category were to highlight the use or study of the Earth's natural resources. Conover's photograph accomplished that goal by depicting how the wind's energy can be harnessed.
The Visual Arts Contest first place winner was Rama Bushra Imad of Houston, Texas. She followed the guidelines of "Earth Science in Your Hometown" by drawing the Earth's atmospheric layers and the satellites that send data and images back to NASA Mission Control in Houston.
The winner of the Earth Science Week Essay Contest was Ray Daniels of Herndon, Virginia. Students in grades 5 through 9 were asked to write a 500 word essay on how they could be a citizen scientist. Daniels wrote a very creative essay entitled "Finding Caerulium" about a boy who discovers a new blue mineral in an underground cave.
To view the top submissions in all three of the 2006 Earth Science Week Contests please visit http://www.earthsciweek.org/contests/index.html
Earth Science Week is an annual event coordinated by the American Geological Institute to promote an understanding and appreciation of the value of earth science and its importance in our daily lives. To learn more about this program and how to get involved please go to http://www.earthsciweek.org/.
The American Geological Institute is a nonprofit federation of 44 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/.