On the afternoon of March 29, the preliminary round of the 2025-2026 National Earth Science Olympiad for Middle School Students (Jiangsu Division) was successfully held. The event is overseen by the China Association for Science and Technology (CAST), hosted by the Seismological Society of China and the Chinese Geophysical Society, and organized by the School of Earth Sciences and Engineering at Nanjing University along with the Seismological Society of Jiangsu Province.
The National Earth Science Olympiad for Middle School Students is a nationwide earth science competition approved by the Ministry of Education and hosted by the Seismological Society of China and the Chinese Geophysical Society. The competition aims to popularize earth science knowledge, stimulate middle school students' interest in the field, enhance their learning capabilities, and prepare them for the International Earth Science Olympiad (IESO). Simultaneously, it provides an opportunity for further development for students who have a strong interest and surplus learning capacity in earth sciences, ultimately discovering, cultivating, and selecting a group of outstanding young talents in the discipline.
The Jiangsu Division of this year's Olympiad established a total of six examination centers: Nanjing University's Gulou Campus, Xianlin Campus, and Suzhou Campus, as well as the Affiliated Jiangyan High School of Nanjing University, Suyu Middle School, and Xinhai Senior High School. More than 1,500 middle school students from 100 schools across Jiangsu Province participated in the competition.
Under the joint organization and planning of the School of Earth Sciences and Engineering at Nanjing University and the Seismological Society of Jiangsu Province, faculty members from the School, teachers at external examination centers, and over 80 student volunteers carried out methodical and highly efficient examination logistics. From pre-exam training, campus entry guidance, and test room setup to technical support, proctoring, and exam inspection, the teachers and students worked with rigor, patience, and meticulous attention to detail, providing a strong guarantee for the smooth operation of the event.
Inside the examination rooms, candidates thought calmly and answered carefully, demonstrating a solid foundation in earth science knowledge and excellent academic literacy. Outside the examination rooms, the Gulou Campus center hosted a popular science exhibition themed "Decoding the Pulse of the Earth, Guarding the Human Homeland." Viewed through the lens of geological engineering, the exhibition aimed to provide insights into the strata's pulse through "Earth Perception," analyze disaster mechanisms through "Surface Crises," awaken clean power through "Deep Energy," and map out a harmonious blueprint through "Ecological Future." Geological engineering serves as the key to solving complex problems, allowing us to listen to the Earth's "breathing" and giving a "voice" to rocks and soil.
The examination concludes here, but the youth and potential of these candidates have just begun to unfold. We wish all the students who participated in the preliminary round of this Earth Science Olympiad the best of luck in achieving their ideal results!
