YOGYAKARTA-Indonesia will host the Fourth International Earth Science Olympiad (IESO) to be held in Yogyakarta from 19-28 September 2010. The first IESO was held in Daegu, South Korea Selatan in 2007 coordinated by School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Chungnam National University. The second IESO was in the Philippines while the third IESO was in Taiwan.
“It happens that the fourth IESO will be held in Yogyakarta from 19-28 September,” said Local Organizing Committee (LOC) Indonesia who is also UGM Geology lecturer, Dr. Ing. Donatus Hendra Amijaya, on Wednesday (8/9).
Hendra explained that IESO is a competition media for highschool students, covering geology, geophysics, oceanography, meteorology, and astronomy. It is under the International Geoscience Education Organization (IGEO), an international organisation whose membership comprises earth science educators in the world.
This time the IESO will be joined by 19 member countries, including the US, Philippines, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Cambodia, Korea, Kuwait, Maldives, Nepal, Nigeria, Rumania, Russia, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand and Ukraina and one observer, France. “Each country will send 4 students and 2 mentors, in total there will be 77 students and 33 mentors (leaders),” he explained.
Hendra said further that the earth science olympiad will consist written test, laboratory practice and field practice discussing the four areas mentioned above. The written test and laboratory practice will be held at UGM while the field practice in several places such as Kali Ngalang Gunung Kidul (Geology), Lapangan GSP UGM (Meteorology), Lapangan TNI AU Gading Gunung Kidul (Astronomy) and Baron beach (Oceanography).
“The field trip is held in the Bribin Cave (underground river). The opening ceremony is held in Kepatihan and the closing ceremony in the Hall of UC UGM,” Hendra added.
Participants and leaders will also make visits to Mount Merapi Museum, Kraton Yogyakarta, Borobudur, Prambanan, Taman Pintar, Malioboro and later they will see the Ramayana Ballet.
The IESO Indonesia team consists of Ardy Ramadhan (SMAN 48 Jakarta), Asri Oktavioni (SMAN 8 Jakarta), Ega Gita Prasastia (SMAN 2 Purwokerto), Fajar Febiani Amanda (SMAN 1 Banjarnegara), I Wayan Punia Raharja (SMAN 1 Amlapura), Kamil Ismail (MAN Insan Cendekia Serpong Banten), Mikey (SMAN 1 Pekanbaru), and Rio Priandri Nugroho ( SMAN 3 Yogyakarta). They will be divided into two teams, Team A and Team B, guided by Saptono Budi Samodra (Geology Engineering, UGM), Hakim L. Malasan (Astronomy, ITB), Joko Wiratmo (Meteorology, ITB), and Warsito Atmojo (Oceanology, Undip)