Our Ever-Changing Earth - The 2011 Earth Science Week Theme

Alexandria, VA — The American Geological Institute (AGI) is pleased to announce the theme of Earth Science Week 2011 will be “Our Ever-Changing Earth.” This year’s event will engage the public in actively learning about the varied and interconnected natural processes that shape our planet over time.

Earth Science Week 2011 support materials and activities will demonstrate how evidence of change can be found everywhere, from the soil beneath our feet to the oceans and the atmosphere around us. Learn how the fossil record displays the history of change in plant and animal life. The evidence of change touches our lives in many ways, as we see in headlines about topics such as resource availability, evolution, and climate.

“Planetary change raises important questions among young people, educators, and the public,” says Ann E. Benbow, Ph.D., AGI’s Director of Education and Outreach. “Earth Science Week 2011 will highlight the important roles that paleontologists, geologists, and other earth scientists play in building understanding of the complex interactions among the earth systems — atmosphere, hydrosphere, geosphere, and biosphere — over time.”

AGI leads Earth Science Week annually in cooperation with its sponsors and the geosciences community as a service to the public. Each year, community groups, educators, and interested citizens organize celebratory events. Earth Science Week offers the public opportunities to discover the earth sciences and engage in responsible stewardship of the Earth. Earth Science Week is supported by the U.S. Geological Survey, the AAPG Foundation, the U.S. Department of Energy, NASA, the National Park Service, ExxonMobil, and ESRI.

ESW 2011 will be celebrated October 9-15. To learn more about this week and ways to get involved — including newsletters, local events, and classroom activities — please go to the Earth Science Week website at http://www.earthsciweek.org/.