2025, September 9
Share this articleThe International Earth Science Olympiad (IESO) is held annually, bringing together high school students from around the world who are passionate about geology, geography, meteorology, oceanography, and environmental science.
This year, the competition took place on August 7–16 in Jining, China.
On February 22, Nazarbayev University hosted the national qualifying round of IESO 2025, which determined the students who would represent Kazakhstan on the international stage.
Professor George Mathews of the School of Mining and Geosciences (SMG) at Nazarbayev University designed the tasks, conducted interviews with participants, and provided academic guidance. The winners of the national round were Alina Aitzhanova, Alnur Tursunkhanov, Akzhol Bolat, and Nadira Atymtay. At the international stage, they earned two gold and five bronze medals.
On August 18, Minister of Industry and Construction Yersayin Nagaspayev, in a meeting with the winners, emphasized that the young geologists’ success was the result not only of their own efforts but also of the dedication of their mentors.
The team underwent an intensive preparation program at SMG. Professors of the School delivered lectures and practical training in mineralogy, petrology (igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary), structural geology, geohazards, and other disciplines. The hybrid training format (online and in-person) covered a wide range of topics—from plate tectonics and magmatic processes to fossil records, volcanoes, rivers, soils, and the geology of the Solar System.
It is worth noting that two of the four winners—Alina Aitzhanova and Akzhol Bolat—graduated from high school this year and chose Nazarbayev University for their further studies.
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