Earthzine invites undergraduate and graduate students from around the world to submit an essay for the 2009 Student Essay Competition: Sustainability through Earth Observation and Engineering. Earthzine, an online environmental journal, is conducting a competition to encourage students to creatively examine the benefits that new technological systems in Earth observation and engineering can have on sustainability.

Students should submit essays that follow one of the two dominant themes in sustainability: social equity and environmental protection.åÊ Essays should also be related to one or more of Earthzine’s focal topics, related to the GEOSS societal benefit areas: Agriculture, Biodiversity, Climate, Disasters, Ecosystems, Energy, Health, Water, or Weather.åÊ Essays should follow Earthzine‘s Writer’s Guidelines.

After initial judges’ review, Earthzine will post several essays on its webpage. The author(s) of the essay will be invited to lead a blog about their essay and to participate in blogs of competing essays. Winners will be determined based on the quality of the essay and the quality of the blog. Prizes will be given for first place ($500), second place ($250), and third place ($150).

Eligibility: Enrollment in an American or international undergraduate or graduate degree program at an accredited college or university and attending full or part-time at the time of the contest. Winners’ college or university will receive certificates of recognition.

Submission Guidelines: Queries and final essays should be sent to David Mullins, Ph.D., Associate Education Editor, at any time (dmullins@sf.edu). The deadline for the submission of essays is October 17, 2009.åÊ Blogging will occur November 15-December 15, 2009.åÊ Winners will be announced on Earthzine on December 21, 2009, which is the Winter Solstice. Check for more information on Earthzine.