Iranian secondary students achieved remarkable academic success at the 19th International Earth Science Olympiad in Turin, Italy. The prestigious scientific event took place from August 20 to August 27 in northern Italy. More than 160 participants from 41 countries gathered to test their knowledge across complex Earth science disciplines. Ultimately, the Iranian delegation returned home with two silver medals, six bronze medals, and one top prize.
Student researcher Mehraneh Vashaqani-Farahani delivered an outstanding performance by securing the top global position in video journalism. She won first place in the Young Reporters short documentary division, which international geological organizations hosted. Meanwhile, Shamim Molla-Qolizadeh and Javad Namjoo each won a silver medal in the demanding individual theoretical examinations. Furthermore, teammate Ghazal Qazizadeh earned an individual bronze medal for her strong understanding of Earth system science.
The delegation expanded its impressive medal tally through multinational research projects and field investigations. Javad Namjoo claimed an additional bronze medal in the specialized Earth System Project team competition. Additionally, four team members earned bronze medals during the challenging International Team Field Investigation tasks. Consequently, these individual and team achievements strengthened Iran’s reputation in international academic competitions.
The International Geoscience Education Organization hosts the annual competition to promote Earth science education and environmental awareness among young people. Students under 18 compete through theoretical examinations, practical fieldwork, and international team projects. Furthermore, the Olympiad ranks among the major international science competitions for secondary school students. The event began in 2007 in South Korea and has since attracted leading young scientists from around the world.
This achievement follows another recent success by Iranian students at an international geography competition in Istanbul. During that competition, team member Helia Khodabandelou won a bronze medal, while three other students received honorable mentions. Educational officials say these international achievements demonstrate the strength of science education in Iranian secondary schools. Moving forward, academic institutions plan to expand specialized training programs to prepare future scientific delegations.