According to Leeli Amon, program coordinator of TalTech's "Earth Systems, Climate and Technologies" bachelor studies, the event was very popular with participation of students from Paldiski as well as Tallinn, Viljandi and Põlva. "We wanted to show young people how our treatment of the Earth as a whole is constantly evolving and how the different layers of the planet are interconnected," Amon explained.

"Students were active and curious, and for them it was exciting to put new knowledge straight into practice. It was especially exciting to hunt down fossils and go to sea in the marine researcher's wetsuits, to take samples of the seawater and the seabed. The most exciting task was the measurement of radioactivity. Students were able to check different soils with a radioactivity measuring machine, and while the dosimeter did not react to the found limestone, radioactivity was detected in the graptolite argillite layer of the Pakri cliff. This is the result of uranium that naturally exists in the area, ” said Amon, adding that young people with a growing interest in how the Earth works could join the new curriculum this year or in the future to learn more about our planet's changing environment.

The students were supervised by Professor Olle Hints, Head of the TalTech Institute of Geology, researchers Rutt Hints, Leeli Amon and Professor Siim Veski, and researchers from the Institute of Marine Systems Natalja Kolesova and Kaimo Vahter. The participants also learned more on the day-to-day work of marine scientists, geologists, climate scientists and crustal engineers.

TalTech's Institute of Geology is part of the Faculty of Science which combines science, engineering and IT. Graduates of the Institute's renewed undergraduate program "Earth Systems, Climate and Technologies" can become green innovation and crustal engineers, climate scientists, marine scientists, geologists, or data analysts.

PHOTO GALLERY: https://bit.ly/3Gl4yuO

Additional information:

TalTech Institute of Geology
geo@taltech.ee