Call for the IUGS Geo-Collections

Deadline: 01 October 2025

The Subcommission on Geo-Collections (SGC) is object-centered. Geo-Collections contain physical specimens, which are typically stored in museums, universities, geological surveys and other public or private organizations. Geo-Collections provide a foundation for understanding Earth processes on all time and space scales, from the microscopic to the planetary. They underlie research into our most pressing fields: the origin of water and life on Earth, climate change, environmental justice, hazardous waste disposal, and developing new resources, including green technologies. Thus, the value and significance of geo-collections may be scientific, cultural, historical and/or educational, although ‘scientific value’ will be the most immanent ‘backbone’ of most collections.

The mandate of the SGC is to establish an international program to identify those Geo-Collections of the highest scientific value.

For this purpose, the subcommission has developed a designation scheme defining benchmarks of collections to be included in the list of IUGS Geo-Collections. Visit https://iugs-geoheritage.org/selection-process-geo/ for the definition and standards of an IUGS Geo-Collection.

The ‘First 11’ IUGS Geo-Collections were ratified at the IGC in Busan in 2024. Applicants are encouraged to visit our homepage to study the successful applications: https://iugs-geoheritage.org/designations-geo-collections/

Application Process:

1. Applications MUST consist of the completed template (in word format) including the requested pictures (no pdf files; additional files will not be considered). The pictures should be distinctive, of the highest aesthetic standard, and visually represent the importance of the collection. Poor quality pictures may strongly lower the ratings by reviewers.

IUGS-GeoCollections-Application-Template.docx

Download DOCX • 21KB

2. Send completed applications to mathias.harzhauser@nhm-wien.ac.at

   (Submissions are deemed to have been received when a confirmation has been sent by the committee)

3. Each application will pass a ‘first-level-control’ by the SGC-executive members, who will check the forms for completeness and applicability. Each application that has passed this preliminary control will be sent out to four reviewers, who will rate the proposal, focusing on the scientific value and global importance of the collection and the quality of the proposal. The evaluation will follow a grading system from 1 (low quality) to 4 (highest quality).

Note: Due to administrative limitations, only the first 150 applications will be accepted and the call will close afterwards. Applications, which did not make it to the first call are encouraged to target the second call, which will be announced at a later date.

Visit https://iugs-geoheritage.org/first-call-for-iugs-geo-collections/ for more information on the call.