Goal
- Help people get to know Geodesy
- Make Geodesy understandable and entertaining for all.
Geodesy Cartoon Competition
Turn Science into Smiles
The Geodesy Cartoon Competition from September 2025 to March 2026, organized by the International Association of Geodesy (IAG) and GGOS, invited participants worldwide to illustrate geodesy through creative, humorous, and visually engaging cartoons. The aim was to make complex geodetic concepts accessible to a broad audience and highlight their importance for society. Submissions were evaluated by an international jury based on clarity, creativity, accessibility, and scientific relevance.
274
cartoons submitted
in total
119
cartoonists participated
46
from countries
Timeline
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Start of Competition | ✅ September 1, 2025 (during IAG Scientific Assembly) |
| Submission Deadline | ✅ March 22, 2026 (Late submissions will not be considered!) |
| Jury Voting | ✅ April 2026 |
| Winners Announced | ✅ May 5, 2026 (at IAG Geodesy Reception 2026 during EGU26) |
Further Information
- Download Guidelines [PDF]
- Download Flyer [PDF]
- Any question? Please contact us
Winners – Top Ranked Cartoons
The winners of the Geodesy Cartoon Competition were announced on May 5, 2026 at the Geodesy Reception 2026 hosted at BEV (Federal office of Metrology and Surveying) in Vienna, Austria.
Cartoon Gallery
You can find all 222 eligible cartoons (out of 274 total submissions) which fulfilled the competition requirements in the following three galleries — one for each category.
Category 1 – Explaining Geodesy
Clear, simple cartoons for the general public showing how geodesy benefits society without technical detail.
Category 2 – Geodetic Observation Techniques
Cartoons explaining geodetic observation techniques with some technical detail, remaining accessible to viewers with basic geodetic knowledge.
Category 3 – Geodetic Products
Cartoons explaining a geodetic product and its real-world application, with some technical detail but still accessible to those with basic geodetic knowledge.
Statistics
The competition exceeded all expectations, proving to be an outstanding success. In total, 274 cartoons were submitted by 119 cartoonists, far surpassing initial expectations. Through the majority of these outstanding contributions, a significant impact was made in increasing the visibility of geodesy to a broader audience.
Submitted Cartoons
274
in total
222
qualified (meet requirements)
19
created by AI Tools
Participating Cartoonists
119
cartoonists participated
46
from countries
35
by Early Career Scientists
Cartoonists by Country
Prizes
Each category has three awards (GOLD, SILVER, AI Recognition Award). A cartoon can be submitted in each of the three categories and could win up to three prizes, that’s up to 900€ cash in total (if you win 3x GOLD Award), plus an IAG Membership* and additional benefits**.
| Award | PrizeS (for each category) |
|---|---|
🥇 GOLD |
300 € cash prize + 50 € IAG Membership* + additional benefits** |
🥈 SILVER |
150 € cash prize + 50 € IAG Membership* + additional benefits** |
🤖 AI Recognition Award*** |
50 € IAG Membership* + additional benefits** |
Top 5 contributors by category |
Get a reserved and free place at the IAG Geodesy Reception 2026 (May 5, 2026) during EGU General Assembly 2026 in Vienna. (Note: Submitter needs to be ranked within top 5 of at least one of the categories by jury voting to get a reserved place.) |
Sponsors
The prizes are kindly sponsored by the International Association of Geodesy (IAG) and the whole competition is organized and supported by IAG’s Global Geodetic Observing System (GGOS) and the Federal Office of Metrology and Surveying (BEV – Bundesamt für Eich- und Vermessungswesen) in Austria.
* IAG Membership:
- All winners will receive a free IAG Individual Membership for 2027 (worth of €50, non-cash). This includes discounts at IAG events and reduced subscription rate at Journal of Geodesy. Read more…
** Additional Benefits:
- Poster: The winning cartoons (GOLD, SILVER and AI) will be presented in poster size at the IAG Geodesy Reception 2026 during the EGU General Assembly in May 2026.
- Journal of Geodesy: Announcement of each winner in the IAG Newsletter, as part of the Journal of Geodesy.
- Highlighted Online: Each winner will be spotlighted in dedicated announcements across IAG and GGOS social media channels and at the IAG website.
- Announcement: Winners will be announced at IAG Geodesy Reception in May 2026.
*** AI Recognition Award:
- The best cartoon in each category which was AI (Artificial Intelligence) created will win this AI Recognition Award
- All participants who submit a cartoon created using AI tools are excluded from the “GOLD” and “SILVER” awards, but are eligible to win the AI Recognition Award.
Further Remarks:
- Jury: The winners will be determined by a independent jury based on judging criteria
- Details: Please find all details in the competition guidelines [PDF]
IAG as part of the IUGG
IAG Related Organisations
IAG collaborates closely with numerous organizations within geodesy and beyond. See the list for details.
This website is provided by the IAG Secretariat and the GGOS Coordinating Office, which are hosted by the BEV – Federal Office of Metrology and Surveying (Bundesamt für Eich- und Vermessungswesen) in Vienna, Austria.