Goal
- Help people get to know Geodesy
- Make Geodesy understandable and entertaining for all.
Geodesy Cartoon Competition
Turn Science into Smiles
We’re looking for creative, funny, and visually striking cartoons that explain geodesy in a way everyone can enjoy. Whether you’re a scientist, student, educator, or artist, this is your chance to show the world how exciting geodesy can be! Create your own Geodesy Cartoon!
Ready to Contribute?
Unleash your creativity and show the world why geodesy matters!
Further Information
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 2026 (at IAG Geodesy Reception 2026 during EGU26) |
Don’t miss to contribute! Submit your Geodesy Cartoon now…
Step 1
Choose Your Cartoon Category
Have you decided to take part in the competition and create a geodesy cartoon? Great! Please choose one of the three categories – or submit one or more cartoons to all categories to win up to three prizes!
| Categories | Example Cartoon |
|---|---|
Category 1 | Geodesy Explaining CartoonsWhat to draw: Describe geodesy in a simple and accessible way for a general audience. Avoid technical details and instead focus on how geodesy benefits society, like touching on important topics like sea level rise, climate change, natural disasters, navigation, etc. The main message of the cartoon should be immediately clear to the viewer. Target Audience: General public |
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Category 2 | Geodetic Observation Technique CartoonsWhat to draw: An explanation of what geodetic observation techniques (e.g. VLBI, SLR, GNSS, Gravimetry, … see more) do, ideally illustrated through a practical example of a resulting product. Some technical details may be included, but the content should remain accessible and not overly complex. It is acceptable if the viewer takes a bit longer (compared to Category 1) to fully grasp the message. Target Audience: People with basic geodetic knowledge |
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Category 3 | Geodetic Product CartoonsWhat to draw: An explanation of one of the geodetic products (e.g.: reference frames, EOP, geoid, atmosphere, … see more). This can be illustrated through a widely recognized application of the product. Some technical details may be included, but the content should remain accessible and not overly complex. It is acceptable if the viewer takes a bit longer (compared to Category 1) to fully understand the message. Target Audience: People with basic geodetic knowledge |
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Step 2
Draw Your Cartoon
Requirements:
- Cartoon Categories: Your cartoon must fit into one of the three defined cartoon categories.
- Type of Drawing: The way the cartoon is drawn is entirely up to you and your creativity and ingenuity. You can create the cartoon by hand, or it can be produced entirely digitally. The cartoon should consist of only one graphics (or at most two), not a series of images like a comic strip.
- AI Tools: Cartoons created with AI tools (ChatGPT, MidJourney, Dall-E, …) are allowed but are only eligible for the AI Recognition Award (Not GOLD or SILVER Award). All submissions will be screened using reliable AI-detection tools.
- Cartoon Colors: The background should be white. Colorization of the cartoon itself is optional but welcome.
- !! No Text Within the Cartoon: Please create a cartoon without visible text inside the drawing. Only universally understood elements (such as symbols or short labels) are allowed. But a title and subtext need to be added during the submission process. This makes it easy to translate the text into other languages later.
- Meet Judging Criteria: The cartoonist should submit a cartoon that aligns as closely as possible with all judging criteria. The better it fulfills these criteria, the greater the chance of winning a prize. See judging criteria below…
Judging Criteria:
Each of your submitted cartoons must meet the following criteria as effectively as possible. The jury will base their voting on the anonymized cartoons on these criteria:
- Clarity of Message / Simplicity: Is the cartoon’s message quickly recognizable?
- Accessibility for Non-Geodesists: Is the cartoon easily understood by the general public?
- Humor or Emotional Appeal: Does the cartoon make people smile, laugh, or feel something?
- Creativity & Visual Impact: Does the cartoon offer a fresh, original idea with a strong, eye-catching design that leaves a lasting impression?
Please find more details on drawing requirements and judging criteria, as well as all jury info in the Geodesy Cartoon Competition Guidelines [PDF].
Step 3
Submit Your Cartoon(s)
Please fill out following submission form by following these requirements:
Requirements
- File type: JPG or PNG (high resolution: 300dpi at min. 4000x4000px)
- No text inside the cartoon (titles are submitted separately)
- One Graphic: The cartoon should be one image (or two at most), not a comic strip
- Title + short subtext: English only, added via the form
- Submit Credit Sign: Include your creator signature or logo separately. For example:
Good to know
- Submit as many cartoons as you like — but get only one prize per category! So you can win up to 3 prizes.
- Licensing: All submissions are published under CC BY 4.0, meaning: That anyone can use the cartoon, but the cartoonist and the geodesy cartoon website need to be always credited.
- If you submit an AI-generated cartoon, you are only eligible to win the AI Recognition Award. (All submitted cartoons will be screened using reliable tools to detect AI generation.)
- Find all detailed submission guidelines here [PDF]
Deadline
Don’t miss to participate in Competition. Deadline: March 22, 2026 (see timeline). Late submissions will not be considered!
MonthsDaysHoursMinutesSeconds
Submit your Cartoon here
Want to submit more than one cartoon? Just fill out this form separately for each one.
Step 4
Win Prize(s) for your Cartoon(s)
Each category has three awards (GOLD, SILVER, AI Recognition Award). Submit a cartoon in each of the three categories and you 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** |
All cartoon submitter |
Get a reserved and free place at the IAG Geodesy Reception 2026 during EGU General Assembly 2026 in Vienna. (Note: Submitter needs to fulfill all competition requirements 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.