By Oliver Baker
Over the 2024 winter break, 16 dedicated students from the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences were hard at work preparing for GeoGames 2025. This event brings teams from 10 universities across Ontario and Quebec to compete in various challenges. The competition kicked off in Quebec City during the first week of the winter term.
Day 1:
Everyone had an early start, gearing up for a full day of travel. With an 11:30 a.m. train to catch at Union Station, we departed from Waterloo at 8:00 AM to ensure we arrived on time. The team spent the day together travelling and enjoying the views on the way to Quebec City.
Day 2:
The first day of the competition kicked off early with meeting students from the other schools. Then we all set off on a city-wide scavenger hunt, where we explored Quebec City’s iconic landmarks, snapping photos at each stop.
That evening, all the teams gathered and each school took the stage to perform in front of a panel of professors from Université Laval. Our team danced to Wannabe by the Spice Girls!
Day 3:
The second day of the competition was all about academics, with teams competing in a variety of challenging events, including geological modelling, Geopardy (a geology-themed Jeopardy), map the massif, exploration, drilling, geophysics, environmental remediation, advanced geology, general geology, hydrogeology, a rock museum tour, and science popularization.
After a full day of intense competition, we returned to the hotel for a sponsorship mixer, where industry professionals showcased their companies and shared insights into the field of geology.
Day 4:
The final day of competitions began with an early start as teams faced off in the sports categories: hockey, Kin-Ball, and esports. After our matches, we attended a series of sponsorship presentations, where companies supporting the event showcased their work and industry opportunities. Following the presentations, a job fair was offered to connect with sponsors and gain deeper insights into potential career paths.
The day ended with the GeoGames gala and awards ceremony, where winners from each category were announced. Our team proudly secured second place in two events: Geopardy (Bella Ruppert, Asia Maheu, Olivia Clay, Ben Wildeman) and Advanced Geology (Olivia Clay and Jacqueline Voisin-Roewade).
Day 5:
Sadly, our time in beautiful Quebec City was over. We spent the day travelling back to Waterloo by train. We arrived safely with great stories to share and excitement for the next challenge. We can’t wait to see where GeoGames 2026 will take us!