Science Days in Amorgos: Raising Awareness About Earthquake and Tsunami Hazards
On October 9th and 10th, 2026, the scientific team of the international research programme AMORGOS (2025–2029) turned the island of Amorgos into a living geological laboratory, bringing together students from four schools in Greece for an immersive experience in geosciences, field investigation, and natural hazard awareness.
This educational initiative brought together 45 students and 10 teachers (...) from:
High School of Chalandri (8th Gymnasium of Chalandri)
Lycée Franco-Hellénique Eugène Delacroix
Kalamata Experimental High School
Junior High School of Chora, Amorgos
In the field, students became young geoscientists. Guided directly by researchers, they investigated coastal landforms, tectonic uplift, and marine fossils; explored the unique geological setting of the iconic Monastery of Panagia Hozoviotissa (discussing why the monument miraculously escaped structural damage during past seismic events); constructed topographic profiles; and discussed the mechanics of earthquake and tsunami hazards.
Through eyewitness accounts of the catastrophic 9 July 1956 earthquake and tsunami, the students connected physical scientific evidence with the living memory and local history of the island's elder residents.
At the Ioannideios Municipal Library of Amorgos, the students presented their field findings, exchanged ideas, and shared their scientific curiosity with the broader community in a unified presentation merging science, local history, and youth engagement.
An interactive exhibition and several scientific workshops were presented to the residents of Amorgos and representatives of the Municipality by leading scientists involved in the AMORGOS project, representing:
Université Côte d’Azur (Géoazur / EduMed Obs, France): Led by Project Coordinator Dr. Frédérique Leclerc, with the participation of Prof. Jean-Luc Berenguer (EduMed Obs) and research collaborators.
National & Kapodistrian University of Athens (NKUA): Prof. Paraskevi (Evi) Nomikou, Nikolas Galanos and Prof. Vassiliki Kouskouna
Hellenic National Tsunami Warning Center (HLNTWC) of the Institute of Geodynamics of the National Observatory of Athens (IG-NOA) & : Represented by Dr. Elena Daskalaki and Dr. Marinos Charalampakis.
Two mobile sets of this scientific exhibition will travel across schools in Amorgos and Athens throughout the school year (supported by the EduMed Obs network: https://edumed.unice.fr/amorgos/uk/). The exhibition will be continuously updated with new oceanographic and geological findings through 2029.
Science remains active and ongoing, seventy years after the devastating earthquake of 9 July 1956. The AMORGOS programme continues to investigate the region’s complex geodynamic history.
Through high-resolution seafloor bathymetric mapping, advanced oceanographic technologies (ROVs, AUVs), terrestrial geological observations, geophysical measurements, numerical modeling, and historical archives, our international research team seeks to uncover the deep seismic mechanisms of Amorgos and improve disaster risk reduction for future earthquake and tsunami hazards.
Because science must reach far beyond research vessels and laboratories, bringing scientific research into the field and into the classroom fosters critical thinking, environmental awareness, and a deeper understanding of the dynamic Earth we inhabit. These Science Days in Amorgos officially launched the second year of educational activities under the AMORGOS project, connecting a growing network of ten schools across Europe.
They talk about the science days :