This summer the Eighth International Conference on School and Popular Meteorological and Oceanographic Education (also known as EWOC 2009) will convene in Prague, the Czech Republic. These conferences provide educators from around the world a forum to share information about their initiatives to promote the study of weather, ocean and climate. Since the first such conference held at Oxford, UK in 1984, educators have described programs, demonstrated materials, conducted workshops and exchanged ideas on how to enhance educational activities for the atmospheric, oceanic and related sciences.

This program for EWOC 2009 will include the following themes: climate change education;

Earth system science education; role of new technologies in meteorology, oceanography and climate education; enhancing public awareness of meteorology, oceanography and climate through the media; science, society and schools; the role of learned societies in educational outreach; meteorology, oceanography and climate studies in the curriculum; teacher training; student-centered educational programs; instruments and automated weather stations for the classroom; education and outreach for the coastal and marine environment; promoting diversity and enhancing the involvement of under-represented groups; informal education for meteorology, oceanography, and climate studies; and international education programs and collaborations.

This paper will review the history of the conference, provide details about the upcoming EWOC 2009 conference, and provide interested parties an opportunity to learn more about how to participate in this important international science education event.