Sedimentologists study modern sediments and the chemical, biological and physical processes that result in their deposition. Sedimentologists apply their understanding of modern processes to interpret geologic history through observations of sedimentary rocks and sedimentary structures. Because of its importance in fundamental research, in applied Earth Sciences and its relevance for neighboring research fields, such as paleoclimatology, petroleum geology or the study of natural hazards, sedimentology has a prominent place in the Earth Science curricula of universities around the world. Despite this importance, most universities cannot provide a complete overview of all the many subdisciplines and the links of sedimentology to associated research fields. Graduate school or summer school programs on an international level can be used to fill these educational gaps. IAS plays an important role in providing complementary education in new and traditional aspects of sedimentology and its associated fields, including geochemistry, paleoceanography, geophysics or geobiology. IAS, as an international organization, is in an excellent position to enlist expertise in all aspects of sedimentology to interact with its postgraduate student membership in the context of an International Summer School of Sedimentology.

The IAS International Summer School of Sedimentology provides post-graduate students an opportunity to interact with invited lecturers who focus on new and exciting topics in sedimentology presented as a series of lectures combined with field observations. IAS student members representing different educational backgrounds and nationalities and undertaking a variety of doctoral research themes are selected to meet in a creative and stimulating environment, where they have the opportunity to learn about state-of-the-art topics and exchange ideas related to their doctoral research with other students and the teaching staff. IAS International Summer School of Sedimentology is conducted with a relatively low student to faculty ratio, while maintaining a low number of student participants (approximately 28-30 students). The teaching staff consists of 5 to 7 internationally acknowledged scientists who volunteer to participate fully in the one-week program comprising approximately 50:50 ratio of lectures to field excursions. The IAS International Summer School of Sedimentology is offered on a biennal cycle to be held in an area of widely recognized sedimentological significance.