The Institute of Geology, Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences (IGCAGS), is a national public scientific research institution and is mainly engaged in national fundamental, public, strategic and frontier geological survey and geoscientific research, aiming to provide fundamental geological theory and technological support for national geoscientific research and investigation:
(1) To carry out national fundamental, public, strategic and frontier geoscientific research and fundamental geological survey.
(2) To carry out investigation and innovation research on major basic geological problems in the field of earth resources and environment.
(3) To carry out fundamental disciplinary research on tectonic geology and geotectonics, regional geology and metallogeny, stratigraphy and palaeontology, metamorphic rocks and Precambrian geology, petrology and mineralogy, and Quaternary geology; to conduct research in major areas, such as continental tectonics and dynamics, deep lithosphere exploration and three-dimensional geological survey, isotope geology and chronology, comprehensive geological research and mapping research.
(4) To carry out research on isotopic chronology and geochemical techniques and systems, major key technologies and instruments and equipment; to undertake the construction, management and operation of relevant experimental and observational bases.
(5) To carry out basic geological international cooperation and exchanges.
The Institute has a total of 260 staff members, which includes 152 senior professionals, 6 Academicians of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, 5 “New Century Talents Project” nominees, 1 “National Youth Talents Project” nominee, 4 “National Outstanding Contributions to Young Experts” nominees, 5 professionals supported by the “National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) for Distinguished Young Scholars”, 4 professionals supported by the “NSFC Excellent Young Scholars Fund” ,2 professionals supported by the “National High-level Personnel of Special Support Program” and 1 research group supported by the “NSFC Science Fund for Creative Research Groups”. The Institute was supported by the “Innovative Talent Training Demonstration Project” and “National Talent and Intelligence Introduction Demonstration Base” of Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) of China.
IGCAGS has trained a large number of excellent, highly qualified graduate students. It also has designated programs for postdoctoral research. The Institute has a post-graduate education system for Master's and PhD students. IGCAGS has 40 doctor tutors and 44 master tutors. The institute enrolls about 20 PhD and MA students each year, and currently has 42 postdoctoral researchers.
The Institute has 11 research divisions, namely Division of Regional Geology and Mapping, Division of Tectonics, Division of Stratigraphy and Paleontology, Division of Metamorphic Rocks and Precambrian Geology, Division of Igneous Rocks, Laboratory of Continental Dynamics, Laboratory of Isotope Geology, Lithosphere Research Center, Beijing SHRIMP Center, Mineral and Energy Resources Center, and Three-dimensional Geological Survey and Research Center. In addition, Beijing SHRIMP Center is National Fundamental Resources Platform of Science and Technology.
The Institute also has 3 key laboratories of Ministry of Natural Resources of the People’s Republic of China (MNR), namely the Key Laboratory of Isotope Geology, the Key Laboratory of Stratigraphy and Paleontology and the Key Laboratory of Continental Dynamics. In addition, the Key Laboratory of Deep-Earth Dynamics is running in accordance with the State Key Laboratory.
7 academic organizations are affiliated in the institute, namely China Commission of International Continental Scientific Drilling, Commission of Regional Geology and Mineralization of the Geological Society of China (GSC), Commission of Geological Mapping of GSC, Commission of Stratigraphy and Paleontology of GSC, Commission of Petrology of GSC, Commission of Isotope Geology of GSC, Commission of Metamorphism, Mineralogy and Geochemistry of GSC.
In recent years, the Institute has undertaken more than 500 research projects, including the “National Science and Technology Major Project of MOST”, National Scientific Instruments and Equipment, the National Key Research and Development Plan [including the “National Basic Research Program of China (973 Program)”], significant research programs supported by the National Natural Science Foundation, as well as projects of China Geological Survey (CGS), and so on.
The Institute has produced a great number of innovative results by promoting the growth of talents, fostering innovative ideas, and enhancing the ability to perform scientific research and meet major national needs, and has achieved a large number of innovative achievements in the field of solid Earth science. The Institute attaches great importance to intellectual property rights, having been authorized for about 25 patents. In recent years, 7 research achievements have been awarded to the Institute, including 3 National Natural Science Awards, and 4 Science and Technology Progress Award from MNR.
Fig. Main building of the Institute