Facts on Geocenter Denmark

Geocenter Denmark - Vision

To become:

• One of the top 10 leading research and education centres in geology and geography in Europe.
• A leading international collaborator in geoscientific arctic research.
• A centre of new professional interdisciplinary cooperation.
• A central adviser in the research-based, political, decision-making process.
• An attractive research and education centre for graduate and Ph.D. students.

Geocenter Denmark – Concept

Geoscientific research and education are of fundamental importance to the sound development of the Danish and international community. This role has become increasingly pronounced concurrently with the dramatic developments in the geosciences over the past few decades. As a consequence, geoscience disciplines in Denmark play a vital role in research, education and employment. Employment opportunities for graduates are found not only in research institutions and the energy industry in Denmark, but also in central government, and local and regional authorities.

Geoscientific research embraces basic scientific problems concerned with the Earth’s structure and history, drift of the continents, evolutionary development of the human and biological world, as well as questions of vital importance to society’s welfare and living conditions.

Research into earthquakes, volcanic activity, natural resources, soils, water resources, landscape changes and urbanisation fall within the scope of geoscience disciplines. Geoscientific research also embraces studies of present and past climatic conditions, of which a particularly topical aspect concerns the consequences of increased greenhouse warming. At a time in history when mankind’s exploitation and dominance of the World and the interaction between human activity and nature have become global, the geosciences have become vital to sound management of the World’s resources and environment.

Denmark, Greenland and the Faeroe Islands extend across large parts of the North Atlantic region, and together with their continental shelves make up the Danish national community. They encompass an area equal in size to continental Europe and possess an energy and raw materials resource potential of substantial dimensions. Much of this potential remains to be tested, but Denmark is already Europe’s third largest oil producer. Denmark’s intensive agriculture and exploitation of natural resources as well as the development of industry, traffic and urbanisation, necessitate geological and geographical research into the consequences for the environment, in particular its vulnerability, and is an important prerequisite of national, regional and local planning.

Geocenter Denmark – Purpose

Geocenter Denmark was established as a centre for geoscientific research, education, consultancy and communication at the highest international level.

Cooperation at the Geocenter seeks to:

• Strengthen the bonds between basic and applied research.
• Ensure an improved research and consultancy competence for the benefit of public and private enterprises.
• Strengthen and improve the quality of geological and geographical studies.
• Contribute towards an optimal resource exploitation.
• Attract supplementary funding for the geosciences.
• Attract Danish and foreign researchers and visiting scientists to the Geocenter.
• Support the researchers in leading cooperative and collaborative projects.

Geocenter Denmark – Research profile

The institutions at Geocenter Denmark span a wide spectrum of geoscientific disciplines. In setting up the Geocenter the nucleus of the research comprises:

• Geology of the earth’s crust.
• Geology of sedimentary basins.
• Palaeobiology.
• Groundwater.
• Quaternary geology, geomorphology and glaciology.
• Energy balance in natural and cultural landscapes.
• Urban and regional geography.
• Land use, management of natural resources and environmental analysis.

These geoscientific disciplines are in focus in the community, in connection with mineral and hydrocarbon investigations, protection of pure drinking-water supplies, management of natural resources, climatic research, environmental surveillance and urban planning. They represent spheres of competence of vital interest to the community in order to secure high standards of research and consultancy, as well as ensuring university graduates the highest standards of education and optimal research facilities.

Geocenter Denmark will primarily be linked together by a joint research programme, by merging and upgrading the available highly specialised laboratories and other research facilities to the highest international level.

Geocenter Denmark’s social research profile

Energy and raw materials
Investigation, recognition, recovery, storage, management.

Landscape, environment and water cycles
Land use, landscape preservation, soil, nutrients and groundwater circulation and condition.

Climatic development from the geologist’s perspective
Changes in climate and sea currents through extended periods of time, variations in glaciers and the Greenland Inland Ice, changes in sea levels.

Cultural landscape
Agricultural geography, urban development and physical planning. History of the cultural landscape.