Research content and focus:
During the recent years, the earth sciences studies in Taiwan cover a variety of disciplines, including seismology, volcanology, tectonics, mineral physics & chemistry, structural geology, earth materials, applied geophysics, earth & planetary chemistry, geomagnetism and magnetoelectricity, hydrology, geodesy, gravity, paleontology, stratigraphy and sedimentology, natural hazards, surface process, geodynamics and so on. Integration and inter-disciplinary researches are particularly encouraged, either on fundamental researches or on issues of environmental/social impact or sustainable resources and development. Currently, several main topics are emphasized, for example, mountain building and geodynamics of Taiwan and surroundings region, seismic hazards and earthquake physics, tectonic study on Asia accretion and large collision orogeny in Asia, tectonic and geodynamic studies of Southeast Asia (Vietnam, South Chin Sea, the Philippines), eruption and magma chamber exploration of the Tatun volcano area in northern Taiwan, extreme events and feedback and coupling among climate, erosion and tectonics, tectonic and geodynamic integrated study of the southwestern Taiwan, and sustainable energy resources. We are aiming to promote the researches that take the advantages of the strong points in Taiwan and/or have greater impacts in favor of the demand of national and social development.
Intentions and Expectations:
1. We intend to enhance the earth sciences research in universities and academic institutions in Taiwan. We also would like to intensify the international collaborations, including bilateral research collaboration, across-strait exchange, and participation of Taiwanese scientists to international research project.
2. We encourage, in particular, the young talents, by increasing research funding for young early career scientists, in order to accelerate the influx of the new blood and to keep the healthier age distribution of the researchers in Earth science.
3. We promote the scientists to form the research teams to investigate the topics that meet the needs of society, such as the sustainability of natural resources, natural hazards and mitigations, in order for future infrastructure development, and for enhancement of economic prosperous and national potential competition.
4. We intend to emphasize the integration of interdisciplinary research groups to attack the greater goals for advance of bigger scientific problems and challenges. We thus encourage the Taiwanese teams to work with the world-class international outstanding research teams and to develop new and important key research topics in Taiwan. In particular, by considering seismological and geological characteristics of Taiwan, we would enhance the researches that reduce seismic hazards in Taiwan.