New Delhi: To strengthen earth science research in Indian Universities and think tank organisations, Ministry of Earth Sciences is supporting the following academic programmes : User Oriented M Tech Programme in “Ocean Technology” in IIT Madras; MTech & PhD Programme in Atmospheric-Oceanic Science and Technology in IIT Delhi; MSc course in Ocean and Atmospheric Science at Centre for Earth & Space Sciences, University of Hyderabad.
This information was given by Minister of State for Ministry of Science & Technology and Ministry of Earth Sciences Shri Y.S.Chowdary in a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha today (07 December 2016).
The earth science research challenges include the development of required infrastructure with High Performance Computers (HPC), Aircrafts and research ships including polar research vessel, development of technology for the exploration and sustainable harnessing of marine living and non-living resources and development of skilled and trained manpower in Earth Sciences with the support of academic institutions in the country and abroad.
Under bilateral and multilateral international agreements with various Government agencies in the field of Earth system science, the Ministry supports research proposals, joint observational campaigns, joint development work, exchange of resources personnel and training abroad, workshops etc. Projects being implemented under these collaboration provide excellent opportunity to students/researchers to work and interact with foreign researchers, visit their labs etc.
Under an MoU with Belmont Forum countries, Indian Scientists are supported for international collaborative research through joint calls in societal relevant global environmental change challenges.
Under an MoU with the Natural Environmental Research Council (NERC), the research institutes are participating in joint observational campaigns for studying the various processes involved in understanding the monsoonal behavior. Under this MoU, research institutes are part of projects funded by the ministry for undertaking research in Monsoon, Atmospheric Pollution and Human Health, Changing Water Cycle.
Under the MoU with Research Council of Norway, the research institutes are part of the various projects being funded by the ministry for undertaking research in Polar Research and Geo-Hazards.
The Ministry has launched a mission mode program such as Monsoon. Mission wherein various national and international agencies work together to improve prediction of the monsoon in various spatial and temporal scales. In addition various flagship programs such as Metro Air Quality, Climate Change Research including atmospheric Chemistry wherein the researchers/scientists from universities and research institutes working in these projects get hands-on experience on the sophisticated equipment’s through participation in field campaigns, laboratory experiments and data analysis /modeling techniques, etc.
India has signed an Implementing Agreement (IA) to become a member country of the International Energy Agency – Ocean Energy Systems (IEA-OES). A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the Ministry of Earth Sciences and the Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC) to establish and promote cooperation between in the field of marine and earth science and technology.
