UP National Institute of Geological Sciences

The National Institute of Geological Sciences (NIGS) at the University of the Philippines is a multi-disciplinary forum for the study of processes that shape the Earth. It offers undergraduate education in geology and courses at the graduate level in the fields of geochemistry, solid-earth geophysics, volcanology, volcano-tectonics, marine geology, hydrogeology and paleontology.

NIGS is a national center of excellence for the advancement, dissemination and application of geology through teaching, research and extension services. Pursuant to our mandate, we offer an undergraduate program for basic geology and graduate programs that currently focus on energy-resource exploration, and environmental assessment and management. Basic and applied research regarding local and global geologic issues are our key thrusts. Fields of geosciences perceived critical to national development such as Engineering Geology, Environmental Geology, Marine Geology, Coal Geology, Volcanology and Quaternary Geology are being developed. Geologic consultancy and analytical services are also offered by the institute staff members and laboratories, respectively.

History

The NIGS was created through Executive Order No. 889 by the President of the Republic of the Philippines in March 1983. In order to implement the Executive Order, the Board of Regents of the University of the Philippines (UP) System authorized on 26 May, 1983 the organization of the NIGS from the Geology section of the former Department of Geology and Geography of the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) in UP Diliman. The CAS eventually was split into three distinct Colleges, namely, the College of Arts and Letters (CAL), College of Social Sciences and Philosophy (CSSP) and College of Science (CS). During the reorganization of the CAS, the NIGS became an academic unit of the CS. Actual operation of the NIGS started in January 1984.