Overview

AuScope is Australia’s provider of research infrastructure to the national geoscience community working on fundamental geoscience questions and grand challenges — climate change, natural resources security and natural hazards. We are funded by the Australian Government via the Department of Education (NCRIS). You can find our team, tools, data, analytics and services at Geoscience Australia, CSIRO, state and territory geological surveys and universities across the Australian continent.

 

Our Capability & Purpose

AuScope has radio telescopes that underpin location services for all Australians and its industries across the country and earth imaging equipment to ‘look’ deep into the Earth for resources. Additionally, we support laboratory instruments that analyse rocks, soil, water and even meteorites to understand their composition and history — crucial for future discoveries. And finally, we have Earth modelling software that helps researchers understand critical groundwater systems and carbon sequestration sites, to name a few.

In this period of rapid climate change and population growth, Australia’s geoscience questions include finding the right (critical) minerals and sustainable energy systems in increasingly complex exploration environments. Also, fully characterising and protecting groundwater for growing agricultural use and understanding geohazards is imperative.

We help researchers address these questions through shared and free use of our infrastructure. We also support national leadership and collaboration across groups to make sure we are best addressing (and planning for) key national challenges together. AuScope holds a unique position in the national geoscience  landscape by serving researchers primarily in academia and government, but also in industry. In contrast, our partners Geoscience Australia and CSIRO primarily support industry users. Together, we support all user groups. Some specific highlights from last year are summarised in our short annual CEO’s video.

 
AuScope runs eight Programs currently, which culminate in Australia’s Downward Looking Telescope, a framework to explain AuScope’s vision for integrated infrastructure that looks into – rather than out from — Earth to help researchers address natio…

AuScope runs eight Programs currently, which culminate in Australia’s Downward Looking Telescope, a framework to explain AuScope’s vision for integrated infrastructure that looks into – rather than out from — Earth to help researchers address national geoscience challenges of the decade ahead. Discover: 5-Year Investment Plan.

We receive funding from the Australian Government under the National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy (NCRIS) alongside 22 peers who address all of Australia’s science challenges. Find out more about NCRIS here.