Australia joins the International Continental Scientific Drilling Program (ICDP)
Dr Ron Hackney, ANZIC Director, Professor Marco Bohnhoff, ICDP Executive Director and Dr Tim Rawling, CEO of AuScope post signing. Image: Thomas Wiersberg AuScope edited
Australian scientists now have access to a more complete understanding of our planet as Australia becomes a member of the International Continental Scientific Drilling Program (ICDP) thanks to AuScope’s new NCRIS funding. ICDP and the Australian National University signed the historic agreement in June 2024 on behalf of ANZIC, the Australia New Zealand International Scientific Drilling Consortium.
Joining ICDP
The ICDP is an international scientific collaboration involving over 20 countries. It enables Earth scientists to use scientific drilling to test models based on information gathered from the Earth’s subsurface. For almost three decades, the group has helped researchers understand Earth’s processes, history and future.
“Joining this international effort is an exciting and significant moment.”
– Dr Ron Hackney, ANZIC Director
Find out more about ICDP via their Science Plan. Image: ICDP
AuScope is facilitating Australia’s membership through a $1.2 million AUD commitment over four years. This funding is enabled by the Australian Government’s National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy (NCRIS).
“This will provide international collaborative opportunities for our geoscience research community, which has a long history in deep Earth sampling in the Australian context,”
– Dr Tim Rawling, CEO of AuScope
Professor Marco Bohnhoff, ICDP Executive Director, reflects that while there have been collaborations with Australian geoscientists on a project level in the past, joining the continental drilling community will open up new opportunities to tackle ICDP’s key science themes, which focus on deciphering geohazards and Earth evolution, mitigating global warming and contributing to the energy transition.
“We are thrilled to welcome Australia to ICDP. Their participation will enhance our collective efforts to unravel the Earth’s mysteries and address global challenges”.
– Professor Marco Bohnhoff
Pune, India
The ICDP Executive Committee and the Assembly of Governors met in Pune, India (3rd - 7th June 2004) to decide on the five workshop proposals and eight full proposals submitted to ICDP by January 2024. This event provided an opportunity to celebrate Australia’s new membership.
The 2024 attendees of ICDP Executive Committee meeting in Karad, India. Image: Borehole Geophysics Research Laboratory
Opportunities to come
Through ANZIC, Australian researchers already have access to core samples from beneath the sea. With ICDP membership, they can now explore land and lake cores. This new capability will help examine coastal zones to better understand the interplay between freshwater and saltwater, drought patterns, and bushfire risks, thereby safeguarding coastal communities and infrastructure. ICDP core samples will also improve projections of future climate, sea-level, and environmental changes by providing historical data to validate current and future climate models.
“It’s an important opportunity for our scientists to participate in world-class projects around the globe and bring the knowledge and expertise home.”
– Dr Ron Hackney
STORY IN A NUTSHELL
Australia joins the International Continental Scientific Drilling Program (ICDP) via ANZIC through AuScope’s new NCRIS funding.
