ANU Research School of Earth Sciences

What ANU Research School of Earth Sciences does

ANU Research School of Earth Sciences (RSES) is a constituent research school within The Australian National University's College of Science and Medicine, located on the Canberra campus. Originating as the Department of Geophysics founded in 1952 by Professor John Jaeger, the school was officially inaugurated as RSES in 1973. It delivers undergraduate (Bachelor, Honours), masters, and PhD/MPhil programs in earth sciences, and conducts fundamental and applied research across geophysics, geochemistry, mineralogy, seismology, climate science, and planetary sciences. Research infrastructure includes geochemistry laboratories, two 50-by-50-kilometre spiral-arm seismic arrays in Queensland and Western Australia, laser ablation ICP-MS microanalysis systems, and computing facilities for numerical modeling.

The school's revenue model is institutional rather than commercial, comprising four streams: Australian Government research grants (ARC, NHMRC), tuition and student fees (including international HDR students), donor contributions through the Earth Sciences Future Fund and scholarships, and fee-for-service commercial research and consulting. RSES operates as a public university entity with no external investors or private equity ownership, and revenue is not publicly disclosed. Its customer base spans undergraduate and postgraduate students, early-career researchers, and industry/government partners seeking earth sciences expertise.

RSES distributes its outputs through campus-based education, direct research collaboration, peer-reviewed publications, and international partnerships. It maintains a global research footprint through collaborations with the US Geological Survey, Fleet Space Technologies, the Australian Space Agency, and various international research institutions. Notable legacy and current researchers include pioneers such as Ted Ringwood, Kurt Lambeck, and Anton Hales, and contemporary leaders including Director Professor Dorrit Jacob (first female Director, 2020-2025). The school is actively expanding into planetary seismology via the SPIDER lunar seismic station project and clean energy research through Ultra-Green Hydrogen Technologies.

Name

ANU Research School of Earth Sciences

Legal name

The Australian National University (ANU)

Website

https://earthsciences.anu.edu.au

Company type

Public

Founded year

1952

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

ANU Research School of Earth Sciences is a public university research school within the Australian National University that delivers earth sciences education (bachelor through PhD) and conducts research in geophysics, geochemistry, seismology, and planetary sciences, serving students, government, and industry partners globally.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education Earth Sciences Research

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Scientific Research and Development Services (5417), Geophysical Surveying and Mapping Services (541360)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731), Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700)

akta.pro primary industry

Technical Universities with Specialized Engineering Domains (EDAHAEAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Mineral Exploration & Geoscience Services (Geology, Geophysics, Geochemistry, Resource Modeling) (IMAKAKAA), Earth Science & Geoscience Programs (EDAMABAI)

Keywords

• Earth sciences research
• Geophysics education
• Seismology research
• Geochemistry research
• Planetary science studies

Headquarters

HQ city

Canberra

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Government research funding: Primary revenue from Australian federal and state government research grants through Australian Research Council (ARC), National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC), and other government scientific agencies
2. Tuition and student fees: Revenue from domestic and international students enrolled in undergraduate, honours, masters, and PhD programs
3. Donor contributions and endowments: Gifts and scholarships from alumni, private donors, and corporate sponsors through the Earth Sciences Future Fund and other giving programs
4. Commercial research and consulting: Fee-for-service research activities, industry partnerships, and technical consulting services

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

RSES delivers earth-sciences tertiary education through Bachelor, Honours, Masters, and PhD/MPhil programs, and conducts fundamental and applied research across geophysics, geochemistry, mineralogy, seismology, climate science, and planetary exploration. The school also provides commercial research, technical consulting, and collaborative partnerships with industry, government, and international research institutions.

Product overview

ANU Research School of Earth Sciences (RSES) is an academic research institution within the Australian National University's College of Science and Medicine. It offers a portfolio of educational programs including Bachelor degrees, Honours, Masters degrees, and PhD/MPhil research degrees. RSES conducts research across multiple areas including geochemistry, seismology, mineralogy, climate science, and planetary exploration. The institution does not offer commercial software products but provides research programs, scholarships, and facilities for academic study and scientific research.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 300 publications by Professor Ringwood alone, including influential texts on Earth's mantle and moon origin
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• Fleet Space TechnologiescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on the SPIDER project - a compact lunar seismic station being developed for future lunar missions. RSES researchers led by Professor Hrvoje Tkalcic are contributing to planetary seismology research with support from this Australian space technology company.
• Australian Space AgencycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupport for the SPIDER lunar seismic station project contributing to Australia's growing involvement in international space research and planetary exploration initiatives.
• Australian Academy of SciencecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHome institution for prestigious awards including the Jaeger Medal. The Academy recognizes and supports distinguished Australian earth scientists including RSES researchers.
• US Geological SurveymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint research programs in heat flow measurements and geophysical studies across the Australian continent, contributing to understanding of Australia's continental crust.
• Bureau of Mineral Resources (BMR)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative arrangements for geochronology and palaeomagnetism services, with Bureau contributing substantially to equipment costs and maintaining researchers in the department.
• Snowy Mountains Hydro-Electric AuthoritymajorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerLong-term consulting relationship involving heat flow measurements, triaxial testing of rocks, and in-situ measurement of rock stress for dam and tunnel construction projects.
• Australian Academy of SciencecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRecognition of researchers through honorific awards including the Jaeger Medal and election as Fellows of the Academy for distinguished contributions to science.
• International research institutionsmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative research networks including array-seismology studies with institutions worldwide, planetary science partnerships, and shared seismic monitoring infrastructure.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• University of Cambridge Department of Earth Sciences: Cambridge's earth sciences department offers research-led undergraduate and graduate programs in geology, geophysics, and climate science. Both institutions combine heritage (decades-long history) with active research groups and international student cohorts.
• Stanford School of Earth, Energy & Environmental Sciences: Stanford's earth sciences school offers comparable graduate and undergraduate research programs in geophysics, geochemistry, and climate science. Both institutions combine world-class research output with industry/government partnerships and benefit from association with elite parent universities.
• Imperial College London Department of Earth Science and Engineering: Imperial's department combines earth sciences with engineering applications, mirroring RSES's industry partnerships (e.g., with hydro-electric authorities). Both institutions emphasize practical applications of earth sciences alongside fundamental research.
• University of Oxford Department of Earth Sciences: Oxford's earth sciences department offers comparable research-led teaching and graduate programs in earth sciences. Both institutions combine long heritage, strong alumni networks, and active research output across multiple earth science disciplines.
• Princeton Department of Geosciences: Princeton's geosciences department offers graduate and undergraduate research in earth sciences, with strong emphasis on geochemistry, geophysics, and climate. Both institutions share a small-school research culture within a top-tier parent university.
• Caltech Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences: Caltech's GPS division shares RSES's focus on planetary science, geochemistry, and seismology. Both institutions leverage association with elite parent universities, host unique research infrastructure, and contribute heavily to planetary missions and geophysics research.
• ETH Zurich Department of Earth Sciences: ETH Zurich's earth sciences department is a leading European counterpart with strong programs in geophysics, mineralogy, and climate research. Both institutions operate within major public research universities, share similar research priorities, and attract international talent.
• Columbia University Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences: Columbia's DEES is a leading US earth sciences department with strong programs in geochemistry, seismology, and climate science. Both institutions operate within elite research universities and maintain global research partnerships.
• MIT Department of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences: MIT EAPS is a leading earth sciences department within a top global university, with strong programs in geophysics, geochemistry, and planetary science. Both institutions emphasize fundamental research, infrastructure investment (e.g., seismic arrays), and integration with broader science and engineering schools.

Regional players

• Geoscience Australia: Geoscience Australia is Australia's national geoscience agency and a natural partner/peer to RSES. Both organizations conduct geophysical research, mineral exploration studies, and seismic monitoring in Australia, and they collaborate on national geoscience priorities.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/anuearthscience
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC_2WCrjG64bOQwUPa9WdRBg
• Facebookfacebook.com/anuearthsciences
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/anu-research-school-of-earth-sciences
• Instagraminstagram.com/anuearthsciences

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about ANU Research School of Earth Sciences