Research facilities
We are home to world-class research facilities that support cutting-edge scientific discovery across a wide range of disciplines.
Our laboratories, field equipment, and analytical technologies enable researchers to explore the complex processes shaping the Earth’s systems, from deep-time geological evolution to modern environmental change.
Our facilities include advanced geochemical and isotopic analysis laboratories, state-of-the-art Earth observation and remote sensing tools, and specialised equipment for field-based research. These resources are integral to our research themes, fostering collaborations within the university and with external partners, including the Scottish Universities Environmental Research Centre (SUERC).
By combining innovative technology with interdisciplinary expertise, we provide a dynamic research environment that supports fundamental and applied studies, addressing global challenges in climate change, sustainability, and planetary science.
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Creative Impact Lab
The Creative Impact Lab is an exploratory space for catalysing innovative relationships between research, engagement and impact.
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Earth Surface Surveying & Waters
Supporting field studies across the school that focus on high-precision measurements of Earth surface change, soil science, river and coastal processes, and surveying.
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Earth System Dynamics Computing & HPC
Specialising in using Geoscientific computing, large-scale data analysis, and machine learning/AI to understand interactions between the atmosphere, biosphere, solid Earth, Earth's surface, and humanity.
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Earth System Dynamics Thermo- & Geochronology
Thermochronologic and geochronologic dating techniques and their application to understand rates and dates at which a wide range of geologic processes are active.
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Environmental & Analytical Geochemistry
Specialising in cutting-edge environmental and analytical geochemistry, advancing research on earth systems, pollution, and sustainable resource management through innovative analytical techniques.
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Geoanalytical Electron Microscopy (GEMS)
High-resolution imaging, chemical & microstructural analysis for a wide range of materials using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Raman spectroscopy
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Geomicrobiology & Biogeochemistry
Our facilities support research in microbial ecology and evolution, biogeochemical cycling of elements, and microbe-metal interactions, across a range of natural, anthropogenic and extreme environments.
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Isotope Ecophysiology
The Isotope Ecophysiology Lab has 128 remotely monitored mesocosms for exploring the impacts of CO2-associated global change on marine biotic and geochemical systems.
MicroCT
The College of Science Engineering (CoSE) Analytical Suite MicroCT Facility houses a Zeiss Xradia 620 Versa X-ray microscope (XRM).
Optical Microscopy & Laser Imaging
Light and confocal laser microscopy for geologic applications.
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Organic Geochemistry (BECS)
Cutting-edge biomarker research advancing understanding of environmental change, ecosystem processes, and climate science through organic geochemistry.
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Rock & Sediment Preparation
Supporting a variety of analytical techniques including SEM & LA-ICP-MS, through rock crushing, mineral separation and thin section preparation.
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Soils and Carbon
Carbon quantification and characterization of solid, liquid and gaseous samples. Includes measurements of carbon concentrations, fluxes, and isotopic composition.
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SUERC
Our School greatly benefits from close affiliation with SUERC (also at the University of Glasgow) for easy access to diverse, state of the art, laboratories.
Laboratory organisation
Explore the image below to find out more about laboratories and laboratory leads at the School of Geographical and Earth Sciences.
