Applied Geology Research Cluster

 

The Applied Geology Research Cluster at IIT (ISM) Dhanbad brings together 21 faculty members with expertise spanning Earth, environmental, and planetary sciences. Our interdisciplinary approach bridges traditional geological sciences with emerging technologies and data-driven methods, fostering collaborations across academia, industry, government agencies, and international research organizations.

Our research ecosystem is organized into 8 interconnected clusters. Faculty members often contribute to multiple clusters, promoting interdisciplinary research and innovation.

 

 

🌍 Earth Systems, Climate & Environmental Change

Research Areas: Biogeochemistry • Paleoclimatology • Paleoceanography • Marine Geology • Geoarchaeology • Environmental Geomorphology • Critical Zone Science
Researchers:  Prof. Ajoy Kumar Bhaumik | Prof. Pranab Das | Prof. Deepak Kumar Jha | Prof. Rahul Kumar Kaushal 

 

⚡ Energy Resources & Carbon Storage

Research Areas: Coal Geology • Petroleum Geochemistry • Hydrocarbon Exploration • Unconventional Reservoirs • CCUS • CO₂ Sequestration • Petrophysics • Geomechanics
Researchers: Prof. Bodhisatwa Hazra | Prof. Pranab Das | Prof. Ashutosh Tripathy | Prof. Mrinal Kanti Mukherjee

 

🧪 Geochemistry, Isotope Sciences & Geochronology

Research Areas: Organic Geochemistry • Stable Isotopes • Hydrogeochemistry • Isotope Geology • Cosmochemistry • Geochronology • REE Exploration
Researchers:  Prof. Shushanta Sarangi | Prof. Alik Sundar Majumdar | Prof. Deepak Kumar Jha | Prof. Pintu Prusty | Prof. Rahul Kumar | Prof. Rahul Kumar Kaushal

 

⛏️ Mineral Resources & Critical Minerals

Research Areas: Exploration Geology • Ore Geology • Critical Mineral Exploration • Economic Geology • Phyllosilicate Mineralogy • Clay Mineralogy
Researchers: Prof. Prabodha Ranjan Sahoo | Prof. Sahendra Singh | Prof. Alik Sundar Majumdar | Prof. Shushanta Sarangi | Prof. Anand Rajagopal

 

⛰️ Crustal Evolution & Tectonic Processes

Research Areas: Precambrian Geology • Crustal Evolution • Active Tectonics • Metamorphic Petrology • Thermodynamic Modelling • Fluid–Rock Interaction
Researchers: Prof. Joseph Rohan D'Souza | Prof. Anand Rajagopal | Prof. Upama Dutta

 

🏗️ Engineering Geology & Geomechanics

Research Areas: Engineering Geology • Geomechanics • Rock Mechanics • Petrophysics • Applied Geosciences
Researchers: Prof. Kripamoy Sarkar |Prof. Rajendra Kumar Dubey | Prof. Ashutosh Tripathy | Prof. Mrinal Kanti Mukherjee

 

🌊 Earth Surface Processes & Landscape Evolution

Research Areas: Sedimentology • Surface Processes • Quantitative Geomorphology • River Science • Landscape Evolution • Luminescence Dating • Cosmogenic Nuclides
Researchers: Prof. Udita Bansal | Prof. Pintu Prusty | Prof. Rahul Kumar Kaushal | Prof. Deepak Kumar Jha

 

🤖 GeoAI, Remote Sensing & Planetary Geoscience

Research Areas: Artificial Intelligence • Machine Learning • Remote Sensing • GIS • Spectroscopy • Image Processing • Planetary Science • Astrobiology
Researchers: Prof. Anup Krishna Prasad | Prof. Rahul Kumar | Prof. Rahul Kumar Kaushal | Prof. Alik Sundar Majumdar

 

Research Ecosystem

Our research spans the complete spectrum of geological sciences, from Earth's deep interior to its surface environments, and from terrestrial systems to planetary exploration. Through strong interdisciplinary collaborations, we address nationally and globally significant challenges including:

 

Opportunities for Collaboration

The Applied Geology Research Cluster welcomes collaborations with students, researchers, postdoctoral fellows, industry partners, government organizations, and international institutions.
We actively engage in collaborative research, consultancy, sponsored projects, advanced laboratory investigations, field-based studies, technology development, and capacity-building initiatives to advance both scientific discovery and societal impact.

Contact

Department of Applied Geology
Indian Institute of Technology (Indian School of Mines) Dhanbad
Cluster Coordinator: Head, Department of Applied Geology
Email: agl@iitism.ac.in