Department of Geology

The Department of Geology of Andhra University is one of the pioneering Departments in India offering a variety of courses and undertaking research activities in a wide spectrum of potentially interesting geological problems of both basic and applied nature. Started in 1941, in a modest way to impart training to students leading to degrees in Geology, it now offers services to the industry. The Faculty members of the Department are currently engaged in personal research activities in a wide range of topics such as Marine Geology, Sedimentology Structural Geology & Tectonics, Petrology and Mineralogy, Economic Geology, Geomorphology & Remote Sensing, Micropalaentology, Environmental Geology, Coal Geology and Hydrogeology.

With the foresight of Prof. C.Mahadevan, who succeeded Sri Karunakaran, the Department initiated new branches like Marine Geology, Nuclear Geology, Geomorphology and similar emerging subjects both in teaching and research, at a time when no University thought of doing so. With the seeds sown by Prof. Mahadevan, and nourished and cultivated by the team who succeeded him, the Department was recognized by the UGC as a well established Department and supported under their Special Assistance Programme from 1972 onwards in four phases. Claims are on for its recognition as a Centre for Advanced Studies in the field of Marine Geology and Sedimentology. Apart from the UGC assistance the Department had the privilege of receiving the UNDP/UNESCO assistance by way of grants for fellowships, study tours and equipment in two phases from 1976-80 and 1981-85. Recognizing the contributions on delta studies and Coastal Geology from the Department and the University, a national institute DELTA STUDIES INSTITUTE has been started in the campus with the initial financial support through grants from the Oil Industry Development Board and Oil and Natural Gas Corporation. The Institute aims at catering to the needs of national and international scientific community in research and training in the delta and coastal studies and to take up problem oriented researches for the oil industry in the country.

Individual research of Faculty members has been consistently supported the CSIR, DAE, UGC, AICTE, ONGC, DST, DOD, CGWB, etc., through the sanction of major research projects. The Department takes the credit of publishing more than 1000 research papers in the national and international scientific journals covering basic and applied geological aspects and training 206 candidates for the award of doctoral degrees. The faculty have authored, edited and supervised the publication of books in Telugu in Geology through the Andhra Pradesh Telugu Academy. The Department conducted a number of seminars and symposia. One of the faculty members had the distinction of receiving the Young Scientist's award of the A.P. Academy of Sciences. The Department has collaborative research projects with scientists from Japan and Russia.

The Department cooperates with the sister Departments of Geography, Geo-engineering and Geophysics in the campus not only in offering the services of teachers in training programes, but also in undertaking interdisciplinary research. The alumni of the Department found positions in organization like ONGC, GSI, CGWB, MEC, APMDC, Dept. of Mines and Geology and Ground Water Departments etc., and most of these Departments and organizations are headed by the alumni at one point of time or other.