About

Presentation

The Centre for Earth and Space Research at the University of Coimbra (CITEUC) was created in 2015, with the mission of conducting original research in Earth and Space sciences, and in the interdisciplinary subjects connecting both. Located at the Geophysical and Astronomical Observatory (OGAUC), CITEUC embarked in a comprehensive mission that, besides research, includes services provided to the society, learning/teaching history of sciences and dissemination to the public of the results achieved.

CITEUC currently has 20 PhD researchers and 11 PhD students, with experts in different multidisciplinary areas, such as Astronomy, Physics, Geophysics, Geology, Science Education, and History of Science and Technology.

CITEUC was restructured in 2024 into two core research groups: GeoSpace Science, focusing on fundamental and applied scientific research, and GeoSpace Academy, dedicated to didactic, pedagogical, historiographical, and heritage approaches.

2013: Earth as seen through Saturn's rings (Cassini). From 898 million miles away, Earth appears as a tiny blue dot in this wide-angle photograph from the Cassini spacecraft. The Cassini-Huygens mission, which was terminated in 2017, was a cooperative project of NASA, the European Space Agency and the Italian Space Agency.
2013: Earth as seen through Saturn's rings (Cassini). From 898 million miles away, Earth appears as a tiny blue dot in this wide-angle photograph from the Cassini spacecraft. The Cassini-Huygens mission, which was terminated in 2017, was a cooperative project of NASA, the European Space Agency and the Italian Space Agency.
© Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Space Science Institute.

CITEUC's Strategic Plan for 2025-2029 ambitiously integrates two innovative research Era-Chair projects via the collaborative efforts of the GeoSpace Science and GeoSpace Academy Groups, establishing a forward-looking and encompassing research direction. These interdisciplinary projects, crucial to CITEUC's vision, will bolster CITEUC's leadership in the Earth and Space Sciences, both nationally and internationally, and contribute to securing funding and expanding its human resources. The strategy highlights CITEUC's commitment to pioneering scientific research, education, and preserving scientific heritage, aiming to enhance our understanding of the universe, prepare future scientists and educators, and maintain our scientific legacy for public inspiration and education.

2015: Earthrise 2.0 (Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter) Launched in 2009, LRO captures some 12 Earthrises daily, but is generally busy looking at the Moon's surface. On occasions such as this, planets sometimes come into view as LRO points its instruments into space for atmospheric observations and calibration.
2015: Earthrise 2.0 (Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter) Launched in 2009, LRO captures some 12 Earthrises daily, but is generally busy looking at the Moon's surface. On occasions such as this, planets sometimes come into view as LRO points its instruments into space for atmospheric observations and calibration.
© Image Credit: NASA/Goddard/Arizona State University

CITEUC Research Groups

GeoSpace Science Group

GeoSpace Academy Group

CITEUC Research Team

Integrated researchers
PhD students