Institutul de Geologie şi Seismologie

IGS History

The history of the institute begins since 1949,when the Department of geology was initiated in frame of the Moldavian Academy of Sciences as a branch of the Academy of Sciences of USSR. The study of the geological structure as well as mineral resources of the republic was the research direction of the Department.


In 1954, the central seismic station "Chisinau" was founded in Moldavian Academy of Sciences to investigate a seismic mode of the Carpathian earthquake epicenters. Different methods, including telemetry, started to be used for the investigation.
In 1958 the Department was transformed into the Institute of Geology and Mineral Resources.
In 1967 the Institute of Geophysics and Geology of the Academy of Sciences was founded on the basis of the Institute of Geology and Mineral Resources and the central seismic station "Chisinau" to solve the seismic construction problems. Since 1970 the Institute was headed by the academician, doctor in geology, A. V. Drumea. V. Alcaz, PhD. in geophysics is current director of the Institute.
There were 35 people, including 3
professors and 6 doctors, working in the Institute at the beginning. There are working 82 persons in the Institute in the present time, including 31 scientific researchers, 8 administrative persons, 12 engineers and technicians, 6 auxiliary persons. The Institute has 5 laboratories and the experimental methodical centre.
In general, the knowledge in the following directions was obtained: the principal seismological problems, mechanism peculiarities of the Vrancea earthqake epicenter, the principal problems of litostratigraphy, the evolution mode of the earth crust in certain geological periods, hydrogeology, engineering geology and geochemistry especially concerning the environmental protection. Among the economical and social effects of the Institute researches generally, are seismic protection support of the people as well as minimization of losses caused by the earthquakes and other geological destructive processes. In 2006 certain scientific expertise work was fulfilled by the Institute under direct order of the Government of the Republic of Moldova. Also the Institute took part in elaboration of few Government decision projects.