Page 73 - handbook 20152016

DEPARTMENT OF GEOLOGY Facilities
The Department is equipped with a wide range of laboratory and
The Department of Geology is the oldest Department of Geology field facilities for both teaching and research purposes. Facilities
in the country. It was founded in Singapore in 1956 and for the preparation of rock slabs, rock thin-sections and polished
sections are available and include rock saws of various
relocated to The Kuala Lumpur Campus in 1960. From its diameters and an automatic polishing. Excellent teaching
modest beginning with only 4 academic staff and 2 final-year petrological, reflected and transmitted light microscopes, as well
students in 1962, the Department has expanded and evolved in
terms of staff, facilities and students in line with the development as stereoscopes and a large reference collection of topographic
of our nation and the increase in demand of earth science and geological maps, rocks, minerals and fossils are available
for undergraduates and postgraduate students.
graduates. In the last 15 years, the Department produces about
50 graduates with Bachelor of Science in Geology and Applied The Department of Geology has one of the most advanced
Geology (introduced in 1968) annually. Presently there are 18
academic staff and 21 support staff in the Department. organic geochemistry laboratory in Malaysia. The laboratory is
equipped with state-of-the-art facilities such as hydrocarbon
Source Rock Analyser (SRA), GC, GC-MS, Pyrolysis-GC, ATR-
Objectives FTIR and microscope photometry system.
As a main centre for earth science studies in a rapidly
developing nation, the Department is aware of its responsibility
to train graduates of high quality in terms of academic excellence Other major teaching and research equipment include EPMA
and communication skills. The Department constantly reviews (Electronprobe Microanalyzer), ICP (Inductively Coupled
Plasma), XRD (X-ray Diffractometer), XRF (X-Ray Flourescence
and introduces new relevant courses from time to time, to fulfil Spectro-meter), AAS (Atomic Absorption Spectrometer), gravity
the requirements of both the public and private sectors. meter, seismograph, magnetometer and particle size analyser.

Degree Programs Macro- and micro-photography and image analysis facilities are
The Department of Geology offers two undergraduate degree also available within the Department.

programs, namely Bachelor of Science in Geology and Bachelor A well-equipped computer laboratory with internet support,
of Science in Applied Geology based on semester system. This complete with geological and geophysical modelling software are
system provides students the chance to complete the course in a
minimum of 7 semesters. Students who apply for the also available for students who are encouraged to use computer
undergraduate course should have some background in Physics, techniques for analysis of their data. There is also a workstation
for
geological,
geophysical,
laboratory
with
softwares
Chemistry & Mathematics in the STPM level, Matriculation or petrophysical, structural and reservoir analysis, modeling,
other equivalent qualification. The medium of instruction is visualization and simulation, that are widely used in the industry.
English.

The Department has an excellent program of research training The Department library, known as the Klompe Reading Room, is
well stocked with a wide variety of recent geological books and
leading to a Master of Science (M.Sc) or a Doctor of Philosophy literature and has access to the Main Library of the University
(Ph.D) Degree. These postgraduate programs are based on which has the largest collection of books and journals in the
supervised research and preparation of dissertation. The
Department also offers Master of Science in Petroleum Geology region.
by coursework. For admission to the Masters degree program, Career Opportunities
the candidate must possess a Bachelor of Science degree with In our rapidly developing nation, graduates in geology have
Honours, while for the PhD program the candidate must possess excellent career opportunities. Graduates from the Department
a Master’s degree.
have excelled in their career in both the public and private
Academic and Research Activities sectors, in various fields such as academic, mining, petroleum
industry, engineering geology and the construction sector. There
The staff of the Department are actively involved in studies and is an increase in demand for geology graduates. Expertise in
research in all aspects of geosciences in Malaysia. To fulfil the geology is also required in the construction of infrastructures, the
needs of the private sectors, research on economic mineral
deposits, engineering and environmental geology, and aspects chemical industries, mitigation of natural hazards and
related to petroleum exploration have been emphasised. environmental monitoring.

Publications by the academic staff have contributed significantly ACADEMIC STAFF
to understanding of general geology, mineralogy, petrology,
geophysics, stratigraphy, palaeontology, sedimentology,
structural geology and tectonics of Malaysia and the region. HEAD:
Profesor Dr. Ismail Yusoff, BSc (Mal), MSc (Norwich), PhD
(Norwich) Hydrogeology.
The staff of the Department are actively involved in the
promotion and advancement of geosciences in Malaysia and the
South-East Asia countries through cooperation and linkages with
various organisations such as the Minerals and Geoscience PROFESSOR:
Department of Malaysia, Geological Society of Malaysia, AGID Dr. Azman Abdul Ghani, BSc (Mal), PhD (Liverpool). Mineralogy,
Igneous Petrology.
(Association of Geoscientists for International Development), Dr. Wan Hasiah Abdullah, BSc (Mal), MSc, PhD (Newcastle).
IUGS (International Union of Geological Sciences), AAPG Petroleum Geochemistry, Coal Petrology.
(American Association of Petroleum Geologists), UNESCO, and
PETRONAS. Members of the Department have played important
and pioneering roles in organising activities that are beneficial to CONSULTANT:
Dr. Ralph L. Kugler, BSc (Wisconsin), MSc (Oregon). PhD
the nation and region, such as organising conferences, training (Texas). Petroleum Geology.
courses and field work.

The Department has established cooperation in research with SENIOR RESEARCH FELLOW:
geoscientists, universities and research laboratories from Dr. John Kuna Raj, BSc, PhD (Mal), MSc (ITC), DipPGeol
(ITC). Engineering Geology, Environmental Geology,
developed and developing countries in fields of common interest. Geomorphology.
The Department also has good rapport with agencies in the Dr. Samsudin Hj. Taib, BSc (Mal), MSc (Brussels), MSc (Lond),
public and private sector in activities related to research and
consultancy. PhD (Durham), DIC. Geophysics.

ASSOCIATED PROFESSOR:
Dr. Masatoshi Sone, BSc (Deakin), PhD (New England)
Palaeontogy, Micropalaeontology & Regional Geology.