MIRI: Miri will become a focal point for geoscience expertise from Malaysia and beyond when around 300 professionals, researchers, academics and students converge for the 39th National Geoscience Conference (NGC 2026) from Oct 1 to 3 at the Pullman Miri Waterfront.
Organised by the Geological Society of Malaysia (GSM) in collaboration with the Department of Mineral and Geoscience Malaysia (JMG) Sarawak and Curtin University Malaysia (Curtin Malaysia), NGC 2026 will bring together experts from Malaysia, Nigeria, South Africa, India, Brunei, Japan, Australia, Norway and Indonesia to examine how geoscience can contribute to a more resilient and sustainable future.
Themed “Innovation and Sustainable Geoscience for a Resilient Future”, the conference will explore emerging developments and pressing challenges across areas including climate change and disaster risk, energy and mineral resources, groundwater, conservation and geotourism, coastal and marine geology, geophysics, geospatial applications, geotechnology and petroleum geology.
The scientific programme has attracted around 165 oral and poster presentations across 12 themes, providing a platform for researchers and industry practitioners to share new findings, technologies and approaches while strengthening collaboration between academia, government and industry.
The conference programme also extends beyond the Pullman Miri Waterfront. Delegates will take part in a pre-conference field trip to the Bintulu area on Sept 29 and 30, followed by a post-conference field trip to Niah National Park on Oct 3. NGC 2026 has also been approved for four Continuing Professional Development (CPD) points by the Board of Geologists Malaysia.
The conference’s grand opening will be officiated by Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan, who is also Second Minister for Natural Resources and Urban Development, and Minister for International Trade, Industry and Investment.
Among the dignitaries attending the opening are Deputy Minister for Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts I (Tourism) Datuk Sebastian Ting Chiew Yew; JMG director-general Datuk P. Geol. Zamri Ramli; Deputy State Secretary (Operation) Datu Hii Chang Kee; GSM president Associate Professor Meor Hakif Amir Hassan; Curtin Malaysia pro vice-chancellor, president and chief executive Professor Vincent Lee Chieng Chen; Miri mayor Adam Yii Siew Sang; Miri Division Resident Galong Luang; and Mineral and Geoscience Sarawak director and NGC 2026 Organising Committee chairman Jaithish John.
With its strong international participation and focus on issues closely linked to resource management, environmental resilience and sustainable development, NGC 2026 underscores Sarawak’s role as an important setting for scientific dialogue and collaboration on the future of geoscience.
The conference is expected to foster new partnerships and knowledge exchange among geoscience professionals while highlighting the contribution of the discipline to addressing some of the region’s most pressing environmental, resource and development challenges.
Meanwhile, Curtin Malaysia offers Curtin’s three-year Bachelor of Applied Geology programme where students are exposed to a range of units such as Fundamentals of Geology, Sedimentology and Stratigraphy, Mineralogy and Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geographic Information System (GIS), Structural Geology, Basin Analysis. Hydrogeology and Engineering Geology and Geoscience Project. Learn more about the course by visiting the Curtin Malaysia Bachelor of Applied Geology website at https://curtin.edu.my/study/undergraduate/bachelor-applied-geology/.
