The Institute of Earth Sciences (IES), founded in 1982, is one of the thirty research institutes of Academia Sinica. The orientation of research is divided into two parts : basic research and applied research. Basic research is to improve our understanding of the earth system and applied research is to conduct natural hazard mitigation and resource management. Therefore, IES emphasizes research domain in geochemistry, tectonophysics, mineral physics and seismology. Housed in a building with more than 8,000 square meters of floor space, IES is well equipped for research, including several facilities, a library with key journals and a fast network link to the world. At present, IES faculty members are carrying out a wide range of research projects including theoretical and applied seismology, seismic tomography, seismotectonics, source physics of earthquakes, earthquake geology, active tectonics, remote sensing structure geology, high-pressure phase transformation, isotopic studies on the formation of our solar system , U-series disequilibrium and application to surface processes, isotope hydrology, composition of the SCLM in East Asia, tectonic evolution of Taiwan, tectonic evolution of Central Asia and continental growth, continental subduction and exhumation of UHP metamorphic terranes, magma chamber processes, volcanology and past climatic changes in East Asia. Moreover, several international collaboration projects are being carried out in order to enhance Taiwan's effort by importing technology and expertise from advanced partners.