The Minister of Education, Science, Research and Sport Juraj Draxler MA accompanied by the President of the Slovak Academy of Sciences Prof. Pavol Šajgalík and members of the Presidium of the SAS visited the Earth Science Institute SAS on January 21, 2016.

At the Data and Analysis Centre of the National Network of Seismic Stations of the Geophysical Division of the Earth Science Institute SAS, the Minister was interested in collection and seismological analysis of data about the earthquake activity especially from Slovakia. Head of the Department of Seismology, Dr. Miriam Kristeková, and Prof. Peter Moczo explained the competence and significance of the seismic network service not only in the regional but mainly in the all-European context to the Minister of Education.

The next part of the visit of the Earth Science Institute SAS, which is the first transformed Institute within the SAS since July 1, 2015 and which originated by merging the Geological Institute SAS and the Geophysical Institute SAS, was dedicated to inform the Minister about the scientific work of the Institute within the frame of its two divisions – geological and geophysical. The director Dr. Igor Broska introduced the history, scientific focus, modern technical and laboratory equipment of the Institute as well as its regional workplaces in Hurbanovo, Stará Lesná and Banská Bystrica.

At the close of the visit, the director of the Institute Dr. Igor Broska dedicated a publication, “The Planet we live on”, to the Minister of Education Juraj Draxler MA. This publication is one of the positive examples of intelligible and interesting propagation of geosciences not only for schools, as a recommended supplementary educational literature, but also for understanding the importance of geosciences by the general public.

Text and photo: J. Madarás

Translated by M. Vďačný