AuSIS: About Us

What is AuSIS?

The Australian Seismometers in Schools (AuSIS) program is a national initiative with a dual mission: to advance Earth science education and support scientific research and earthquake monitoring. Backed by AuScope and affiliated with the international Seismographs in Schools (SIS) initiative, AuSIS connects classrooms to cutting-edge geophysical science.

AuSIS was originally launched as a four-year project (2011–2014), funded through the Geophysical Education Observatory component of the AuScope Australian Geophysical Observing System (AGOS) under the Federal Government’s Education Infrastructure Scheme. It has since evolved into a sustained national program that continues to grow and engage new schools each year. 

The program installs research-grade seismometers in schools across Australia, turning them into mini seismic observatories. These instruments record both local and distant earthquakes, as well as vibrations from everyday human activity, providing students with real-time insight into Earth’s dynamic behavior.

What makes AuSIS especially significant compared to similar SIS programs around the world is the quality of instrumentation and its integration into school life. Students are entrusted with caring for their school’s seismometer and, in doing so, become part of a national science experiment. This empowers students to take ownership of the equipment and their learning.

With a network of over 50 active sites, AuSIS supports STEM education and provides valuable broadband seismic data accessible via AusPass. It also contributes to global scientific collaboration through its international SIS partners in the USA, Italy, Ireland, the UK, and France.

Our Goals

• Raise public awareness of regional earthquakes and Earth sciences

• Promote seismology and geoscience as engaging fields of study

• Inspire students to pursue careers in science and engineering

• Provide tools for teachers to support physics and Earth science education

• Deliver high-quality data to national and international seismological research communities