About us

The Observatories of Earth Sciences and Astronomy (OSU, in French) is a federative structure dedicated to observation, research, training, and public outreach. The OSUG federation currently has more than 1,400 members, divided into eight units, five research teams, and two support and research units, under multiple supervisory bodies on the Grenoble and Chambéry campuses. The OSUG works in all fields of Universe, Earth, and Environmental Sciences, from alpine ecology to astronomy, geophysics, hydrology, glaciology, and the humanities (geography, sociology).

 

Identity Card

  • Acronym : OSUG
  • Date of creation : november the 26th, 1985 (by governmental decree n° 85-1243)
  • Location: mainly on the Grenoble university campus
  • Members : 8 research units (ISTerre, IPAG, IGE, LEGI, LECA, LESSEM, EDYTEM, CARRTEL), 5 associated research teams (FAME/ESRF, CEN/CNRM, Environnements/PACTE, SigmaPhy/Gipsa-Lab, LAME/LIPhy) and 2 support and research unit (UAR OSUG, Jardin du Lautaret)
     

Activity

  • Public institution
  • Fields: Earth sciences, continental land surfaces, ocean and atmosphere, and in astronomy and planetology
  • Missions: observation, research, training, and public outreach (art 2 du décret du 27 juin 1985)
  • Supervisory authorities: UGA | CNRS | IRD | METEO-FRANCE | INRAE.
  • Budget 1 M€/year [1]
Plaquette OSUG 2023

 

Documents available

Documents available
HCERES evaluation [2] : synthetic report (in french)


History

Since its foundation in 1985 (decree), the Grenoble Observatory has constantly evolved in order to respond to its fundamental missions ; it gradually brings together several laboratories and research teams and various activities related to the field of Earth Sciences, sciences of the Universe and environmental sciences.
Thus, in January 2011, the Observatory expands its scope, 2 research units joined the observatory (LECA and LEGI) as well as of the LAsers, Molecules and Environment research team (LAME) of the LYPHY research unit. The same year, 4 of its member laboratories merge two by two: LGIT and LGCA are coming together to create ISTerre; LAOG and LPG become IPAG.
In June 2013, the LESSEM & ETNA units from INRAE (ex Irstea center in Grenoble), which already has scientific collaborations with OSUG members and involve in the OSUG @ 2020 LabEx, join the Observatory. He will be joined the following year by the Joseph Fourier Alpine Station, officially integrated into the OSUG in June 2014.
On January 1, 2017, the LTHE and LGGE merged to form the IGE.
In October 2020 and January 2022, the OSUG expanded its scientific and geographical scope by integrating two new units: the Edytem laboratory in Bourget-du-Lac and the CARRTEL unit in Thonon-Les-Bains.
In January 2023, the Institute of Environmental Geosciences expanded its field of research with the arrival of the Torrential Erosion, Snow and Avalanche unit from the INRAE Lyon Grenoble center.

[1] voted annually by the scientific council

[2] The High Council for Evaluation of Research and Higher Education (Hcéres) is an independent administrative authority. Hcéres is responsible for evaluating higher education institutions and research bodies.