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Research Areas
Research and teaching activities are conducted within four principal areas:
| Applied Physics | Experimental and Applied Biology |
| Computer Sciences | Conservation Biology |
| Electronics and Telecommunications | Marine Biotechnology |
| Optics | Microbiology |
| Earth Sciences | Oceanology |
| Applied Geophysics | Aquaculture |
| Environmental Geosciences | Biological Oceanography |
| Geology | Marine Ecology |
| Seismology | Physical Oceanography |
Applied Physics
Northwest Mexico is a pole of development. Its industrial sector is changing from simple assembly plants to added value industries which require a solid technological base. In this Division, the scientific research, graduate programs and technological developments address this changing and innovative process that supports national economy and social development.
We have a first-class research infrastructure with highly-equipped laboratories. We maintain close collaboration with academic and industrial institutions and organizations, both at the national and international level, in the areas of electronics, telecommunications, optics, optoelectronics and computational sciences. Our graduates are working in national research and higher education institutions as well as in the private sector.
Computer Sciences
We develop algorithms and computational systems which will impact the technological development in the forthcoming decades. We also develop and apply computational technology in different areas, such as medical informatics, computer-assisted learning and vision, among others.
Electronics and Telecommunications
Electronics and telecommunications are fundamental to the country’s development. In this department we study processes which could lead to improved terrestrial and wireless communications. We also study control theory and the automatization of processes.
Optics
We study the nature and behavior of light and its interaction with different materials, in order to create technology that may be used in many applications. Our research covers the most modern areas in optics and has application in biotechnology, medicine, telecommunications and the oil industry, among others.
Earth Sciences
The peninsula of Baja California is located in one of the major seismic regions in the world. It has a fascinating geological history and is a natural laboratory where unresolved problems abound. Researchers and students in the Earth Sciences Division focus on resolving such problems through various disciplines.
Specialized laboratories, with modern equipment and several seismic networks, allow us to carry out a wide range of scientific projects. Graduate students, both at the M.Sc. and Ph.D. level, acquire their training working in scientific projects in the areas of Applied Geophysics, Environmental Geosciences, Geology and Seismology.
Applied Geophysics
By applying the laws of physics, we aim to resolve problems encountered during the exploration of the subsoil. We design and implement algorithms for the interpretation of geophysical data and carry out theoretical-practical studies experimenting with new applications of geophysical exploration methods.
Seismology
Research in this department aims to understand the origin and nature of earthquakes, their energy propagation in the upper crust and mantle, and their effect on specific sites. The results contribute to increase the knowledge of the Earth’s crust in Mexico and to reduce the destructive effects of earthquakes.
Geology
Geological reconstruction of our region is important to understand its evolution and that of our planet. We also do research to evaluate subsoil resources and to contribute to the prevention of disasters caused by natural phenomena.
Environmental Geosciences
This graduate program integrates disciplines from all of the four scientific Divisions of CICESE. We apply our knowledge and experience to the management of natural resources and environmental protection. Our projects are of high impact and environmental relevance, dealing with such problems as global warming, water availability and anthropogenic pollution and soil erosion, among others.
Experimental and Applied Biology
The diversity and fragility of the peninsula of Baja California ecosystems provide the opportunity to investigate, study and explain biological aspects of scientific interest, which have an impact on the economy and the regional ecology.
Our scientists carry out research and teaching activities in three departments: Conservation Biology, Marine Biotechnology and Microbiology. Our activities are strengthened by establishing national and international alliances with other institutions to jointly study biological problems of mutual interest in marine and terrestrial environments.
The Experimental and Applied Biology Division has specialized laboratories and biological collections which facilitate diverse studies including molecular biology and genetic engineering, electronic microscopy and experimentation with sea-water organisms.
Microbiology
Microbiological problems in contemporary areas of basic cellular and molecular biology are studied using fungi as experimental models, in order to understand fundamental problems of growth and differentiation in living organisms. Our research is of interest for the regional economy in matters of agriculture, health, livestock, industry and the environment.
Conservation Biology
We conduct research on the biodiversity and sustainability of the ecosystems and natural resources applying a multidisciplinary perspective, including physiology, morphology, behavior, taxonomy, population and systems ecology, and resource management. Our subjects range from soils and plants, to insects and terrestrial and marine vertebrates. We aim to carry-on research of the highest standard as well as graduate and lower level training that may support diverse efforts at sustainable development.
Marine Biotechnology
We focus our research on obtaining knowledge and exploring the information stored in the DNA of marine biological systems, with the purpose of creating new compounds for industrial and commercial application, pharmaceutical, therapeutic and diagnostic products, new sources of energy, and the remediation of environmental pollution. We also study marine organisms for their use as models, research, genetic improvement and production.
Oceanology
The oceans play a fundamental role in the Earth’s climate and in the origin and evolution of important meteorological events. The oceans are the Earth’s largest habitat but the least explored, containing incalculable natural resources and sources of energy and nourishment required by society, and provide an essential avenue for transportation.
Our research in this division contributes to the whole understanding of the marine environment (atmospheric, oceanographic and coastal), with the purpose of answering fundamental questions and applying our knowledge to obtain solutions to regional and national problems.
Research is supported by specialized laboratories, our oceanographic vessel Francisco de Ulloa, minor vessels and a great variety of first-class oceanographic and laboratory instrumentation.
Aquaculture
Research is oriented to the development of aquacultural techniques (at laboratory and pilot scales) of marine and fresh-water species of economic interest, in terms of biological, physiological, nutritional, reproductive, genetic and pathological studies and other disciplines that contribute to the efficiency of the animal production process.
Biological Oceanography
Typically interdisciplinary, our research methods include chemistry of heavy metals, molecular biology, physiology of autotrophic and heterotrophic organisms, population dynamics, regional oceanography and data analysis of remote sensors. We study organisms that range from microbes to fish and marine mammals.
Physical Oceanography
Sea level, waves, tsunamis, tides and currents are among the ocean dynamics we seek to understand and predict. We also study the changes related to the physical properties of the sea, wind, atmospheric pressure and, in general, climate changes at a large scale, as well as oceanic currents from shoreline and coastal circulation in lagoons and bays to the circulation and water mass formation in gulfs, deep basins and the continental platform.
Marine Ecology
Our focus is in understanding the organization and functioning of the ecological communities in Northwest Mexico in coastal lagoons, shorelines and the open sea. Our research contributes to global change science.
Last update: October 26th, 2010
Carretera Ensenada-Tijuana No. 3918, Zona Playitas, C.P. 22860, Ensenada, B. C. México. Telephone: 01 (646) 175-05-00