Himalayan Institute for Contextual Sciences
Contextual Science.
Open Data.
Real-World Learning.
HICS is an independent research, instrumentation, and learning institution based in Kathmandu, Nepal. We work across four domains — Research, Instrumentation, Education, and Open Knowledge — building the translational infrastructure that makes doing serious science in Nepal possible.
Live instrument data
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Demonstration data
— generated by a physics-based simulator while field hardware is being deployed.
KTM-001
Kathmandu Valley
27.69°N 85.32°E · 1,350m asl
connecting…
every 15 min
sensor accuracy ±0.5°C · ±2% RH · ±0.1 hPa · ±10% PM2.5
DLP-001
Crystal Mtn School
Dho Tarap, Dolpo · 4,000m asl
connecting…
building physics
loading official weather…
▲ 1,350m
▲ 4,000m
Δ 2,650m
altitude span
Temperature (°C) · 24h
KTM 1,350m
DLP 4,000m
±0.5°C
PM 2.5 (µg/m³) · 24h
— WHO 15 µg/m³
±10% · WHO 24h limit: 15 µg/m³
Station network
Active
Planned (Environmental)
Planned (Muon Detector)
7 stations in network · Nepalgunj–Dolpo muon transect planned · open data from day one
The gap in the data
Nepal sits at the intersection of some of the most important scientific questions of our time — atmospheric pollution, seismic hazard, climate adaptation, cosmic ray physics. It is also one of the most under-instrumented countries on Earth.
HICS is building the measurement infrastructure to change this.
Atmospheric monitoring
Monitoring atmospheric parameters, particulate matter (PM2.5), and greenhouse gases in the Kathmandu Valley.
Cosmic ray flux
Systematic measurement of cosmic ray muon flux across Nepal's altitude gradient — 60 m to 5,000+ m — using custom scintillator-SiPM detectors.
Building performance
Empirical thermal performance data for passive solar and vernacular buildings at high altitude in Nepal. The Crystal Mountain School dataset is the first of its kind.
Instrumentation & measurement infrastructure
◎ In progress
Cosmic Ray Muon Detector
Nepal's first locally manufactured cosmic ray muon detector. Based on the CosmicWatch v3X open-source architecture, adapted for Himalayan conditions. Altitude-gradient measurements from the Terai (~150m) to passes above 5,000m.
● Active
· KTM-001
IESH — Integrated Environmental Science Hub
Unified hardware and software platform for continuous environmental monitoring. Offline-first, modular design. The IESH is the instrument that generates most of HICS's live data.
● Active
· KTM-001
IESH v0 Station
Our first integrated environmental sensing station designed for high-reliability air and weather tracking.
Instruments in the pipeline
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Cosmic ray muon detector Scintillator-SiPM detector for altitude-flux network across Nepal's gradient.
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Portable planetarium Inflatable dome with Nepali-language astronomy programmes for school residencies.
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Seismic node (broadband) Low-cost broadband seismometer for school-based seismic network.
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All-sky meteor camera Wide-field camera for meteor detection and fireball triangulation.
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IESH v1 — Modular Hub PM2.5, CO2, UV, rain, wind add-on modules
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IESH School Deployment First school stations outside Kathmandu
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MEMS Seismometer Kathmandu Valley earthquake network
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SDR Radio Station Meteor scatter, lightning, ionosphere
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Weather Balloon Atmospheric profiling to 30km
All instrument designs published open-source. Any institution anywhere can build them.
Education & open knowledge
HICS's education programmes bring instruments, data, and scientific practice directly into schools and communities. Not textbook science — students analyse real data from real instruments collecting real signals.
Annual Science Camp
Ten-day residential programme for high school students (Grades 9–11) selected from across Nepal. Priority for students from districts outside Kathmandu.
School Science Residency Programme
Multi-day visits to schools combining planetarium sessions, instrument workshops, data exploration, and teacher training.
Teacher Professional Development
Annual one-week residential intensive. Teachers leave with a working instrument they built, curriculum modules ready to teach, and membership in an ongoing professional community.
Youth Research Fellowship
Full-time 12–24 month research positions for Nepali scientists and engineers. Real research. Real stipend. Real publications.
Gender equity is structural, not symbolic: fellowship selection, camp admissions, teacher recruitment, and mentoring structures all explicitly work to reduce barriers for women and girls.
Latest notes
First Week of Atmospheric Data: KTM-001
Seven days of continuous environmental data from our Kathmandu station. Clear diurnal temperature cycle, morning PM2.5 peak correlating with traffic and cooking hours, and a stable pressure pattern. Notes on data quality and next steps.
Crystal Mountain School — Sensor Installation at 4,000m
Dispatch from Dolpo: deploying thermal sensors during construction at 4,000m. Interior and exterior temperature loggers installed in the new school building. First readings show a 15°C differential — passive solar design is working.
IESH v0 — Build Log and First Data
Full build documentation for the first IESH environmental monitoring station. Component list, wiring, firmware, calibration notes. The DHT22 reads ~2°C high at high humidity — we document the offset and plan to cross-validate with a BME280.
Researcher?
We are looking for collaborators in atmospheric science, earth science, and physics. → Write to us
Student?
Research fellowships for Nepali scientists who want to do science here, not abroad. → Fellowship details
Teacher?
Instruments, data, and programmes for schools across Nepal. → School partnerships
Funder?
We are building something that does not exist anywhere else in this region. → What we're building