The last decade has seen a major change in the direction and focus of Earth Science research. Increased emphasis on quantitative aspects of geological processes has highlighted scientific problems requiring cross-disciplinary efforts for their solution. Physics of Geological Processes (PGP) is a cross-disciplinary center located at the University of Oslo. Its mission is to contribute to a more fundamental and quantitative understanding of the complex patterns and processes of the Earth ranging from the nanoscale structures of mineral surfaces to the movement of lithospheric plates.