Our Research

Research in the Department of Geosciences aims to discover and share knowledge of Earth and planetary processes, systems, and history. Our research groups cover a wide range of disciplines and utilize many different techniques, described in more detail below.

Solid Earth

Study of the core, mantle, and crust using a variety of techniques including observational geophysics, computational geodynamics, experimental mineralogy, mantle and crustal petrology, geochemistry, basin analysis, and structural geology.

Earth History and Environments

Study of the relationship of life and environmental conditions through Earth history that involves reconstruction of Earth’s surface environments and examining how physical, chemical, and biological processes relate to the Earth's climate and oceans.

Water

Study of geological fluid systems from nano-to continent-scales that combines field, laboratory, remote sensing, and computational methods.

Earth Materials

Study of synthetic, geologic, and biologic minerals using advanced imaging, spectroscopic, scattering, and computational tools to characterize Earth solids relevant to the surface and interior.

Hazards and Resources

Study of Earth processes and systems that works to improve society’s ability to mitigate the affects of natural hazards and manage Earth’s natural resources.

Research Facilities

Laboratories, instrumentation, and computational resources in the Department of Geosciences.

Faculty and students analyzing shale samples on the Laser Ablation IC-PMS instrument

Research Opportunities

Research in our department is partially funded by external grants and relies on graduate students and postdocs. Follow this link to learn about some of our current graduate and postdoctoral research opportunities.