Graduate Program

Fall Term Schedule

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Fall 2025

Number	Title	Instructor	Time
EESC 405-01 Solid Earth Geophysics Rory Cottrell MWF 11:50AM - 12:40PM
No description Location (MWF 11:50AM - 12:40PM)
EESC 406-01 Petrology Kevin Righter MW 9:00AM - 10:15AM
Distribution, description, classification, and origin of igneous and metamorphic rocks in the light of theoretical-experimental multicomponent phase equilibria studies; use of trace elements and isotopes as tracers in rock genesis; hand specimen and microscopic examinations of the major rock types in the laboratory. Location (MW 9:00AM - 10:15AM)
EESC 406L-01 Petrology Lab Kevin Righter F 9:00AM - 11:40AM
Distribution, description, classification, and origin of igneous and metamorphic rocks in the light of theoretical-experimental multicomponent phase equilibria studies; use of trace elements and isotopes as tracers in rock genesis; hand specimen and microscopic examinations of the major rock types in the laboratory. Location (F 9:00AM - 11:40AM)
EESC 424-01 Geomechanics Rachel Glade TR 2:00PM - 3:15PM
Earth and other planetary bodies are constantly deforming as geophysical flows drive transport of materials over a wide range of length and time scales. In this course we will explore the mechanics of geophysical flows including (but not limited to) lava flows, rivers, debris flows, ocean and atmospheric currents, mantle convection, and glaciers. The first part of the course will be a primer on necessary fundamental fluid and granular mechanics, including topics such as rheology, the navier stokes equation, fluid drag, and fluid instabilities. In the second part of the course we will use these fundamental principles to discuss scientific literature and explore case studies of geophysical flows, with specific topics driven by student interest. Throughout the semester we will cover both well-established principles and cutting edge research, using hands on demonstrations to visualize physical processes. Coursework will consist mainly of labs, problem sets, readings, and a final project. Location (TR 2:00PM - 3:15PM)
EESC 425-01 Seismic Signals and Noise Tolulope Olugboji MWF 10:25AM - 11:15AM
Research frontiers in earth imaging, quake detection, volcano and nuclear explosion monitoring, require extraction of seismic and acoustic signals buried in noise. Seismo-acoustic signals are mechanical vibrations generated in the solid earth and its coupling with the fluid atmosphere and oceans. In this course we will introduce linear system theory, digital signal processing and how they enable routine processing of recorded Seismo-acoustic waves contaminated by the nuisance of ‘noise’. Topics include Fourier analysis, spectrograms, z-transforms, poles-zeros, instrument design, (de-)convolution, autocorrelation, cross-spectra, and filter theory: homomorphic filters, cepstral analysis. Exemplary data will cover geotechnical engineering, forensic, exploration, glacial, submarine and planetary seismology. Location (MWF 10:25AM - 11:15AM)
EESC 432-01 Current Topics in Oceanography Thomas Weber TR 9:40AM - 10:55AM
The ocean plays in a critical role in the global climate system, storing vast reservoirs of heat and greenhouse gases that can rapidly exchange with the atmosphere. The physical ocean, and the ecosystems and biogeochemical cycles it hosts, are currently subject to unprecedented perturbations due to anthropogenic climate change and other human activities. In turn, these perturbations can feed back and amplify climate change by altering the ocean-atmosphere exchanges of heat and greenhouse gases. This class will take a deep dive into the recent scientific literature on some key areas of current research, including: ocean acidification; ocean deoxygenation; declining productivity of marine ecosystems; perturbation of the biological carbon pump; potential for destabilization of methane hydrates; and collapse of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation. Students will learn how to critically assess the scientific literature, compare evidence and arguments from multiple (often contradictory) papers, and how to obtain and analyze published datasets. Assessment is based on participation in discussion and debate, written summaries of the literature, and a final project that combines literature review and data analysis on a topic of interest to each student. Location (TR 9:40AM - 10:55AM)
EESC 464-01 Experimental Radioisotope Geochemistry Erin Black R 11:05AM - 12:20PM T 11:05AM - 12:20PM
This experimental course builds on the principles from EESC262/462. Class meetings will integrate lecture and hands-on exercises, alternating between various EES lab facilities, classrooms, and on-campus field sampling sites. Students will learn how to execute their own mini-research project from start to finish and will gain skills in ‘clean’ room analyses, environmental sample collection, instrumentation operation, and data processing. Students will be required to take the university’s online general chemical and radiation safety trainings during the first week of classes. Location (R 11:05AM - 12:20PM) (T 11:05AM - 12:20PM)
EESC 474-01 Paleoceanography & Climate Change Chiara Borrelli MW 2:00PM - 3:15PM
This course will explore the ocean-climate system from a geological perspective, with particular emphasis on the past 65 million years of Earth’s history. In the first part of the semester, the class will learn about the ocean-climate connection today and will explore how physical, chemical, and biological aspects of ocean and climate leave characteristic imprints in marine sediments and what are the tools available to scientists to extract and read such clues. This will be done through lectures and the reading and discussion of seminal papers. The second part of the semester will focus on students’ investigation of specific past climatic regimes (e.g., greenhouse periods, rapid climatic perturbations, and transitions to cooler climates). In addition to learning paleoceanography fundamentals, students will learn how to undertake a scientific literature search, read and understand scientific material, brainstorm and develop new ideas, and write a final research paper. This class has no specific prerequisites, but some coursework in earth sciences, oceanography, and/or geochemistry might be helpful. Location (MW 2:00PM - 3:15PM)
EESC 490-1 Supervised College Teaching Karen Berger 7:00PM - 7:00PM
No description Location ( 7:00PM - 7:00PM)
EESC 490-3 Supervised College Teaching Lee Murray 7:00PM - 7:00PM
No description Location ( 7:00PM - 7:00PM)
EESC 490-4 Supervised College Teaching – 7:00PM - 7:00PM
No description Location ( 7:00PM - 7:00PM)
EESC 490-5 Supervised College Teaching Erin Black 7:00PM - 7:00PM
No description Location ( 7:00PM - 7:00PM)
EESC 490-6 Supervised College Teaching Tolulope Olugboji 7:00PM - 7:00PM
No description Location ( 7:00PM - 7:00PM)
EESC 490-7 Supervised College Teaching Julia Masny 7:00PM - 7:00PM
No description Location ( 7:00PM - 7:00PM)
EESC 490-8 Supervised College Teaching Thomas Weber 7:00PM - 7:00PM
No description Location ( 7:00PM - 7:00PM)
EESC 490-9 Supervised College Teaching – 7:00PM - 7:00PM
No description Location ( 7:00PM - 7:00PM)
EESC 491-01 Master's Reading – 7:00PM - 7:00PM
This course is for master's students that have made arrangements with a faculty member to complete readings and discussion in a particular subject in their field of study. Location ( 7:00PM - 7:00PM)
EESC 493-1 Master's Essay John Tarduno 7:00PM - 7:00PM
No description Location ( 7:00PM - 7:00PM)
EESC 495-03 Master's Research Vas Petrenko 7:00PM - 7:00PM
This course provides master’s students with the opportunity to conduct, develop, and refine their research projects. Students will engage in research relevant to their field of study and make progress toward completing their degrees. Location ( 7:00PM - 7:00PM)
EESC 495-1 Master's Research John Tarduno 7:00PM - 7:00PM
This course provides master’s students with the opportunity to conduct, develop, and refine their research projects. Students will engage in research relevant to their field of study and make progress toward completing their degrees. Location ( 7:00PM - 7:00PM)
EESC 499-1 Research Frontiers in Geo Sc Vas Petrenko 7:00PM - 7:00PM
No description Location ( 7:00PM - 7:00PM)
EESC 505-01 First-year PhD research in Geosciences Rachel Glade 7:00PM - 7:00PM
This course is for first-year PhD students in EES and encompasses the research they would be doing during one of their first-year semesters. Students should register for the section affiliated with their primary research advisor. Location ( 7:00PM - 7:00PM)
EESC 505-02 First-year PhD research in Geosciences Dustin Trail 7:00PM - 7:00PM
This course is for first-year PhD students in EES and encompasses the research they would be doing during one of their first-year semesters. Students should register for the section affiliated with their primary research advisor. Location ( 7:00PM - 7:00PM)
EESC 505-03 First-year PhD research in Geosciences Dustin Trail 7:00PM - 7:00PM
This course is for first-year PhD students in EES and encompasses the research they would be doing during one of their first-year semesters. Students should register for the section affiliated with their primary research advisor. Location ( 7:00PM - 7:00PM)
EESC 505-04 First-year PhD research in Geosciences John Tarduno 7:00PM - 7:00PM
This course is for first-year PhD students in EES and encompasses the research they would be doing during one of their first-year semesters. Students should register for the section affiliated with their primary research advisor. Location ( 7:00PM - 7:00PM)
EESC 505-05 First-year PhD research in Geosciences Vas Petrenko 7:00PM - 7:00PM
This course is for first-year PhD students in EES and encompasses the research they would be doing during one of their first-year semesters. Students should register for the section affiliated with their primary research advisor. Location ( 7:00PM - 7:00PM)
EESC 591-01 PhD Readings Erin Black 7:00PM - 7:00PM
This course is for PhD students that have made arrangements with a faculty member to complete readings and discussion in a particular subject in their field of study. Location ( 7:00PM - 7:00PM)
EESC 591-02 PhD Readings Lee Murray 7:00PM - 7:00PM
This course is for PhD students that have made arrangements with a faculty member to complete readings and discussion in a particular subject in their field of study. Location ( 7:00PM - 7:00PM)
EESC 591-03 PhD Readings John Kessler 7:00PM - 7:00PM
This course is for PhD students that have made arrangements with a faculty member to complete readings and discussion in a particular subject in their field of study. Location ( 7:00PM - 7:00PM)
EESC 591-05 PhD Readings Miki Nakajima 7:00PM - 7:00PM
This course is for PhD students that have made arrangements with a faculty member to complete readings and discussion in a particular subject in their field of study. Location ( 7:00PM - 7:00PM)
EESC 591-06 PhD Readings Tolulope Olugboji 7:00PM - 7:00PM
This course is for PhD students that have made arrangements with a faculty member to complete readings and discussion in a particular subject in their field of study. Location ( 7:00PM - 7:00PM)
EESC 591-07 PhD Readings Vas Petrenko 7:00PM - 7:00PM
This course is for PhD students that have made arrangements with a faculty member to complete readings and discussion in a particular subject in their field of study. Location ( 7:00PM - 7:00PM)
EESC 591-08 PhD Readings John Tarduno 7:00PM - 7:00PM
This course is for PhD students that have made arrangements with a faculty member to complete readings and discussion in a particular subject in their field of study. Location ( 7:00PM - 7:00PM)
EESC 591-09 PhD Readings Dustin Trail 7:00PM - 7:00PM
This course is for PhD students that have made arrangements with a faculty member to complete readings and discussion in a particular subject in their field of study. Location ( 7:00PM - 7:00PM)
EESC 591-10 PhD Readings Thomas Weber 7:00PM - 7:00PM
This course is for PhD students that have made arrangements with a faculty member to complete readings and discussion in a particular subject in their field of study. Location ( 7:00PM - 7:00PM)
EESC 591-11 PhD Readings – 7:00PM - 7:00PM
This course is for PhD students that have made arrangements with a faculty member to complete readings and discussion in a particular subject in their field of study. Location ( 7:00PM - 7:00PM)
EESC 591-5 PhD Readings Miki Nakajima 7:00PM - 7:00PM
This course is for PhD students that have made arrangements with a faculty member to complete readings and discussion in a particular subject in their field of study. Location ( 7:00PM - 7:00PM)
EESC 595-01 PhD Research Erin Black 7:00PM - 7:00PM
This course provides PhD students with fewer than 90 credits the opportunity to conduct, develop, and refine their doctoral research projects. Students will engage in research relevant to their field of study and make progress toward completing their dissertations. Location ( 7:00PM - 7:00PM)
EESC 595-02 PhD Research John Kessler 7:00PM - 7:00PM
This course provides PhD students with fewer than 90 credits the opportunity to conduct, develop, and refine their doctoral research projects. Students will engage in research relevant to their field of study and make progress toward completing their dissertations. Location ( 7:00PM - 7:00PM)
EESC 595-04 PhD Research Lee Murray 7:00PM - 7:00PM
This course provides PhD students with fewer than 90 credits the opportunity to conduct, develop, and refine their doctoral research projects. Students will engage in research relevant to their field of study and make progress toward completing their dissertations. Location ( 7:00PM - 7:00PM)
EESC 595-05 PhD Research Miki Nakajima 7:00PM - 7:00PM
This course provides PhD students with fewer than 90 credits the opportunity to conduct, develop, and refine their doctoral research projects. Students will engage in research relevant to their field of study and make progress toward completing their dissertations. Location ( 7:00PM - 7:00PM)
EESC 595-06 PhD Research Tolulope Olugboji 7:00PM - 7:00PM
This course provides PhD students with fewer than 90 credits the opportunity to conduct, develop, and refine their doctoral research projects. Students will engage in research relevant to their field of study and make progress toward completing their dissertations. Location ( 7:00PM - 7:00PM)
EESC 595-07 PhD Research Vas Petrenko 7:00PM - 7:00PM
This course provides PhD students with fewer than 90 credits the opportunity to conduct, develop, and refine their doctoral research projects. Students will engage in research relevant to their field of study and make progress toward completing their dissertations. Location ( 7:00PM - 7:00PM)
EESC 595-08 PhD Research John Tarduno 7:00PM - 7:00PM
This course provides PhD students with fewer than 90 credits the opportunity to conduct, develop, and refine their doctoral research projects. Students will engage in research relevant to their field of study and make progress toward completing their dissertations. Location ( 7:00PM - 7:00PM)
EESC 595-09 PhD Research Dustin Trail 7:00PM - 7:00PM
This course provides PhD students with fewer than 90 credits the opportunity to conduct, develop, and refine their doctoral research projects. Students will engage in research relevant to their field of study and make progress toward completing their dissertations. Location ( 7:00PM - 7:00PM)
EESC 595-1 PhD Research – 7:00PM - 7:00PM
This course provides PhD students with fewer than 90 credits the opportunity to conduct, develop, and refine their doctoral research projects. Students will engage in research relevant to their field of study and make progress toward completing their dissertations. Location ( 7:00PM - 7:00PM)
EESC 595-10 PhD Research Thomas Weber 7:00PM - 7:00PM
This course provides PhD students with fewer than 90 credits the opportunity to conduct, develop, and refine their doctoral research projects. Students will engage in research relevant to their field of study and make progress toward completing their dissertations. Location ( 7:00PM - 7:00PM)
EESC 595-11 PhD Research Rachel Glade 7:00PM - 7:00PM
This course provides PhD students with fewer than 90 credits the opportunity to conduct, develop, and refine their doctoral research projects. Students will engage in research relevant to their field of study and make progress toward completing their dissertations. Location ( 7:00PM - 7:00PM)
EESC 595-2 PhD Research – 7:00PM - 7:00PM
This course provides PhD students with fewer than 90 credits the opportunity to conduct, develop, and refine their doctoral research projects. Students will engage in research relevant to their field of study and make progress toward completing their dissertations. Location ( 7:00PM - 7:00PM)
EESC 595-4 PhD Research Lee Murray 7:00PM - 7:00PM
This course provides PhD students with fewer than 90 credits the opportunity to conduct, develop, and refine their doctoral research projects. Students will engage in research relevant to their field of study and make progress toward completing their dissertations. Location ( 7:00PM - 7:00PM)
EESC 595-5 PhD Research Miki Nakajima 7:00PM - 7:00PM
This course provides PhD students with fewer than 90 credits the opportunity to conduct, develop, and refine their doctoral research projects. Students will engage in research relevant to their field of study and make progress toward completing their dissertations. Location ( 7:00PM - 7:00PM)
EESC 595-6 PhD Research Tolulope Olugboji 7:00PM - 7:00PM
This course provides PhD students with fewer than 90 credits the opportunity to conduct, develop, and refine their doctoral research projects. Students will engage in research relevant to their field of study and make progress toward completing their dissertations. Location ( 7:00PM - 7:00PM)
EESC 595-7 PhD Research – 7:00PM - 7:00PM
This course provides PhD students with fewer than 90 credits the opportunity to conduct, develop, and refine their doctoral research projects. Students will engage in research relevant to their field of study and make progress toward completing their dissertations. Location ( 7:00PM - 7:00PM)
EESC 595-8 PhD Research John Tarduno 7:00PM - 7:00PM
This course provides PhD students with fewer than 90 credits the opportunity to conduct, develop, and refine their doctoral research projects. Students will engage in research relevant to their field of study and make progress toward completing their dissertations. Location ( 7:00PM - 7:00PM)
EESC 595-9 PhD Research Dustin Trail 7:00PM - 7:00PM
This course provides PhD students with fewer than 90 credits the opportunity to conduct, develop, and refine their doctoral research projects. Students will engage in research relevant to their field of study and make progress toward completing their dissertations. Location ( 7:00PM - 7:00PM)
EESC 895-1 Continuation of Master’s Enrollment – 7:00PM - 7:00PM
This course is designed for master's degree students who have completed all required coursework but still need to finalize specific degree requirements under less than half-time enrollment. Location ( 7:00PM - 7:00PM)
EESC 897-01 Masters Dissertation – 7:00PM - 7:00PM
This course provides master's students who are currently completing their final required coursework, or with special circumstances like an approved reduced courseload, with the opportunity to work full-time on their degrees. Students will make significant progress toward completing their degrees. Location ( 7:00PM - 7:00PM)
EESC 899-1 Masters Dissertation John Tarduno 7:00PM - 7:00PM
This course provides master’s students who have completed or are currently completing all course requirements with the opportunity to work full-time on their thesis. Students will make significant progress toward completing their degrees. Location ( 7:00PM - 7:00PM)
EESC 986V-1 Full Time Visiting Student – 7:00PM - 7:00PM
This course affords graduate students visiting the University of Rochester full-time student status. Visiting students will engage in research, discussion, and/or professional training in partnership with an academic department or faculty member. Location ( 7:00PM - 7:00PM)
EESC 995-1 Continuation of Doctoral Enrollment – 7:00PM - 7:00PM
This course is designed for PhD students who have completed all required coursework but still need to finalize specific degree requirements under less than half-time enrollment. Location ( 7:00PM - 7:00PM)
EESC 999-01 Doctoral Dissertation Vas Petrenko 7:00PM - 7:00PM
This course provides PhD students who have completed or are currently completing 90 credits of coursework and have fulfilled all degree requirements (except for the dissertation) with the opportunity to work full-time on their dissertation. Students will make significant progress toward completing their degrees. Location ( 7:00PM - 7:00PM)

Number	Title	Instructor	Time
Monday
Monday and Wednesday
EESC 406-01 Petrology Kevin Righter
Distribution, description, classification, and origin of igneous and metamorphic rocks in the light of theoretical-experimental multicomponent phase equilibria studies; use of trace elements and isotopes as tracers in rock genesis; hand specimen and microscopic examinations of the major rock types in the laboratory.
EESC 474-01 Paleoceanography & Climate Change Chiara Borrelli
This course will explore the ocean-climate system from a geological perspective, with particular emphasis on the past 65 million years of Earth’s history. In the first part of the semester, the class will learn about the ocean-climate connection today and will explore how physical, chemical, and biological aspects of ocean and climate leave characteristic imprints in marine sediments and what are the tools available to scientists to extract and read such clues. This will be done through lectures and the reading and discussion of seminal papers. The second part of the semester will focus on students’ investigation of specific past climatic regimes (e.g., greenhouse periods, rapid climatic perturbations, and transitions to cooler climates). In addition to learning paleoceanography fundamentals, students will learn how to undertake a scientific literature search, read and understand scientific material, brainstorm and develop new ideas, and write a final research paper. This class has no specific prerequisites, but some coursework in earth sciences, oceanography, and/or geochemistry might be helpful.
Monday, Wednesday, and Friday
EESC 425-01 Seismic Signals and Noise Tolulope Olugboji
Research frontiers in earth imaging, quake detection, volcano and nuclear explosion monitoring, require extraction of seismic and acoustic signals buried in noise. Seismo-acoustic signals are mechanical vibrations generated in the solid earth and its coupling with the fluid atmosphere and oceans. In this course we will introduce linear system theory, digital signal processing and how they enable routine processing of recorded Seismo-acoustic waves contaminated by the nuisance of ‘noise’. Topics include Fourier analysis, spectrograms, z-transforms, poles-zeros, instrument design, (de-)convolution, autocorrelation, cross-spectra, and filter theory: homomorphic filters, cepstral analysis. Exemplary data will cover geotechnical engineering, forensic, exploration, glacial, submarine and planetary seismology.
EESC 405-01 Solid Earth Geophysics Rory Cottrell
No description
Tuesday
Tuesday and Thursday
EESC 432-01 Current Topics in Oceanography Thomas Weber
The ocean plays in a critical role in the global climate system, storing vast reservoirs of heat and greenhouse gases that can rapidly exchange with the atmosphere. The physical ocean, and the ecosystems and biogeochemical cycles it hosts, are currently subject to unprecedented perturbations due to anthropogenic climate change and other human activities. In turn, these perturbations can feed back and amplify climate change by altering the ocean-atmosphere exchanges of heat and greenhouse gases. This class will take a deep dive into the recent scientific literature on some key areas of current research, including: ocean acidification; ocean deoxygenation; declining productivity of marine ecosystems; perturbation of the biological carbon pump; potential for destabilization of methane hydrates; and collapse of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation. Students will learn how to critically assess the scientific literature, compare evidence and arguments from multiple (often contradictory) papers, and how to obtain and analyze published datasets. Assessment is based on participation in discussion and debate, written summaries of the literature, and a final project that combines literature review and data analysis on a topic of interest to each student.
EESC 424-01 Geomechanics Rachel Glade
Earth and other planetary bodies are constantly deforming as geophysical flows drive transport of materials over a wide range of length and time scales. In this course we will explore the mechanics of geophysical flows including (but not limited to) lava flows, rivers, debris flows, ocean and atmospheric currents, mantle convection, and glaciers. The first part of the course will be a primer on necessary fundamental fluid and granular mechanics, including topics such as rheology, the navier stokes equation, fluid drag, and fluid instabilities. In the second part of the course we will use these fundamental principles to discuss scientific literature and explore case studies of geophysical flows, with specific topics driven by student interest. Throughout the semester we will cover both well-established principles and cutting edge research, using hands on demonstrations to visualize physical processes. Coursework will consist mainly of labs, problem sets, readings, and a final project.
Wednesday
Thursday
EESC 464-01 Experimental Radioisotope Geochemistry Erin Black
This experimental course builds on the principles from EESC262/462. Class meetings will integrate lecture and hands-on exercises, alternating between various EES lab facilities, classrooms, and on-campus field sampling sites. Students will learn how to execute their own mini-research project from start to finish and will gain skills in ‘clean’ room analyses, environmental sample collection, instrumentation operation, and data processing. Students will be required to take the university’s online general chemical and radiation safety trainings during the first week of classes.
Friday
EESC 406L-01 Petrology Lab Kevin Righter
Distribution, description, classification, and origin of igneous and metamorphic rocks in the light of theoretical-experimental multicomponent phase equilibria studies; use of trace elements and isotopes as tracers in rock genesis; hand specimen and microscopic examinations of the major rock types in the laboratory.