Overview
Looking to attend geological, geomechanical and/or environment related seminars?
The department sponsors several seminars throughout the year, bringing notable speakers from around the northeast. Check out the seminar schedule for this year’s presentations.
Interested in learning more about the department’s research?
Research from the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences is frequently being highlighted in professional journals and national publications. Check out the research highlights page to see where our faculty’s research has been showcased.
From the Newsroom...
Using data science to understand global climate systems
Fri, 21 Apr 2017
Climate scientists and computer scientists are working together to understand what drives the global climate system—from deep in the ocean to high in the sky.
Tibet sediments reveal climate patterns from millions of years ago
Wed, 19 Apr 2017
The Tibetan Plateau in China experiences some of the most extreme weather patterns on Earth, making it an ideal location for Rochester climate scientists to student the complex web of global climate patterns.
Tarduno awarded medal for paleomagnetic research
Tue, 21 Mar 2017
The European Geosciences Union awarded its 2017 Petrus Peregrinus Medal to John Tarduno, a professor of geophysics, in recognition of his research on the evolution of the early Earth’s magnetic field.
Gas hydrate breakdown unlikely to cause massive greenhouse gas release
Wed, 08 Feb 2017
A recent interpretive review of scientific literature performed by researchers at the U.S. Geological Survey and here at Rochester pays particular attention to gas hydrates beneath the Arctic Ocean.
Earth’s magnetic field—reversing or fluctuating?
Wed, 08 Feb 2017
For the last 160 years, the Earth’s magnetic field has been weakening. In an essay shared on Newsweek, professor John Tarduno explains archaeomagnetism research, in which geophysicists team up with archaeologists to study the effects of these changes.
First-of-its-kind study examines Great Lakes methane
Fri, 06 Jan 2017
There is very little data on the methane levels in the Great Lakes, the world’s largest collection of freshwater. Early last spring, earth and environmental sciences professor John Kessler invited five undergraduate students and a master’s degree candidate on a research venture designed to change that.
New prehistoric bird species discovered
Fri, 16 Dec 2016
A team of Rochester geologists has discovered a new species of bird in the Canadian Arctic. At approximately 90 million years old, the bird fossils are among the oldest avian records found in the northernmost latitude.
Searching for more insights on Earth’s magnetic field
Wed, 17 Aug 2016
Geophysicist John Tarduno has taken a group of students to Africa and Australia this summer to continue his groundbreaking work on the strength and direction of Earth's magnetic field. The students are live-tweeting from their research sites, sending photos from the field.
Fate of marine carbon confirms importance of polar oceans
Wed, 03 Aug 2016
A new study shows that the polar seas are much better than other regions of the ocean at trapping carbon from marine plankton.
Robert Poreda honored as fellow of Geological Society of America
Mon, 30 Nov 2015
Geochemist Robert Poreda, professor of earth and environmental sciences and an expert in the field of noble gases, was honored earlier this month as a newly elected fellow of the Geological Society of America (GSA).