Academic expertise. Research prowess. Student success.
There’s a whole world of discovery in the ground beneath your feet. From the shifting of tectonic plates to the eruption of volcanoes, learn about the Earth and all of the natural processes that have shaped it over time.
Department faculty, researchers, graduate students, and undergraduate students pursue field, laboratory, experimental, and modeling studies of geological and environmental problems around the world. The department's excellent facilities and technical personnel support a range of methods and the department's ideal location also provides ready access to the many natural laboratories of Â鶹ӳ», California and the western United States. Research specialties include Earth and planetary surface processes, geodynamics, volcanology, geochemistry, petrology, earthquakes and seismology, mineral and energy resources, hydrology and hydrogeology.
Recent news from the Department
Understanding the geology of Chilean volcanoes
Geology professor receives renewed funding to continue work on Cordón Caulle
Public invited to participate in free, expert-led geology field trip to Sierra Valley on Oct. 19
The Â鶹ӳ» Bureau of Mines and Geology hosts annual Earth Science Week field trip
Research published in PNAS proposes a new model that predicts river tributary length and spacing
The work may improve scientists’ ability to route water, sediment, and nutrients through river networks