Geology and Geophysics
Tectonics
EAPS faculty and students in tectonics study how the Earth has evolved over billions of years, integrating observations from the building and breaking of mountain ranges to the rise and filling of ocean basins, with an eye to their impact on the evolution of life.
Geophysics
Our geophysics faculty and students quantify the forces that currently shape the surface of our planet, from plate tectonics to mountain building, and the strength of the crust and mantle, from cold rocks that break as earthquakes to warm rocks that flow.
Geomorphology
Select EAPS faculty and students focus their research on the study of the origin and evolution of landscapes created by physical and chemical processes including tectonics, the flow of water and ice, and climate change.
Energy
Research in the traditional and unconventional energy thematic areas are conducted by our faculty and students, including the study of the exploration of reservoirs, the sedimentological and structural characterization of wells, and fluid/rock interactions.
Geology and Geophysics News
Kelsey Prissel joins the College of Science Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Science Department as assistant professor
01-08-2025
The College of Science EAPS Department welcomes Kelsey Prissel to the faculty in the fall of 2024. Prissel received an honors undergraduate degree in Geology-Chemistry from Brown University. She obtained her PhD from Washington University in St. Louis and held a post-doc at the Carnegie Institution for Science Earth and Planets Laboratory. Before making the transition to Purdue, she worked at NASA Johnson Space Center in Houston as a Research Scientist for three years.
70+ years of research: Historic study gets a modern refresh
01-07-2025
It is a celebration of progress and a testament to geology’s ability to reveal the Earth’s hidden stories, one layer at a time. Two researchers are preparing to review a 70+ year-old thesis using modern technology to improve knowledge of a well-known American geological site.
Surprisingly thick ice on Jupiter’s moon Europa complicates hunt for life
01-06-2025
AAAS — For decades, planetary scientists have thought that Jupiter’s moon Europa, which hides an ocean of salty water beneath its icy crust, might provide a rare harbor for extraterrestrial life. However, the ice is surprisingly thick, suggesting the ocean may lack the heat and chemical reactions needed for life to evolve, researchers reported last week at the annual meeting of the American Geophysical Union. Professor Brandon Johnson was quoted in this article.
Cauê Borlina joins the College of Science Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Science Department as assistant professor
12-20-2024
The College of Science EAPS Department welcomes Cauê Borlina to the faculty in the fall of 2024. Borlina completed his undergraduate work in Aerospace Engineering at the University of Michigan. He then attended MIT for his PhD in Planetary Science. After MIT, Borlina was at Johns Hopkins University as a Blaustein Postdoctoral Fellow.
A legacy etched in the red planet: Mars crater named for planetary expert Jay Melosh
12-19-2024
A leading world expert in impact crater physics, Jay Melosh, has permanently left his mark on Mars, the red planet. According to the U.S. Geological Survey’s Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature website, a crater on Mars has been named “Melosh.” Jay Melosh, a distinguished professor with Purdue’s Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences (EAPS), was known for his work on impact cratering, planetary tectonics and the physics of earthquakes and landslides.