The academic program covers traditional topics and the latest advances in earth science. Courses may include theory, descriptive studies, data analysis, computer modeling, laboratory exercises, and field training. The minor offers students in any major outside the department a flexible path to improved knowledge of earth and planetary sciences.
We welcome students with backgrounds that span the range of STEM disciplines, including physics, chemistry, biology, engineering, computer science, and mathematics, in addition to those whose undergraduate preparation was in geology or earth sciences. The department is recognized for a supportive and collaborative atmosphere where research and teaching are pursued at the forefront of earth and planetary sciences.
Dr. Barbara Sherwood Lollar
Dr. Sherwood Lollar's lecture, Water and Life in Earth’s Deep Subsurface – Insights for Sustaining Life on this Planet and Beyond, took place on June 2nd in Northwestern University's Segal Visitor Center and was attended by over 80 people Beyond. The department hosted a symposium on June 6th. The symposium received over 100 registrations.
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Congratulations to all students who graduated with a Bachelor's, Master's, and Ph.D. degree this year (2025) from the Department of Earth, Environmental, and Planetary Sciences (DEEPS).
We are proud to share that Professor Daniel Horton of DEEPS was awarded the 2025 Excellence in Mentoring Undergraduate Research Award by Northwestern's Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences. Witnessing the initiative, care, and exceptional effect of Dan's mentoring over the years has been heartwarming. DEEPS wholeheartedly congratulates Dan for this well-deserved recognition.
