Department of Geosciences

Geological sciences are central to fundamental problems of today’s world. All of our major environmental problems—clean water shortages, global warming and sea level rise, land use, natural hazards, soil depletion, pollution, stormwater remediation, and the availability of key natural and energy resources—find their scientific roots, and their ultimate solutions, within the geological sciences. Today’s Geoscientists increasingly lean on computer models of water, the climate and the solid earth, in addition to having strong field and laboratory work skills. Our highly motivated faculty and diverse population of students take full advantage of URI’s unique location at the Atlantic coastline and in the formerly glaciated New England region. We also work extensively on water issues in south and southeast Asia, explore the hydrology of arctic deltas, conduct geobiology research in California, and more.