We study extreme weather, climate change, and their impacts on both ecosystems and modern society.
Atmospheric Sciences
Environmental Geoscience
We use biology, chemistry, geology, and physics to understand how the Earth System supports such a diversity of life and how human behavior is impacting this system.
Geodata Science Initiative
Data science is the fourth and the newest paradigm of science. In Geodata Science Initiative, we conduct transdisciplinary research, merging or articulating EAPS subject matters with technical areas in data science: statistical and machine learning methods and models, algorithms for the models and methods, and computational environments for data analysis.
Geology and Geophysics
We study the processes that shape our planet, from the building of mountains and oil-bearing sedimentary basins, to the flow of warm rocks and cold glaciers, to the triggering of earthquakes.
Planetary Science
We study the evolution of the solar system and how planets evolve over time due to impacts, tectonics, and atmospheric processes, with an eye to the potential for past and future habitability.
Research News
USC is Eyeing the JPL Contract
08-13-2026
L.A. Material — It’s the latest development in the high-stakes scramble to determine the future of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Department Head Andrea Donnellan was interviewed by L.A. Material for its latest story on the future of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
Ancient seams may guide how tectonic plates tear beneath Alaska
08-13-2026
Purdue researchers used Earth's background vibrations to create a three-dimensional image of a sinking tectonic plate, revealing how weaknesses formed millions of years ago may influence volcanoes, earthquakes and mantle flow.
Radar brings Moon landslides out of the shadows
08-10-2026
The Moon may look frozen in time, but its surface is still on the move. Purdue researchers have found that lunar landslides leave a recognizable “fingerprint” in radar data, providing a new way to study how the Moon changes and potentially identify hazards for future robotic and human exploration.
Keys to future human exploration, past planetary conditions hide under surface of Moon, Mars
08-05-2026
Purdue scientist searching underground for resources to shape future crewed missions.
Purdue launches weather balloons for the National Weather Service
07-30-2026
WLFI — Every day, worldwide, nearly two thousand weather balloons are launched from weather service stations. Here at home, Purdue University launches weather balloons ahead of severe weather, just like they did on Monday. Professor Robin Tanamachi was interviewed for this story.