Research Areas

Tornado

Atmospheric Sciences

We study extreme weather, climate change, and their impacts on both ecosystems and modern society.

Testing the water

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.

Mountain ranges

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.

Spacecraft mission

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

Award-winning writer, documentarian to headline Presidential Lecture Series event, kicking off Purdue’s celebration of America’s 250th
02-09-2026

Bestselling writer, documentarian and television producer Timothy Ferris will kick off the spring semester’s Presidential Lecture Series on Feb. 26 with a conversation with Purdue University President Mung Chiang addressing the pivotal role of science in advancing democracy and economic development. The lecture also commences Purdue’s yearlong celebration of our nation’s 250th birthday.

Satellites encased in wood are in the works
01-27-2026

The Economist — Swapping metal for wood, though, is not without hazard, observes Daniel Cziczo of Purdue University, who was one of the authors of the stratospheric-particle study. What might emerge from a reaction between the resulting soot and vaporized electronics remains unknown. The article requires a login.

A Recap of Purdue EAPS at AGU 2025
01-20-2026

The American Geophysical Union's (AGU) annual Fall Meeting is the world's largest conference for Earth and space sciences, which was held on December 15-19, 2025, in New Orleans, Louisiana, under the theme "Where Science Connects Us" to foster global collaboration and share groundbreaking research. Purdue EAPS had several students, faculty, and alumni in attendance, making a big presence in the Big Easy!

Kim Stanley Robinson interview: The Ministry for the Future author on climate fiction, political imagination, and health
01-16-2026

BMJ — This interview is with Kim Stanley Robinson, who wrote a best-selling novel based on one of EAPS Professor Matthew Huber's research articles. The BMJ is one of the world's most prestigious journals, and it is now publishing a special issue inspired by his book, which was inspired by Huber's article.

Advancing Space Exploration at Purdue
01-16-2026

The 2nd annual Advancing Space Exploration at Purdue Symposium, hosted by the College of Science, will bring together leaders from inside and outside Purdue to discuss opportunities for universities to work with industry partners to make the next giant leap in robotic and human space exploration.

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