Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences

The Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences has a great diversity of programs and intersecting disciplines, with faculty and students studying in fields such as Tectonics, Geophysics, Atmospheric Dynamics and Chemistry, Environmental Sciences, Biogeochemistry, Climate Change, Severe Weather, Planetary Sciences, Astrobiology, Data Science, and many other areas. We are committed to strategic initiatives in Diversity and Inclusion, Education, Interconnections between the Earth’s interior and surface, climate and sustainability, planetary exploration and spacecraft missions, and the development of emerging fields of study.

Undergrads Grad Students Our People Research Seminars and Events

More information

News

Purdue announces new head of the Department of Earth Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences

After a competitive search, Purdue University announced Andrea Donnellan will take on the role of head of the Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences (EAPS) effective January 1, 2025. Donnellan was manager of the Instrumental Systems Section at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) where she was also a senior research scientist before her taking this role at Purdue University’s College of Science.

Purdue scientist expecting new world to reveal itself to Mars rover

NASA’s Mars 2020 rover mission and Purdue planetary scientist Briony Horgan are approaching a new phase in the search for details about the red planet’s history and potential for previously hosting life. The mission’s Perseverance rover is only weeks away from emerging from the 28-mile-wide Jezero Crater to explore new terrain. It’s a point in the mission Horgan set her sights on following the rover’s landing in the crater four years ago.

Purdue researchers use traffic jam theory to explain atmospheric blocking

Atmospheric blocking is an extreme weather event associated with potentially significant socio-economic losses. It can be devastating to a community when it happens and researchers would like to understand the phenomena better. A team of researchers from Purdue University applied a traffic jam theory to explain atmospheric blocking. The team was led by Lei Wang, assistant professor with the Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences at Purdue University. They published their results in Geophysical Research Letters.

Harbor named Purdue Global interim chancellor

Chris Ruhl, Purdue Global interim CEO and Purdue University chief financial officer, announced today (Nov. 13) that Jon Harbor will serve as Purdue Global’s interim chancellor beginning Jan. 1, assuming the role of Frank Dooley, who announced Nov. 6 that he will step down at the end of 2024. Harbor is an emeritus professor of Purdue EAPS.

Meteorite contains evidence of liquid water on Mars 742 million years ago

Eleven million years ago, an asteroid struck Mars and sent pieces of the red planet hurling through space. One of these chunks of Mars eventually crashed into the Earth somewhere near Purdue and is one of the few meteorites that can be traced directly to Mars. This meteorite was rediscovered in a drawer at Purdue University in 1931 and therefore named the Lafayette meteorite. During early investigations of the Lafayette meteorite, scientists discovered that it had interacted with liquid water while on Mars. Scientists have long wondered when the interaction with liquid water took place. An international collaboration of scientists including two from Purdue University’s College of Science have recently determined the age of the minerals in Lafayette that formed when there was liquid water. The team has published their findings in Geochemical Perspective Letters.

All Departmental News