Earth & Planetary Science

Congratulations to Professor Barbara Romanowicz on becoming an elected member of the Royal Society.

“Their contributions reflect the highest standards of scientific endeavour,” said Sir Paul Nurse, president of the Royal Society, in a statement. “This incoming cohort highlights the truly...Read more about Congratulations to Professor Barbara Romanowicz on becoming an elected member of the Royal Society

EPS graduate student Prajna Das has published her first first-author paper in Nature Geoscience, with co-authors Bruce Buffett and Daniel Frost. The study proposes a new explanation for the long-observed seismic anisotropy of Earth’s inner core—the tendency for seismic waves to travel...Read more about Congratulations to EPS Graduate Student Prajna Das on First First-Author Paper in Nature Geoscience

The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation today announced the names of the 126 early-career researchers selected to receive 2026 Sloan Research Fellowships, among them, our very own Professor Madison Douglas....Read more about Congratulations to Professor Madison Douglas on receiving a 2026 Sloan Research Fellowship

Congratulations to Professor Lindy Elkins-Tanton on receiving The NASA Outstanding Public Leadership Medal!

"For outstanding leadership, team building, and scientific direction, resulting in successful development, delivery, and early operations of the Psyche mission."...Read more about Congratulations to Professor Lindy Elkins-Tanton on receiving The NASA Outstanding Public Leadership Medal

Roland Bürgmann, University of California, Berkeley, will receive the Arthur L. Day Prize and Lectureship for his landmark contributions to...Read more about Congratulations to Professor Roland Burgmann on receiving the Arthur L. Day Prize and Lectureship Award

The Department of Earth & Planetary Science at the University of California, Berkeley invites applications for a pool of qualified temporary lecturers and lecturers in lieu of GSI’s to teach in Summer 2026:

EPS 12 The Planets
This course examines the mysteries...Read more about EPS Summer Lecturer Search Now open - Feb 11th

During our 2025 Santa Barbara’s Day celebration, our graduate students premiered a music video offering a humorous and insightful look at life in EPS. This funny, witty, and educational piece captures the spirit of our graduate community and what new students can expect when they join us....Read more about Graduate Students Release Music Video at Santa Barbara's Day 2025: “Study at UCB EPS and become a REAL Doctor!”

EPS Graduate Admissions Office Hours - October 23, 2025

Questions about the EPS PhD and admissions? Come to our EPS Graduate Admissions Office Hours on Zoom, Thursday, October 23rd from 9:30am-10:30am (PST)!

Zoom link:...Read more about EPS Graduate Admissions Office Hours - October 23, 2025

Co-developed by UC Berkeley's William Boos, an artificial intelligence-based weather model delivered a timely prediction of a stalled monsoon this season, helping farmers decide when to plant their crops.

This AI-based weather model — a collaboration between the University of California,...Read more about AI revolutionizes weather prediction to help farmers in India

“When we integrate all the sources and sinks of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, we kind of get the number that we’re expecting from direct measurement in the atmosphere. But for methane, large uncertainties exist — within tens of percents for some sources — that challenge our ability...Read more about Scientists hack microbes to identify environmental sources of methane

The Swedish King Carl XVI Gustaf has appointed former WSL Director James Kirchner, EPS alum and professor, as the 30th holder of the King Carl XVI Gustaf Professorship in Environmental Sciences for the year 2025/26.

Read more...

...Read more about James Kirchner receives King Carl XVI Gustaf Professorship in Environmental Sciences

The EPS department is incredibly excited to welcome Professor Lindy Elkins-Tanton as a member of our department and leader of the Space Sciences Lab! Lindy is the leader of the NASA Psyche mission and is mid-flight through an incredible research and leadership career. While exploring the...Read more about Welcome New Faculty Member and SSL Director, Lindy Elkins-Tanton

From Roadblocks to Utopia
Maria T. Zuber
Commencement Address

Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences

University of California Berkeley

May 20,...Read more about Maria Zuber's Commencement Address for the Graduating Class of 2025

As a new member of our faculty, Douglas is thrilled to carry on the transmission of geomorphological wisdom and institutional know-how to her own students...Read more about Spotlight on Professor Madison Douglas: Model Authority

“That was awesome! GREAT EARLY WARNING!!!” a resident told the USGS’ ShakeAlert social media account on X. “I got the alert on my phone near downtown San Diego several seconds before the primary [shaking] wave hit. WELL DONE!”

...Read more about Earthquake Early Warning System (ShakeAlert) alerted San Diego County residents before the temblor happened

Imagine a Slushee^TM composed of ammonia and water encased in a hard shell of water ice. Now picture these ice-encrusted slushballs, dubbed “mushballs,” raining down like hailstones during a thunderstorm, illuminated by intense flashes of lightning.

Planetary scientists at the...Read more about On Jupiter, it’s mushballs all the way down