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School of Earth Sciences

School of Earth Sciences

Launched new website for IPCC CMIP6 Greenhouse Gas scenarios: fact sheets and data downloads

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The School of Earth Sciences conducts high quality, multi-disciplinary research in the scientific areas of Climate, Weather and Geological Sciences.

  • Research themes

    The School of Earth Sciences conducts world leading research in the areas of Weather, Climate and Geological Sciences. This research is conducted in conjunction with our many research linkages and industry partners.

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  • Research centres

    The School participates in several research institutes, centres and organisations, which facilitate inter-disciplinary research and education.

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  • Industry collaboration

    We work with a large number of companies in support of collaborative research, student projects and community engagement.

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  • Our courses

    Earth Sciences encompass a wide range of subjects concerning the solid Earth, hydrosphere and atmosphere. Explore our programs and become a leader at the forefront of studying the Earth and its systems.

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  • Awards, prizes & scholarships

    Scholarships on offer are some of the most generous and comprehensive in Australia.

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  • Field trips

    Field trips are an important part of undergraduate and graduate study within Earth Sciences courses.

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Shows a day in the life of the School, with snapshots of some of the fascinating research happening in the fields of geology and climate science.

The School of Earth Sciences is committed to community engagement and education within our discipline areas of Climate, Weather and Geological Sciences.

Our academic staff and students regularly take part in community and media forums and we have an active program of engagement with high schools in the Melbourne region. In particular, we provide information and presentations to high schools on a range of topics including studying Earth Sciences at the University of Melbourne and more topical scientific issues such as climate change science, volcanoes in Victoria, and rocks and minerals of Victoria.

Our researchers lead a citizen science volunteer program known as SEARCH - South Eastern Australian Recent Climate History - if you are keen to help, please visit the SEARCH website.

For more information or to arrange presentations to your high school or community organisation, please contact:
Katrina Sewell
Phone: +61 3 8344 9866
Email: katrina.sewell@unimelb.edu.au

  • Alumni

    Keep in touch with the School of Earth Sciences and fellow alumni.

  • Dynamic Earth Updates

    View live weather and seismic updates from instruments located in the School of Earth Sciences.

  • Image gallery

    The study of Earth Sciences takes researchers to beautiful places in the world.

  • Theses

    The School maintains a collection of theses (Honours, Masters, PhD) completed before 2010. Contact the Assistant to the Head of Department for loans.

  • Student Society

    Join the Earth Science Students Society! New members welcome.

  • Support Earth Sciences

    We gratefully acknowledge and thank the benefactors partnering with us to advance research and scholarship of the highest level.

We currently have no upcoming events scheduled.
See the University's events calendar for more options.

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The School of Earth Sciences is dedicated to high quality research and teaching in the disciplines of Climate, Weather and Geological Sciences.

The School of Earth Sciences was formally established in 1990, following the amalgamation of the Department of Geology (1900) and the Department of Meteorology (1937). Since its inception, the School has gained a national and international reputation for innovative research and teaching in the inter-disciplinary fields of Geological Sciences and the Climate and Weather Sciences. The School offers a wide range of undergraduate Science and Breadth subjects across these discipline areas, as well as several postgraduate degrees.

The School is one of seven within the Faculty of Science and comprises approximately 11 teaching & research staff, 33 research-only staff, 40 postgraduate students and 20 associates supported by 10 professional staff. Among the research-only staff the School hosts 2 ARC Australian Professorial Fellows, 1 ARC QEII Fellow, 2 ARC Research Fellows, 1 ARC Future Fellow, 3 Australian Postdoctoral Fellows, 3 ARC Discovery Early Career Researchers and 1 McKenzie Fellow.

Located just north of the Melbourne downtown central business district, the School forms part of the vibrant Parkville campus environment and represents an exciting learning environment, as is evident from our international ranking indicators.

  • Welcome

    A message from Professor David Phillips.

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  • History

    A brief history of Earth Sciences at the University of Melbourne.

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  • Contact

    Location and contact information for the School of Earth Sciences.

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Find profiles and contact details for staff in the School of Earth Sciences.

  • Academic staff

    Research and teaching staff in the School of Earth Sciences.

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  • Honorary staff

    Research and teaching staff in the School of Earth Sciences.

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  • Professional staff

    Administration, technical, and support staff in the School of Earth Sciences.

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  • Probing Earth's deep and ancient secrets

    A rock that is the source of most of the world’s diamond deposits is giving us insights into the Earth’s formation

    09 Oct 2019 Pursuit
  • Planting trees is no substitute for natural forests

    Allowing degraded natural forests to re-grow is a more effective, immediate and low-cost method for removing and storing atmospheric carbon than planting new trees

    17 Sep 2019 Pursuit
  • Climate is warming faster now than last 2000 years

    The speed of global warming has never been as fast as it is today, and is affecting the whole planet at the same time, for the first time in at least two millennia

    16 Sep 2019 Pursuit
  • Saving the secrets of the jars of Laos

    The mysterious Plain of Jars in Laos, which is giving archaeologists clues to an ancient civilisation, has just joined the list of UNESCO World Heritage protected sites

    16 Sep 2019 Pursuit
  • Marine geology methods unveil history of ancient Roman port

    The results of an international research project including researchers from the University of Melbourne, La Trobe University and ANSTO in Australia, and international collaborators in Canada and France, is published this month in Quaternary International. The team innovated by applying marine geology methods for the first time at a port archaeological site in Italy. McKenzie Fellow Agathe Lisé-Pronovost from the School of Earth Sciences at the University of Melbourne led this project with geoarchaeologist Jean-Philippe Goiran from CNRS (France).

    17 Jun 2019 News
  • What the past can tell us about the future of climate change

    For several millennia during the Last Interglacial period, temperatures were higher than pre-industrial levels and that had an impact on our climate system. But with recent dire forecasts of global warming, what can the past tell us about the future of our climate?

    12 Jun 2019 News
  • University congratulates Australian Academy of Science Fellows

    Professors Kerry Landman, David Balding and David Karoly are among six new fellows elected from the University of Melbourne

    28 May 2019 News
  • A day in the life of a sedimentologist with Jin-Sol Lee

    Jin-Sol Lee is a University of Melbourne student who ventured on the CAPSTAN Voyage. Read his blog about conducting soil samples and the daily life of a sedimentologist.

    16 May 2019 News
  • Kimberley Reid: rivers in the sky

    Kimberley is a PhD student in the School of Earth Sciences. Read about her research in atmospheric rivers and her goals for future study.

    16 May 2019 News
  • Ewan Short: studies in land-sea breeze

    After studying the physics of fluid flow in his honours year, Ewan resolved to study atmospheric science at a graduate level. Read about his research and experiences as a graduate student.

    16 May 2019 News
  • Welcome to CAPSTAN Voyage 2

    Maddie Brown in a University of Melbourne student currently on the RV Investigator for the CAPSTAN Voyage 2. Read her blog about the experience.

    06 May 2019 News
  • Petex gives School of Earth Sciences access to cutting-edge geological modelling software

    Software with a commercial value of more than £1.308m (AUD$2.4m) has been given to the University of Melbourne, School of Earth Sciences, by engineering firm Petroleum Experts.

    24 Oct 2018 News
  • Scientific drilling of lake sediments at Darwin Crater in Tasmania

    Fieldwork was completed on April 16-25 th 2018 at Darwin Crater, a 1.2 km diameter and 800,000-year-old meteorite impact crater in western Tasmania. The drilling team included two drillers, two PhD students, and two scientists from the University of Melbourne (Dr Michael Fletcher and Dr Agathe Lisé-Pronovost).

    01 Jun 2018 News
  • David Karoly - Reflections on a decade of climate research

    On 14 February 2018 Professor David Karoly gave a talk to friends and colleagues about his ten year tenure as Professor of Atmospheric Sciences at the University of Melbourne.

    07 Mar 2018 News
  • Key greenhouse gases higher than any time over last 800,000 years
    02 Jun 2017 Pursuit
  • McCoy Building celebrates 40 years
    23 May 2017 News
  • PhD student Catherine Wheller presents on Scope
    20 Mar 2017 News
  • PhD opportunities in speleothem palaeoclimate studies
    25 Nov 2016 News
  • Hidden stories in Madagascar
    07 Oct 2016 Pursuit

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Support Earth Sciences

School of Earth Sciences

  • News and Events
  • Research
    • Research centres
      • Thermochronology and Noble Gas Geochronology and Geochemistry Organisation
    • Industry collaboration
    • Research themes
      • Basin studies
      • Environmental geochemistry
      • Economic geology
      • Geomicrobiology
      • Geophysics
      • Isotope geochemistry
      • Noble gas geochronology
      • Palaeoclimatology
      • Tectonics, geodynamics & geohazards
      • Theoretical petrology
      • Thermochronology and Continental Tectonics
      • Atmospheric Composition
      • Climate Variability & Change
      • Mesoscale dynamics and cloud processes
      • Polar weather & climate
      • Tropical meteorology & climate
      • Computational Geodynamics
      • Archaeological Science
  • Study
    • Courses
    • Awards, prizes and scholarships
    • Field trips
      • GEOL20001 - Geology of Southeast Australia
      • GEOL20003 - Minerals and Magmas
      • GEOL20004 - Field Mapping and Sedimentary Geology
  • Engage
    • Alumni
    • Dynamic Earth Updates
      • The McCoy Building Weather Station
      • Seismic Monitoring
      • Electricity Demand
      • Greenhouse Gas Factsheets
    • Theses
    • Image gallery
    • Support Earth Sciences
  • News
    • PhD student Catherine Wheller presents on Scope
    • Hidden stories in Madagascar
    • Key greenhouse gases higher than any time over last 800,000 years
    • Welcome to CAPSTAN Voyage 2
    • A day in the life of a sedimentologist with Jin-Sol Lee
    • University congratulates Australian Academy of Science Fellows
    • What the past can tell us about the future of climate change
    • Saving the secrets of the jars of Laos
    • Climate is warming faster now than last 2000 years
    • Planting trees is no substitute for natural forests
    • Probing Earth's deep and ancient secrets
  • Events
  • About
    • History
    • Contact
    • Welcome
  • People
    • Academic staff
    • Honorary staff
    • Professional staff
  • Current Students
  • Library
  • Staff