CMES Earth - The University of Utah

Welcome to the department of geology & geophysics

As Geoscientists, we apply the principles of chemistry, physics, mathematics, and biology to understand the composition, structure, and history of the Earth and the processes that govern it. Our students use this knowledge to address societal needs and problems, such as locating and characterizing mineral, energy, and groundwater resources, assessing seismic and other geologic hazards, and evaluating and remediating environmental contamination.

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Dinosaur in the Airport

A dino-mite addition to SLC International Airport

“Utah is known for its dinosaurs. We hope this inspires visitors and locals to explore the really cool dinosaur heritage of our state.” - Randy Irmis, curator of paleontology at NHMU and professor of geology at the University of Utah.

Sara Warix

The Universal Connection

“One of the things I love about hydrology is that it’s something that everybody has a connection to,” says Sara Warix. “We all consume it every day, we’re all impacted by the weather, many of us use it for work or play. However far you get into the weeds of geochemistry or physics, you can always connect water back to people.”

Student presenting at GSA

GSA Connects 2024 Recap.

We had an incredible time at GSA this year! We had several students present their research, we had students, faculty, and alumni win awards, and had a great alumni reception.