Welcome to Yale University and the Department of Geology and Geophysics!

My name is David Bercovici and I'm the Chairman of our department. No doubt most of you reading this message are here because you're interested in pursuing study in Earth science in some form or another. So, since I have your attention, I'll be presumptuous and answer two questions that you maybe haven't asked yet, but should. First, why study Earth science? And second, why study Earth science at Yale?

The question "why study Earth science?" is easy to address since it has two very profound answers. First, the many fields of Earth science cover some of the most fundamental and relevant topics of our time. On the one hand Earth scientists address deep issues such as the origin of the Earth and planets and entire solar system, the cause for continental drift (aka plate tectonics), and the origin and evolution of life on our planet. On the other hand, we also study problems of enormous societal, political and historical relevance, such as climate change and global warming, earthquakes, volcanoes, extreme weather and hurricanes.

Second, Earth science is one of the last of the truly general sciences. Sure, many people might take the view that other fields such as physics, chemistry, biology are the general core sciences, and ones like Earth science or Astronomy are applications and specializations. But in fact Earth science is uniquely general in that it involves and integrates all scientific disciplines, much in the same way that the early "natural philosophers" worked before so much specialization occurred over primarily the last century. In Earth science, if, for example, you wish to study climate and global warming, you must not only know the physics of the atmosphere and oceans, but understand chemical cycles through the Earth (especially of greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide and methane), the geologic record of climate change, and the biological feedbacks, i.e., how organisms affect and are affected by climate variations. To understand how the Earth's interior cools to space and causes the massive solid mantle (the layer of rock between the crust and core) to turn itself inside out by convection (hot stuff rises, cold stuff falls) and thus drive plate tectonics, you must not only know fluid dynamics, but also a host of other fields such as the physics of minerals at extreme pressures and temperatures (to know how deep rocks deform and respond to being heated and cooled); isotope chemistry (which inform us, for example, how the mantle segregates and evolves and also how well it is mixed); and earthquake seismology (which provides "ultrasound" images of the Earth's interior and snapshots of hot and cold thermals). Studying the evolution and the origin of life requires not only knowledge of evolutionary theory but also molecular biology and genetics, geochemistry and radiometric dating (i.e., finding ages through radioactive decay of certain isotopes), and the physics of plate tectonics and paleomagnetism (the study of the Earth's past magnetic field which is recorded in many rocks and microfossils). Thus, an Earth scientist is inevitably well-versed in all scientific disciplines, not just one.

Why study Earth science at Yale? Our department is diverse in its areas of study, like all Earth science departments. However, not all such departments concentrate in exactly the same fields. Yale's Geology and Geophysics department has strong programs and some of the worlds leading experts in areas ranging from evolutionary theory and paleontology, to the Earth' interior from core to surface, to the physics, chemistry and biology of the entire ocean-atmosphere-cryosphere-biosphere-climate system (yes, that's a mouthful). But even more importantly, our department's research areas are well integrated; that is, the overlap between these diverse members is profound and communication is lively. For example, students of the Earth's interior and students of the ocean, atmosphere and cryosphere have much in common with each other in terms of the methods they use, and so take many of the same classes and seminars and have many of the same faculty advisers.

Our department also offers many different research experiences, including exciting field work and research cruises in exotic locations across the globe, state-of-the-art theoretical and computer modeling, and cutting-edge work in a large number of experimental laboratories in, for example, geophysical fluid dynamics, geomicrobiology, ice physics, isotope geochemistry and high-pressure mineral physics.

Study at Yale also offers a wonderful setting and great "extra-curricular" opportunities. Yale's campus is unparalleled in its history, charm and cultural offerings through musical concerts and groups, live theater, and world-famous museums. The campus is also uniquely intermingled with the town of New Haven, with its incredible depth of entertainment and culinary possibilities, not to mention being in the heart of the North East, perfectly situated between the beautiful New England country-side and the excitement of Manhattan.

Well, there you have it: my sincerely unbiased opinion! But I welcome you to explore our website and learn for yourself what goes on in our department and to explore Yale's general website to find out more about Yale University as a whole. You won't be disappointed!

David Bercovici
Professor and Chair
July 12, 2006