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Welcome to the Department of Earth, Planetary, and Space Sciences (EPSS) at UCLA!

Welcome to the Department of Earth, Planetary, and Space Sciences (EPSS) at UCLA. Our mission is to understand Earth and our surrounding solar system, as well as extrasolar planets and the star systems that host them. EPSS continues to provide new insights about the processes that formed our universe and that continue to shape its evolution. Our department is committed to advancing rigorous scientific discovery, multimodal education, and impactful STEAM outreach. We are proud to have a department culture based on respect, collaboration, and openness to new ideas and methodologies.

Among the exciting topics we study are: how planetary bodies form and evolve; how life developed here on Earth; whether life has existed elsewhere; how the sun works; what processes shape planetary interiors, surfaces and atmospheres; and how to protect humanity from hazards like earthquakes, tsunamis, landslides, and nearby asteroids. Researchers in EPSS are leaders in geology, geobiology, geo- and cosmochemistry, geophysics, planetary sciences, atmospheric sciences and space physics. 

Education is of paramount importance to us. We provide our students opportunities to conduct investigations in state-of-the-art research laboratories and at field sites around the world.  Our students are involved in building instrumentation used in space missions and  space-based telescopes. We are committed to training the next generation of scientific thinkers who have the skills to tackle important questions about Earth, the Solar System, and beyond.

Please explore our web site to learn more about the research conducted by our students, researchers, and faculty. You can also read about our activities in our newsletters.

Jonathan Aurnou (EPSS Chair)

Why you should join EPSS!

• We study real-world problems on Earth and other planets through applied physics, chemistry, or biology. Our mission is to understand and protect our home in the universe through discovery, education, and outreach.
• We are a little (but mighty!) department in a large school, EPSS offers the sense of close-knit community characteristic to smaller schools, whilst also providing access to the vast web of connections, resources, and opportunities derived from being part of the massive UCLA institution.
• Students enjoy small class sizes, and learn about their chosen topics within Geology, Geochemistry, Geophysics and Planetary Physics, Space Physics, Earth and Environmental Science, and Planetary Science from world-renowned faculty at the forefront of their field. There is also ample opportunity to work closely with faculty in both a classroom and research capacity: we have a 3:1 student-to-faculty ratio, and over half of EPSS undergraduates are involved with research by their second year.
• With an EPSS degree, students gain the skills necessary to succeed in a wide array of professional careers and advanced technical fields, as well as an unrivaled college experience with wonderful adventures, memories, and friendships to last a lifetime.
• After EPSS, alumni careers include paths in NASA and JPL (including NASA space mission leaders, several astronauts, and JPL Director!), USGS, NOAA, the Department of Energy, national parks, museum work, academia, data science, engineering, business, law, and more.
• If you appreciate active learning, field trips and exploration, out-of-this-world-class laboratories and technology, and a family atmosphere, consider EPSS; we look forward to meeting you!

Explore our degree programs: