Research and graduate education in the Department of Earth Sciences focuses on the following subfields: (a) Geophysics: tectonics, seismology, remote sensing, and fault mechanics, as well as earthquake hazards; (b) Volcanology: geochemistry, physical volcanology, igneous petrology, and volcanic systems modeling; (c) Climate science: glaciology, paleoclimate and glacial modeling, oceanography, and ice physics; (d) Paleontology: vertebrate paleontology, paleoecology, paleobiogeography, and phylogenetics; (e) Surface processes: Geochemical modeling, hydrology, soil and aqueous geochemistry, landslides, sedimentology and stratigraphy, geomorphology, and fluid mechanics; (f) Planetary Geology: space physics, astrobiology, and planetary interiors. Research assistants conduct research under direction of a principal investigator; postdoctoral scholars conduct research under the direction of a faculty member for the purpose of acquiring research training; research associates conduct research with only general guidance.