Welcome to the Department of Geophysics!

We are one of three academic departments in Stanford University’s School of Earth Sciences. If you’re considering visiting, applying for undergraduate or graduate study, or would just like to know more about us, please look through our website then call or write for more information. The department has approximately 30 regular and affiliated faculty members, several research scientists, and approximately 55 students. Each year, we host post-doctoral scholars, visiting faculty and visiting scholars from around the world. We maintain close ties with the nearby U.S. Geological Survey and government labs (LBNL and LLNL), and private industry throughout the world.

The Department of Geophysics is regularly ranked among the top three or four geophysics programs in the country. We offer a variety of research programs and educational opportunities for graduate and undergraduate students. One of our unique strengths is our combination of applied and basic research. The options range from planetary, whole Earth and crustal studies to pore-scale rock physics and bio-oceanography. For example, in imaging science alone, our programs includes satellite-based radar imaging of the Earth’s surface, 3-D seismic and borehole-based imaging of the subsurface, and laboratory-scale imaging of the grains and pore space of rocks. For detailed descriptions of these and other research programs, look at research areas. However, do not allow these listings to limit your thoughts about the opportunities within the department. We encourage research at the boundaries of the traditional areas so please inquire with any of our faculty or students if you’re interested in cross-disciplinary research or areas not specifically listed on our web site. In fact, we offer special fellowships for students who seek to bridge traditional boundaries. To further encourage and accommodate the diverse interests and backgrounds of our students, we’ve recently revised our curriculum to provide more flexibility in achieving scientific breadth and depth through coursework and research both within and outside the School of Earth Sciences.

Two areas of growing opportunity for us are computational geophysics and the Global Change and Energy Project (GCEP). The goal of the initiative on computational geophysics is to develop advanced mathematical models and numerical simulators to describe crustal processes, initially to address problems related to energy and natural resources, such as seismic wave propagation and fluid flow in complex media. Through GCEP we are developing methodologies for monitoring geologic carbon sequestration, an area of active research and development with academia, government and private industry.

Finally, we’ll mention the obvious - Stanford University attracts some of the best and brightest students from around the world. Each year the geophysics department welcomes about 10 new graduate students. This academic year, 2007/08, our students come from 26 different countries and over 33% are women. Our diversity, breadth of research and teaching provide a collegial, supportive, and nurturing environment for all. Moreover, as all exemplary departments should, we’re always seeking new ways to improve and be more inclusive of under-represented groups. If you would like to know more, please don’t hesitate to call or visit us. For now, turn the page and visit our website!

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