UC Davis Earth and Planetary Sciences

Congratulations to Dr. Sandra J. Carlson, Professor Emerita of Paleontology at UC Davis, on being named the 2026 recipient of the American Geosciences Institute's William B. Heroy Jr. Award for Distinguished Service.

The award recognizes individuals whose sustained dedication has made exceptional contributions to AGI and the broader geoscience community.

We're proud to celebrate this well-deserved recognition and grateful for the lasting impact Dr. Carlson has made on the geosciences community.

Dr. Sandra Carlson receives William B. Heroy Jr. Award for Distinguished Service to AGI The Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences is pleased to share that Dr. Sandra J. Carlson, Professor Emerita of Paleontology at UC Davis, has been named the 2026 recipient of the American Geosciences Institute's (AGI) William B. Heroy Jr. Award for Distinguished Service. The Heroy Award...READ M...

After nearly two years of planning, collaboration, and installation, the transformation of room 2110 in the Earth and Physical Sciences Building is complete.

Long known as "The Aviary" for the paper cranes that once hung overhead, the space has been reimagined as "The Aquarium," featuring a crocheted marine life installation and new acrylic poster wall displays that showcase the breadth of research taking place across our Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences. The display features photos contributed by faculty, alongside carefully selected imagery.

More than a study space, the Aquarium serves as a hub for our community-building events, student engagement, and connections between students, faculty, and staff. We're grateful to everyone who contributed photos, ideas, and expertise to help bring this project to life.

Image description:
1) A hall featuring colorful crocheted artwork suspended from the ceiling, a photo display highlighting natural elements, and seating beneath the installation.
2) A hall featuring a large blue and brown paper map, suspended paper cranes, and a balcony visible in the background.

Sweet way to wrap up the quarter!

Students, faculty, and staff gathered at the Earth and Physical Sciences Building for our End-of-the-Quarter Ice Cream Social to celebrate the accomplishments of our community and recognize outstanding undergraduate award recipients.

Congratulations to all of this year’s award winners, and thank you to everyone who joined us!

Image descriptions:
1) Students gather around tables featuring a variety of ice cream flavors and toppings.
2) A large group of students, faculty, and staff socialize while enjoying ice cream.
3) Community members socialize and enjoy ice cream as attendees select toppings from a nearby table.

This week, we welcomed a local Davis 9th grade Earth Science class to explore our department's research spaces and fieldwork displays alongside our graduate students and faculty. Getting a firsthand look at the many ways Earth scientists study our planet, they examined rock thin sections under microscopes, experimented with our AR sandbox, learned about kelp forest decline, and visited our sabertooth tiger and T. rex displays.

A huge thank you to Susann Pinter and our graduate student volunteers Julia Chin, Eduardo Alatorre-Acevedo, Caden Williams, Anjelica Gurrier, Sylverius Wirba, Erik Perkins and Jocelyn Cziko for sharing their time and knowledge.

Image descriptions:
1) A group of people pose in front of a building.
2) Two people sit beside a large rock and bushes.
3) A group of people sit on large rocks in front of trees.
4) Two people touch a large rock on the ground.
5) A group of students examine a large rock in the dirt.
6) A woman stands in front of a group of students sitting beside the road.
7) A group of students examine a large rock beside the road.
8) A group of students examine a large rock beside the walkway.
9) A group of students sit and stand beside a large rock and trees.

EPS undergraduate Lena Anderson gave her talk at the 122nd Annual Meeting of the GSA Cordilleran Section in Baja California Sur, Mexico. Her presentation covered bygone bacteria, ancient microorganisms dormant for millions of years in ice or deep-sea sediment that have since been revived by scientists.

Image descriptions:
1) A woman holds a microphone while standing in front of a projector screen.
2) A woman holds a microphone while facing a projector screen.

We are thrilled to announce that Ph.D. candidate in Earth and Planetary Sciences Claris Sunjo has been awarded the 2026–2027 Faculty for the Future Fellowship from the Schlumberger Foundation. The grant provides $50,000 in support of her graduate research.

This international fellowship recognizes outstanding researchers in STEM not only for their scientific excellence and leadership, but for their commitment to advancing STEM education and opportunity in their home countries.

Claris joins a global community of scholars shaping the future of science. We congratulate her on this remarkable achievement.

Schlumberger Foundation Awards Ph.D. Candidate Claris Sunjo $50,000 Faculty for the Future Fellowship The Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences is proud to celebrate Ph.D. student Claris Sunjo, who has been awarded the highly competitive 2026–2027 Faculty for the Future Fellowship from the Schlumberger Foundation. This distinguished international award provides $50,000 in support of her resea...