News and Events

The sediments underlying the Salt Lake Valley are thicker in places than previously thought, indicating that current seismic hazard models likely underestimate the amount of shaking Utah’s population center could experience in future earthquakes, according to new research led by University of Utah seismologists.

“Let’s start with the three pillars of urgency. Climate change—it’s here, it’s us, and it’s damaging,” said William Anderegg, director of the Wilkes Center for Climate Science & Policy at the University of Utah. “There are also three companion pillars of hope—it’s solvable, we’re making progress, and the benefits of solving it are enormous.”

Recent research conducted by Dr Gerald Mace from the University of Utah and colleagues reveals how air masses passing over the Antarctic continent naturally boost cloud brightness through a complex chain of chemical and physical processes. This natural phenomenon may hold important clues for improving climate models and predicting future climate change.

Mining engineering majors at the U are immediately thrust into inter-disciplinary study that includes geology, engineering design, environmental stewardship, safety systems and more. Unlike perhaps other majors in the College of Science/College of Mining and Earth Sciences, mining majors experience hands-on training at mine locations that they are likely to land full-time positions at before graduation.

Over the course of an academic career spanning five decades, the University of Utah geoscientist has developed numerous forensic tools, such as isotope analysis, for understanding geological processes that affected the course of life on Earth, according to presentations given Saturday at a symposium to reflect on the contributions of Cerling, who is retiring this year.