Archival photo of the Earth Sciences and Chemistry building.

History of the department

The Earth and Environmental Sciences department was established in 1965 and has grown to offer one of the strongest earth sciences programs in the country. Learn more about our journey.

  1. 2025

    1. Department releases new strategic plan.  

  2. 2024

    1. Students travel to Costa Rica for a field course with Dean Chris Houser in May and to Italy in August.

  3. 2018

    1. Earth 20/20 Endowment Fund is launched to gain support for field and lab expenses.

  4. 2015

    1. Department celebrates its 50th anniversary.

  5. 2013

    1. First-year students participate in the first trip to Elora as part of Earth 10 with Brewster Conant.

  6. 2012

    1. WATROX joins the Geological Association of Canada as official Logan Chapter.

  7. 2008

    1. The name of department is changed to Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences from the Department of Earth Sciences.

      Honours Earth Sciences (Environmental Specialization) is replaced by new Honours Environmental Sciences (Geoscience Specialization). 

  8. 2003

    1. The department moves into new quarters in the Centre for Environmental and Information Technology Building (EIT).

  9. 2002

    1. Students travel to Carlsbad Caverns, New Mexico as part of a fourth-year field course.

  10. 1996

    1. The department hosts the first Farvolden Lecture and Symposium.

  11. 1978

    1. The Chemistry 1 building is renamed Earth Sciences and Chemistry (ESC).

  12. 1975

    1. Murray-James Verge is awarded first Ph.D. degree in Earth Sciences.

  13. 1973

    1. Honours B.Sc. in Earth Sciences co-op stream admits first students. 

  14. 1972

    1. Blagoje Novakovic becomes the first MSc in Earth Sciences to convocate. There are 100 undergraduates and 30 graduate students in the department at this time. 

  15. 1969

    1. MSc program in Earth Sciences with Specialization in Environmental Geology receives provincial approval. 

      First field trip to Whitefish Falls. This trip still runs annually.  

  16. 1968

    1. Bill Bond establishes the Geology Club (later called WATROX).

  17. 1967

    1. First BSc in Earth Sciences is granted to Brian Bornhold. 

  18. 1965

    1. The Department of Earth Sciences is established on July 1 in the Faculty of Science with Paul Karrow as Chair. The first students are admitted to the new three-year General Earth Sciences program in September.

  19. 1964

    1. Science Forward Planning Committee recommends to Science Faculty Council that a Department of Earth Sciences be established.

  20. 1961

    1. Geology courses are taught in Civil Engineering by Owen White and Paul Karrow, and in the Faculty of Science by Harold Ellenton.

Students holding the University of Waterloo flag.

Students display the University of Waterloo flag on a trip to Costa Rica.

Dean Chris Hauser instructs students in the field on a trip to Costa Rica.

Dean Chris Houser speaks to a group of students on a field trip to Costa Rica in 2024.

Students posing in Italy.

Students pose in front of ancient ruins during a field trip to Italy in 2024.

Students holding the University of Waterloo flag.

Students with the University of Waterloo flag on a field trip to Italy in 2024.

Students in Italy.

Students on a field trip to Italy in 2024.

Ed Sudicky

Ed Sudicky in an Earth Science modeling lab (1997). Sudicky served as Chair from 1997 to 2000.

Bob Gilham

Bob Gilham in his research lab (1997). Gilham served as Chair from 1993 to 1997.

Students playing volleyball.

Logan Day celebrations in 1990. Logan Day is a department-wide celebration still held annually each fall. Students, staff and faculty participate in games and a BBQ to kick of the new school year.

Two men on either side of cross-section of a large tree.

Tom Edwards (right) and Bill Buhay (left) showing off a slice of a Merlau Maple, a long lived local tree (1990).

A man in a lab coat in an Earth Sciences lab.

Maurice Dusseault testing rock cores in the lab (1984).

A group of Earth Science students stand next to rock wall.

Field trip to Whitefish Falls (1983). This annual trip, which still runs today, was first organized in 1971.

First year Earth Sciences lab in 1983.

First-year Earth Sciences rock lab, circa 1983.

A group of Earth Science students take samples next to a stream.

Earth Sciences field trip (1983).

A man studies mammoth tusks under a microscope.

Allan Morgan studying mammoth tusks (1979).

Professor and student in lab.

Ted Appleyard with a student in the lab (1978).

Drilling equipment outside ESC.

Drilling rig at Chemistry 1 (now the Earth Science and Chemistry building) on June 17, 1976.

Two men in lab coats using carbon dating equipment.

Steven Fritz, a postdoctoral fellow, using carbon 14 dating equipment (1975).

Paul Karrow

Paul Karrow was the first Chair of the department, serving as Acting Chair from 1965 to 1967 and Chair from 1967 to 1970.

Students holding the University of Waterloo flag.
1 / 18
Students display the University of Waterloo flag on a trip to Costa Rica.
Dean Chris Hauser instructs students in the field on a trip to Costa Rica.
2 / 18
Dean Chris Houser speaks to a group of students on a field trip to Costa Rica in 2024.
Students posing in Italy.
3 / 18
Students pose in front of ancient ruins during a field trip to Italy in 2024.
Students holding the University of Waterloo flag.
4 / 18
Students with the University of Waterloo flag on a field trip to Italy in 2024.
Students in Italy.
5 / 18
Students on a field trip to Italy in 2024.
Ed Sudicky
6 / 18
Ed Sudicky in an Earth Science modeling lab (1997). Sudicky served as Chair from 1997 to 2000.
Bob Gilham
7 / 18
Bob Gilham in his research lab (1997). Gilham served as Chair from 1993 to 1997.
Students playing volleyball.
8 / 18
Logan Day celebrations in 1990. Logan Day is a department-wide celebration still held annually each fall. Students, staff and faculty participate in games and a BBQ to kick of the new school year.
Two men on either side of cross-section of a large tree.
9 / 18
Tom Edwards (right) and Bill Buhay (left) showing off a slice of a Merlau Maple, a long lived local tree (1990).
A man in a lab coat in an Earth Sciences lab.
10 / 18
Maurice Dusseault testing rock cores in the lab (1984).
A group of Earth Science students stand next to rock wall.
11 / 18
Field trip to Whitefish Falls (1983). This annual trip, which still runs today, was first organized in 1971.
First year Earth Sciences lab in 1983.
12 / 18
First-year Earth Sciences rock lab, circa 1983.
A group of Earth Science students take samples next to a stream.
13 / 18
Earth Sciences field trip (1983).
A man studies mammoth tusks under a microscope.
14 / 18
Allan Morgan studying mammoth tusks (1979).
Professor and student in lab.
15 / 18
Ted Appleyard with a student in the lab (1978).
Drilling equipment outside ESC.
16 / 18
Drilling rig at Chemistry 1 (now the Earth Science and Chemistry building) on June 17, 1976.
Two men in lab coats using carbon dating equipment.
17 / 18
Steven Fritz, a postdoctoral fellow, using carbon 14 dating equipment (1975).
Paul Karrow
18 / 18
Paul Karrow was the first Chair of the department, serving as Acting Chair from 1965 to 1967 and Chair from 1967 to 1970.

Past chairs

Mario Coniglio

Mario Coniglio 

Chair, 2021 to 2025

David Rudolph

David Rudolph

Chair, 2016 to 2021

Bill Taylor

William Taylor

Interim Chair, 2014 to 2016

Barry Warner
Chair, 2007 to 2014

Bob Gillham
Interim Chair, 2005 to 2007

Mario Coniglio
Chair, 2004 to 2005

Dave Blowes
Interim Chair, 2004

Jim Barker
Chair, 2000 to 2004

Ed Sudicky
Chair, 1997 to 2000

Bob Gillham
Chair, 1993 to 1997

Paul Karrow
Interim Chair, 1992

John Greenhouse
Chair, 1986 to 1992

Jocelyne Legault
Chair, 1986

 

Peter Fritz
Chair, 1981 to 1986

Chris Barnes
Chair, 1976 to 1981

Roger McQueen
Chair, 1976

Bob Farvolden
Chair, 1970 to 1976

Paul Karrow
Chair, 1967 to 1970
Acting Chair, 1965 to 1967