University of South Carolina College of Arts & Sciences

Welcome!

The School of the Earth, Ocean and Environment (SEOE) was recently formed within the College of Arts and Sciences in order to focus attention on some of the high quality educational and research programs that exist at the University of South Carolina in the “environmental” area. Approved by the Board of Trustees in December 2009, the SEOE includes the Department of Earth and Ocean Sciences, the Marine Science Program, the Environment & Sustainability Program, the Belle Baruch Institute for Marine and Coastal Sciences, and the Earth Sciences and Resources Institute. Collectively, these units contribute significantly to the University’s top 25 national ranking in research and development expenditures in environmental sciences. In addition, they provide our students with an opportunity to pursue a wide range of interdisciplinary degree programs.

As we look to the future, the SEOE is committed to:

  • becoming a nationally recognized leader and focal point within the University for innovative and integrative research across the broad spectrum of Earth’s environments;
  • engaging students at all levels in research opportunities that enrich their educational experience;
  • equipping our students with the interdisciplinary background and critical thinking skills needed to address the pressing environmental challenges of modern society;
  • raising awareness and understanding of the dynamic interactions between society and Earth’s environment, particularly through outreach activities that engage a broad range of public and private sectors, with an emphasis on K-12 education.

The greatest strength of the SEOE is the high quality of its faculty and their commitment to both teaching and scholarship. In close collaboration with their students, SEOE faculty are engaged in cutting edge research from the coast of South Carolina to the Antarctic Penninsula. This research addresses fundamental issues facing society and is of high priority both nationally and internationally.


Madilyn Fletcher
Director (Interim), School of the Earth, Ocean and Environment