Departmental Unit № 1
Department of Geology and Environmental Science
PhD in Geology and Environmental Science
100% Full Funding Guaranteed (5 Years)
Funding Package: Full tuition waiver + 9-to-12 month living stipend (~$27,000–$32,000/yr) + health insurance guaranteed through Teaching Assistantships (TA) and Research Assistantships (RA).
Fall Priority Deadline: January 15
GRE Policy: Not required / Waived
English Minimums: TOEFL iBT 90 minimum or IELTS 7.0 minimum
MS in Geology and Environmental Science (Thesis)
100% Full Funding on Thesis Track!
Funding Reality: Pitt actively funds admitted MS thesis students as Teaching Assistants in introductory environmental geology and GIS labs!
Application Deadline: January 15
Admissions Advisory: If full funding is required and MS is self-funded, students are strongly advised to apply directly to the PhD track.
Vetted Matched Scholars (1 Profiles)
Prof. Daniel J. Bain
Associate Professor of Geology and Environmental Science
In Plain Terms · What This Scholar Does:
He investigates dirty stormwater in post-industrial cities, showing how flash floods wash toxic lead and industrial factory chemicals from old streets into rivers.
Core Research Topics: Urban hydrology, watershed biogeochemistry, urban stormwater runoff, trace metal pollution (lead, zinc), legacy industrial contamination, wet-lab water analysis.
Recent 2024–2026 Works & Grants: Investigates how urban infrastructure, combined sewer overflows, and historical industrial slag deposits dictate heavy metal contamination and flash flood peaks in urban watershed networks across the Rust Belt.
Laboratory Instruments & Methods: Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS), automated storm samplers, GIS spatial urban watershed modeling, chemical water testing.
Recruiting Context: Well-funded urban hydrology and water pollution research group.
Candidate Match:
HydrologyEnvironmental PollutionWater QualityLab Water TestingGIS
Tailored Cold-Email Opening Hook:
"Connecting your wet-lab water testing experience and GIS mapping background with his urban watershed hydrology and contaminant transport research."