Departmental Unit № 1
Department of the Geophysical Sciences
PhD in Geophysical Sciences
100% Full Funding Guaranteed (5 Years)
Funding Package: Full tuition waiver + 12-month stipend (~$43,000/yr) + comprehensive health coverage for 5 years through the Division of Physical Sciences.
Fall Priority Deadline: December 15
GRE Policy: Not required
English Minimums: TOEFL iBT 100 minimum or IELTS 7.0 minimum
MS in Geophysical Sciences (Non-terminal / En route)
N/A
Funding Reality: Admissions are directly to the fully-funded PhD program.
Application Deadline: N/A
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 (2 Profiles)
Prof. Pedram Hassanzadeh
Associate Professor of Geophysical Sciences and Data Science Institute
In Plain Terms · What This Scholar Does:
He builds cutting-edge AI and machine learning systems that look at global satellite weather data to predict superstorms and monster flood events weeks before they strike.
Core Research Topics: GeoAI & machine learning, extreme weather events, hydroclimatic extremes, atmospheric fluid dynamics, deep learning for climate prediction.
Recent 2024–2026 Works & Grants: Develops physics-informed deep learning models and generative AI to predict extreme atmospheric rivers, unprecedented rainfall events, and blocking patterns that trigger catastrophic regional floods.
Laboratory Instruments & Methods: Physics-informed neural networks (PINNs), large climate model ensembles, high-performance computing, Python (PyTorch, TensorFlow).
Recruiting Context: Leader in AI for climate and extreme hydrological events.
Candidate Match:
GeoAIPython ScriptingClimate HazardsSpatial Data
Tailored Cold-Email Opening Hook:
"Connecting your programming/scripting background with his machine learning frameworks for analyzing hydroclimatic extremes."
Prof. Meghana Ranganathan
Assistant Professor of Geophysical Sciences
In Plain Terms · What This Scholar Does:
She investigates how massive ice sheets crack and melt, using space radar satellites to project how much rising seas will flood coastal communities worldwide.
Core Research Topics: Multi-scale ice dynamics, cryospheric hydrology, satellite remote sensing observations, numerical modeling, global sea-level rise.
Recent 2024–2026 Works & Grants: Tenure-track Assistant Professor! Directs Multi-Scale Ice Dynamics Lab. Investigates ice shelf fracture mechanics, subglacial meltwater channels, and how satellite radar tracks glacier thinning.
Laboratory Instruments & Methods: Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR), satellite altimetry, continuum mechanics numerical models, Python scientific computing.
Recruiting Context: Tenure-track Assistant Professor with high recruiting urgency and fresh funding.
Candidate Match:
Remote SensingGISPython
Tailored Cold-Email Opening Hook:
"Discussing satellite observational datasets and physical numerical modeling of Earth surface changes."