Welcome to the Department of Earth Sciences. We are delighted that you have chosen to study here in Durham and look forward to meeting you when you start in October. The next few years will be exciting, challenging, rewarding, and – I hope – fun. You will join a community of staff and students who are passionate about our teaching and research and produce outstanding outcomes. We are also friendly, approachable, and collegiate, and take pride in ensuring that all our work is done in a fair and transparent way. You will be supported and encouraged at all stages of the degree programme, and every person in the department is valued for the unique contributions they bring. Be prepared to work hard, but also take the time to relax, to follow other interests in life, and to immerse yourself into life in your colleges, clubs, and communities. For those of you who are unfamiliar with North East England, it is a region with a lot to offer in life beyond the University; please take the time to explore it well.

There has never been a more important time to study the Earth Sciences. The way we live on Earth is changing rapidly and needs to change to deal with the global challenges we face through climate change and environmental pressure. More and more of our research and teaching is tied to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, and we are committed to producing graduates who have the skills, knowledge, and ambition to achieve these goals. All our degree programmes reflect these changing priorities, and we are excited by the start of the new Climate Science degree. You enter the department as undergraduate students; you will leave as our colleagues. We are always inspired by the success of our graduates and look forward to the start of a connection that we hope lasts for years, far beyond your time in Durham itself.

On a personal note, I was an undergraduate student in this Department (a long time ago). I now have the privilege of being Head of Department, which is the latest step in a career in Earth Sciences both inside and outside of the University. You are starting a crucial step in your own journeys; we will support you wherever that journey takes you. Again, I give you the Department’s warmest welcome on joining us, and look forward with real pleasure to getting to know you all throughout your time at Durham Earth Sciences.

Professor Mark Allen