Earth and Space Sciences at Columbus State University, GA

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Earth and Space Sciences at Columbus State University, GA Welcome to CSU's Department of Earth & Space Sciences page! Check out https://ess.columbusstate.edu/

Our faculty have expertise in astronomy, atmospheric and environmental science, engineering, geology, physics, robotics, and science education.

ESS alumnus Matthew R. Perry is headed to the Moon - at least scientifically!https://www.psi.edu/blog/psi-led-team-selec...
10/05/2026

ESS alumnus Matthew R. Perry is headed to the Moon - at least scientifically!

https://www.psi.edu/blog/psi-led-team-selected-for-nasa-prism-program/

Perry is a Co-Investigator with the team behind GIMLI, an instrument suite recently selected by NASA for a mission to the Moon led by Nathaniel Putzig of the Planetary Science Institute (PSI). GIMLI will send a lander and rover to the Marius Hills Pit to determine whether a lava tube cave lies beneath the surface.

As Science Operations Manager, Perry will build and run the mission's Science Operations Center, where the team will assess results in real time and make science-driven decisions while the instruments are at work on the Moon. He will also take part in radar, seismic, and gravity investigations and help manage the mission's data archiving and analysis.

Congratulations to Matt and the rest of the team at the Planetary Science Institute!

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Interested in a career in robotics engineering or earth and space science? Learn how you can use one of our B.S. or M.S. degrees as a springboard into a career in robotics engineering, astronomy, environmental science, geology, or science education by visiting our ESS departmental website!

https://www.columbusstate.edu/earth-space-sciences

ESS atmospheric science professor Dr. Steve Jessup shares his research and insights into meteorology on Substack.https:/...
10/05/2026

ESS atmospheric science professor Dr. Steve Jessup shares his research and insights into meteorology on Substack.

https://ametcosmology.substack.com/p/through-the-haze-an-atmospheric-detective

His latest post, "Through the Haze: An Atmospheric Detective Story" describes his lifelong fascination with the weather and his observations of the April 2024 solar eclipse. During that event, a smoke plume in the Columbus area produced a strange temperature response. Dr. Jessup followed that unexpected response through a failed hypothesis and then a paper from 1943 that eventually resulted in his proposing a new feedback effect: the Subcritical Aerosol-Moisture Feedback. Dr. Jessup will present the results of this research project as part of our Fall 2026 ESS Seminar Series tomorrow, Tuesday, October 6th.

Kudos to Dr. Jessup for his public outreach!

ESS Professors Dr. Shawn Cruzen (right) and Dr. Clint Barineau (left) discuss space weather and the geology behind earth...
08/11/2026

ESS Professors Dr. Shawn Cruzen (right) and Dr. Clint Barineau (left) discuss space weather and the geology behind earthquakes on the WRBL News 3: Beyond the Forecast podcast.

ESS Professor of Geology, Dr. Clint Barineau, joined WRBL meteorologists Kaylee Barbee and Nicole Philips on July 25th to discuss the science behind earthquakes...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y5tWDfH_9hA&list=PLlgv1Tm3JKtdJhldC7RCux3znHjiUZerZ&index=4
..while ESS Professor of Astronomy and Director of the Coca Cola Space Science Center, Dr. Shawn Cruzen, joined the show on August 1st to discuss solar flares and the weather on Mars, Jupiter, and other planets in our solar system!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mCcf0epC4xc&list=PLlgv1Tm3JKtdJhldC7RCux3znHjiUZerZ&index=3

Catch both podcasts and many others on WRBL's Beyond the Forecast!

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLlgv1Tm3JKtdJhldC7RCux3znHjiUZerZ

A big ESS shout out to both professors!

>>>>>>>>>>
Interested in a career in robotics engineering or earth and space science? Learn how you can use one of our B.S. or M.S. degrees as a springboard into a career in robotics engineering, astronomy, environmental science, geology, or science education by visiting our ESS departmental website!

https://www.columbusstate.edu/earth-space-sciences

Hear ESS alumna Dr. Kar'retta Venable talk about her inspiration and passion for hydrologic issues and restoration of aq...
07/30/2026

Hear ESS alumna Dr. Kar'retta Venable talk about her inspiration and passion for hydrologic issues and restoration of aquatic ecosystems!

https://headlines.ametsoc.org/2026/07/02/karretta-venable-davis-on-the-107th-annual-meeting/

Dr. Venable, a CSU 2009 B.S. Geology graduate and 2011 M.S. Environmental Science graduate, will be the chair for the Committee on Open Environmental Information Services at the upcoming 2027 Annual Meeting of the American Meteorological Society.

Dr. Venable earned her PhD in Atmospheric Science from Howard University in 2016 and works as a research scientist at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Applied Sciences and Environmental Solutions.

Kudos to Dr. Venable!

>>>>>>>>>>
Interested in a career in robotics engineering or earth and space science? Learn how you can use one of our B.S. or M.S. degrees as a springboard into a career in robotics engineering, astronomy, environmental science, geology, or science education by visiting our ESS departmental website!

https://www.columbusstate.edu/earth-space-sciences

Congratulations to ESS Professor of Geology, Dr. Clint Barineau, who recently coauthored an article on 425 million year ...
07/16/2026

Congratulations to ESS Professor of Geology, Dr. Clint Barineau, who recently coauthored an article on 425 million year old volcanic rocks in the southern Appalachians of Georgia and North Carolina!

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0040195126002416?via%3Dihub

Dr. Barineau, along with coauthors from Florida State University and the U.S. Geological Survey, published the results of this multi-year research project in the journal Tectonophysics.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/tectonophysics

The article presented some of the first evidence for Silurian volcanic activity in the Blue Ridge Mountains of north Georgia and North Carolina. The radiometric ages published as part of the research were made possible by improvements in a key mineral separation technique developed by faculty and students right here in CSU's Department of Earth and Space Sciences!

Congratulations to Dr. Barineau and his coauthors!

Hear Dr. Shawn Cruzen, ESS Professor of Astronomy and Director of the Coca Cola Space Science Center, talk about the rec...
07/13/2026

Hear Dr. Shawn Cruzen, ESS Professor of Astronomy and Director of the Coca Cola Space Science Center, talk about the recent Artemis II and planned Artemis III missions on WRBL News 3: Beyond the Forecast podcast.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jn2uX7RYMrg

Dr. Cruzen discusses the successes of the Artemis II lunar flyby, ESS alumni that worked on the mission, the evolving plans for the Artemis III mission, and a number of links between the Coca Cola Space Science Center and the Artemis missions.

Hats off to Dr. Cruzen!

>>>>>>>>>>
Interested in a career in robotics engineering or earth and space science? Learn how you can use one of our B.S. or M.S. degrees as a springboard into a career in robotics engineering, astronomy, environmental science, geology, or science education by visiting our ESS departmental website!

https://www.columbusstate.edu/earth-space-sciences

Check out ESS alumnus Cameron McCarty in the CSU news...https://news.columbusstate.edu/posts/research-internships-help-l...
07/13/2026

Check out ESS alumnus Cameron McCarty in the CSU news...

https://news.columbusstate.edu/posts/research-internships-help-launch-nasa-career-for-mccarty-14/

Cameron, a graduate of the ESS Astrophysics and Planetary Geology track, was highlighted for his work on NASA's Artemis II launch that sent astronauts on a historic 10-day lunar flyby.

Kudos to Cameron for all of his accomplishments!

>>>>>>>>>>
Interested in a career in robotics engineering or earth and space science? Learn how you can use one of our B.S. or M.S. degrees as a springboard into a career in robotics engineering, astronomy, environmental science, geology, or science education by visiting our ESS departmental website!

https://www.columbusstate.edu/earth-space-sciences/

ESS welcomes back alumnus and Senior Scientist at the Planetary Science Institute, Matt Perry - the keynote speaker at t...
04/24/2026

ESS welcomes back alumnus and Senior Scientist at the Planetary Science Institute, Matt Perry - the keynote speaker at today's Tower Day undergraduate research conference!

https://www.columbusstate.edu/academic-affairs/research/tower-day.php

Matt, a 2013 graduate of the ESS Astrophysics and Planetary Geology track, is a geophysicist and planetary scientist whose work focuses on using radar data from the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (SHARAD) to model the surface and subsurface of Mars - including the search for water on the red planet!

https://www.psi.edu/staff/profile/matthew-perry/

Matt will provide the keynote address for Tower Day 2026 on the main stage at the Cunningham Center on CSU's main campus. Join our celebration of undergraduate research and learn how Matt got his start right here in the Department of Earth and Space Sciences!

>>>>>>>>>>
Interested in a career in robotics engineering or earth and space science? Learn how you can use one of our B.S. or M.S. degrees as a springboard into a career in robotics engineering, astronomy, environmental science, geology, or science education by visiting our ESS departmental website!

https://www.columbusstate.edu/earth-space-sciences/

Our ESS Spring 2026 Seminar Series concludes on Tuesday, April 28th, with a joint presentation from ESS graduate student...
04/23/2026

Our ESS Spring 2026 Seminar Series concludes on Tuesday, April 28th, with a joint presentation from ESS graduate students: James Wiggins- MSNS Geosciences, Ayomiposi Akinyemi- MSNS Environmental Sciences, and *not pictured* William Merino- MSNS Geosciences.

James, Ayomiposi, and William will all briefly present on their current research projets.

ESS seminar presentations are open to the public, so feel free to share this announcement with anyone who might be interested in attending.

When: Tuesday, April 28th, 2026 at 12:30pm
Where: Jordan Hall 213 and Microsoft Teams

For more information on joining ESS Seminar through Microsoft Teams, please email Dr. Troy Keller: [email protected]

Our ESS Spring 2026 Seminar Series continues next week, Tuesday, April 21st, with a presentation from one of our very ow...
04/16/2026

Our ESS Spring 2026 Seminar Series continues next week, Tuesday, April 21st, with a presentation from one of our very own, Courtney Lamborn, CSU Senior Geology Major.

"Progressive Strain Modeling using an Excel Spreadsheet: Comparisons to Real-World and Digital Clast Deformation"

Courtney's presentation will compare digital and mathematical models of rock deformation with observed deformation from rocks caught in continental collisions that form mountain belts like the Appalachians. In addition, her presentation will explore how a technique designed to analyze rock deformation may also be useful in determining paleocurrent directions in ancient sedimentary environments.

ESS seminar presentations are open to the public, so feel free to share this announcement with anyone who might be interested in attending.

When: Tuesday, April 21st, 2026 at 12:30pm
Where: Jordan Hall 213 and Microsoft Teams

For more information on joining ESS Seminar through Microsoft Teams, please email Dr. Troy Keller:
[email protected]

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4225 University Avenue
Columbus, GA
31907

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