Remote Sensing, Earth and Space Sciences develop various active and passive remote sensing technologies, and studies geoscience covering the oceans, solid Earth, atmospheres, and space. This area serves to bridge engineering and science disciplines by providing students with a unique experience and a skill set that prepares them for future opportunities in this expanding field. It also recognizes the evolving need in industry and research for system engineers able to understand both engineering concerns and scientific motivations. The department offers an MS and PhD curriculum whose course load spans other focus areas within the department and courses outside the department that expose students to different disciplines and enable them to better identify their interests in either pursuing a PhD or a job.

This focus area has a broad and vibrant research program. Passive and active remote sensing techniques such as radiometry, lidar, and radar are designed, constructed and deployed on various types of research platforms (spacecraft, aircraft, and deployable ground-based systems) distributed around the world. The scientific research programs range the spectrum of geoscience, covering the oceans, solid Earth, Earth's atmosphere, geospace to interplanetary space and planetary atmospheres, often employing remote sensing techniques and complementary modeling activities. Students have available many research opportunities in this area.

A certificate in remote sensing is available through the department.  There is also an interdisciplinary certificate in Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences offered through that department.

RSESS Faculty:
Xinzhao Chu, Associate Professor
William J. Emery, Professor
Jeffrey M. Forbes, Professor, Murphy Chair, Department Chair
Lakshmi H. Kantha, Professor
Robert Leben, Research Professor
Xinlin Li, Associate Professor
Jim Maslanik, Research Professor
Scott Palo, Associate Professor
Jeffrey Thayer, Associate Professor