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| Central to all considerations of the environment are the materials, processes and structure of the Earth itself - the very stuff of geological sciences - and man's use and abuse of the Earth's resources. The 'pure' aspects of geological sciences concern, in substantial measure, the formation of such valuable materials as coal, oil, gas, mineral deposits and rocks suitable for construction of buildings, roads etc. and for industrial purposes; the 'applied' aspects concern the prospecting for and extraction of these resources, together with constructional programmes and the remedial actions necessary to handle waste and restore damaged environments.
The geological sciences owe much to Henry Clifton Sorby, Ph.D., F.R.S. (1829-1908) who left part of his fortune to the University of Sheffield for the founding of a Chair in Geology. Sorby is known as the Father of the Petrological Microscope, and is also regarded as a founder of modern sedimentology. The Department of Geology (later to become the Department of Earth Sciences) first opened its doors to students in 1913 when Professor W.G. Fearnsides was appointed to the newly created Sorby Chair. Since then there have been six Sorby Professors of Geology at the University of Sheffield. Due to restructuring geologists within the former Department of Earth Sciences have now been relocated into the departments of Geography, Animal and Plant Sciences, Civil and Structrual Engineering and Engineering Materials. Earth Sciences modules are still taught by the staff and provide the essential geology component to the Environmental Science Degree now administered by the Department of Geography but with interactive teaching links to staff in the other departments which contribute to the environmental degree programme. |
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