From the dawn of history man has interacted with the Earth through natural resource extraction, agriculture, and coping with natural phenomena such as earthquakes and volcanoes. Of late, man's interference in the Earth's systems has become more pronounced, exemplified by climatic havoc attributed to global warming, destruction of the ozone layer, deforestation leading to flooding or desertification, spread of pollution and radioactivity through the environment, and hydrological interference resulting from intensive construction for housing and transport. It is now indisputable that in many ways the Earth operates as a single system, with non-living and living components interconnected by a variety of mutual influences. Better understanding of the Earth, processes occurring on and within it and its history allows us to predict the effects of dynamic natural processes and actions of man on the Earth and its inhabitants, and thereby prepare ourselves for the future. The Huttonian adage that 'the present is the key to the past' is today supplemented by the principal that 'the present is the key to the future'.

The disciplines studied at the Department of Geological and Environmental Sciences (DGES) at Ben Gurion University of the Negev enable a deeper understanding of the processes operating on and beneath the surface of the Earth. The undergraduate program allows the student many choices following four main streams, outlined below. Student and research facilities in geochemistry, micropaleontology, engineering geology, and field measurements are up-to-date, and there are opportunities for student employment in research laboratories during the course of studies. Students train on modern software releases with Internet access to data bases around the world. As our department is relatively small, a close relationship develops between staff and students, strengthened by time spent together in the field. In fact, the close proximity of Beer-Sheva to many fine geological features allows hands-on demonstration of field methods and direct observation of rocks and structures during course-time. These are supplemented by regional excursions to study Israel geology during semester breaks. Opportunities for graduate students and staff to participate in field excursions abroad, usually to neighboring countries, are offered every few years. The DGES at the Ben-Gurion University identifies four principal forward-looking missions:

1. To serve as a center of excellence for research and discovery at the forefront of the Earth and Environmental Sciences.
2. To train students at the undergraduate and graduate levels to meet demand for professional personnel in the Earth and Environmental Sciences.
3. To participate in developing scientific and technological infrastructure in Israel and particularly the Negev, by providing professional advice, assistance, and trained personnel to the industrial base, the IDF, nature preservation agencies, and the educational system.
4. To provide the knowledge base and the skilled, trained personnel required to keep our environment habitable, restore degraded lands and water resources, to ameliorate past mistakes caused by interference in natural systems, and to prevent their repetition.

The DGES has trained its graduates successfully towards employment and research in many geoscience disciplines, such as water resource development and conservation, the mineral industry, engineering geology, and earth-science teaching. DGES graduates are employed in industry and academia, including the phosphate industry, the Negev Nuclear Center, the Atomic Energy Commission, Dead Sea Works, Geological Survey of Israel, Hydrological Institute, the I.D.F. and Israeli Ministry of Defense, the Nature Preservation Society and the Nature Reserves Authority. Some have established private companies for consultation, implementation, and supervision of projects in various geological disciplines on the national level.

1.   Dynamic Geology

2.   Environmental Science and Hydrogeology

3.   Engineering Geology

4.   Geology and Computer Science

5.   Geology / Life Sciences

6.   Double degree programs with Computer Sciences or Life Sciences