The UNO Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences was founded during the 1960's and has grown to offer the B.S, M.S and Ph.D degrees. Today students have the options of pursuing traditional degrees in geology and petroleum geology as the innovative new concentrations in coastal science and environmental science. UNO strives to offer our students and professionals seeking continuing education new degree programs that reflect the needs of Louisiana and our nation. Over the last 40 years EES has grown from the original UNO Department of Earth Science which graduated its first student with a Bachelor of Science Degree in 1966 . Then Dr. Al Weidie served as Department chairman. Recognizing the importance of the earth sciences to our society, Dr. Bill Craig lead our Department into the oil and gas era of the 1970's and the creation of the UNO Department of Geology and Geophysics. The end of the 20th century saw the realization that the health of our environment was critical to the socio-economic well-being of Louisiana and the rest of the Nation. In 2003 UNO recognized the importance of the co-existence of energy and the environment in our nation’s coastal heartland by the establishment of the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences. New Orleans is the capital city of America's Coastal Heartland and UNO-EES will provide the next generation of geoscience stewards for Louisiana's coast and natural resources.