在行星科学领域提供研究生研究机会，包括行星地球化学和岩石学，行星光谱学，行星地球物理学和天体生物学，当前的重点是火星和地球的月球。火星全球测量师，火星探索漫游者和火星奥德赛等数名教职员工和学生积极参与了行星飞行任务。可利用项目评估从这些任务和其他任务返回的地质，化学，光谱和地球物理数据。行星科学研究还受到各种实验和分析设施的支持。最近安装的红外光谱实验室支持对火星和月球类似物质的发射和反射光谱进行实验和分析研究，并研究各种矿物的基本红外光谱特性。高压，高温实验实验室（请参阅“岩石学和矿物与岩石物理学”下的
Graduate research opportunities are available in the field of planetary science, including planetary geochemistry and petrology, planetary spectroscopy, planetary geophysics and Astrobiology with current focus on Mars and the Earth's moon. Several faculty and students have been actively involved in planetary missions, including Mars Global Surveyor, Mars Exploration Rovers and Mars Odyssey. Projects are available to evaluate geological, chemical, spectroscopic and geophysical data that have been returned from these and other missions. Planetary science research is also supported by an assortment of experimental and analytical facilities. A recently installed infrared spectroscopy laboratory supports experimental and analytical studies in emission and reflectance spectroscopy of Mars and lunar analog materials as well as investigations of the fundamental infrared spectral properties of a wide variety of minerals. High pressurehigh temperature experimental laboratories (see details under Petrology and Mineral and Rock Physics) may be used for evaluating the origin and history of igneous rocks from terrestrial planets and rocky satellites. Low temperature and hydrothermal experimental laboratories are available for the study of Martian near-surface aqueous processes and for investigating issues related to Astrobiology. Experimental laboratories are also supported by a broad array of analytical facilities (see details under Crystal Chemistry and Crystallography, Geochemistry and Sedimentary Geology)