Developing a complete and accurate timeline of department chairs is more challenging than one might think. The Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences is the result of departments merging, splitting, and merging again. The department has also worn several names during the last century. Finally, prior to the twentieth century the department structure we are familiar with was not common. For significant periods of time in the University's early years, an entire field would be represented by a single Professor.
The information presented here has been compiled from various records and department histories. It is very much an incomplete work in progress, and we welcome corrections or comments.
| Chair | Dept. Name | Start | End |
| Christopher Poulsen | Earth and Environmental Sciences | 7/1/14 | |
| Rebecca Lange | Geological Sciences, Earth and Environmental Sciences (new name) | 9/1/10 | 6/30/14 |
| Samuel Mukasa | Geological Sciences | 7/1/07 | 8/31/10 |
| Joel Blum (acting) | Geological Sciences | 8/1/05 | 12/21/05 |
| Rodney Ewing | Geological Sciences | 7/1/05 | 6/30/07 |
| Joel Blum | Geological Sciences | 7/1/00 | 6/30/05 |
| David Rea | Geological Sciences | 7/1/95 | 6/30/00 |
| Rob van der Voo | Geological Sciences | 7/1/91 | 6/30/95 |
| Henry Pollack | Geological Sciences | 7/1/88 | 6/30/91 |
| Rob van der Voo | Geological Sciences | 7/1/81 | 6/30/88 |
| William Kelly | Geology and Mineralogy, Geological Sciences (new name) | 7/1/78 | 5/31/81 |
| Donald F. Eschman (acting) | Geology and Mineralogy | 1977 | 1978 |
| Charles I. Smith | Geology and Mineralogy | 1972 | 1977 |
| John A. Dorr | Geology and Mineralogy | 1967 | 1972 |
| Donald F. Eschman | Geology and Mineralogy | 1962 | 1967 |
| Departments of Geology and Mineralogy Merged, 1961 |
| Chair | Dept Name | Start | End |
| James L. Wilson | Geology | 1956 | 1962 |
| Edwin N. Goddard | Geology | 1951 | 1956 |
| Kenneth K. Landes | Geology | 1940 | 1951 |
| Irving D. Scott (acting) | Geology | 1939 | 1940 |
| Ermine Cowles Case | Geology | 1933 | 1939 |
| William Herbert Hobbs | Geology and Geography, Geology | 1908 | 1933 |
| Chair | Dept Name | Start | End |
| Lewis S. Ramsdell | Mineralogy | 1952 | 1962 |
| Walter F. Hunt | Mineralogy | 1933 | 1952 |
| Edward H. Kraus | Mineralogy | 1908 | 1933 |
| Chair | Dept Name | Start | End |
| John Nystuen | Geography | 1979 | 1982 |
| Donald R. Deskins | Geography | 1974 | 1979 |
| Lee A. Peter Gosling | Geography | 1971 | 1974 |
| Melvin G. H. Marcus | Geography | 1968 | 1971 |
| Lee A. Peter Gosling | Geography | 1966 | 1968 |
| Charles Moler Davis | Geography | 1956 | 1966 |
| Kenneth Charles Murray | Geography | 1923 | 1956 |
| Geology and Geography Separated, 1923 |
| Geology Becomes Geology and Geography, 1916 |
| Geology and Mineralogy Separated, 1908 |
| Chair | Dept Name | Start | End |
| William Herbert Hobbs | Geology and Mineralogy | 1907 | 1908 |
