About Us

Welcome to UNSW Biological, Earth & Environmental Sciences 

At UNSW Biological, Earth & Environmental Sciences, we lead high-quality research and education in the physical and biological processes that shape our natural world. Our aim is to understand environmental change and offer solutions to global problems.

Our research partners and students engage in disciplines that span across the extremes — from microbes to whales and from the tropics to the poles. Our collaboration across disciplines is needed to solve the most critical environmental challenges the natural world faces today and will face in the future.

Each year, we have more than 3,500 students in our courses, and provide research training to over 160 postgraduate students. Our graduates find employment in a wide range of industries, state and federal government agencies and research institutions.

Join the Best

Our staff include some of the most prominent scientists in Australia commenting on issues of national importance. Our School is also home to some of the world’s most highly cited researchers, with three academics who are recipients of Clarivate Highly Cited Researchers award.

Our research is highly regarded globally*, with Environmental Sciences ranked 23rd, Earth and Marine Sciences ranked 31st, Geography ranked 65th and Biological Sciences ranked 74th . The Shanghai 2018 academic ranking of world universities placed UNSW 5th in the world for water resources, 16th for Remote Sensing and Marine/Ocean Engineering, 22nd for Atmospheric Science, 23rd for, Oceanography, 40th for Earth Sciences, 44th for Environmental Science and Engineering and 49th for Geography.

*2020 QS World University Rankings

Smiths Lake - John Turnbull

Facilities

Explore our internationally renowned facilities from our The John T. Waterhouse Herbarium to the Smiths Lake Field Station. Our Herbarium is home to over 50,000 specimens, including plants and fungi, and our field stations promote the study and the preservation of native flora and fauna. 

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UNSW BEES student equity, diversity and inclusion

Equity, Diversity & Inclusion

Our School aims to provide a safe, supportive and welcoming environment for all staff and students. Through the UNSW Equity, Diversity and Inclusion group, we're committed to reducing barriers which impede equity, diversity and inclusion. 

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Mental Health responder

Flourish Mentally

We have staff trained in Mental Health First Aid and mental wellbeing. View our range of mental health resources and contact one of our mental health first aid officers if you have any questions or concerns about yourself or another. 

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UNSW Library lawn

Advisory Board

The UNSW Biological, Earth and Environmental advisory board comprises of stakeholders from government agencies and industry bodies

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Welcome from the Head of School

In the School of BEES we teach a broad range of disciplines in the environmental sciences and conduct high quality, curiosity-driven research to understand the physical and biological process that shape our world. Our academics and students explore ecosystems and landscapes from the tropics to the poles, and from mountain tops to deep underground. We study past and present environments, and use a wide variety of technologies to understand and predict environmental change.

Our staff are passionate about finding solutions to environmental problems in Australia and around the world. They work with a wide variety of government and non-government agencies and with industry to achieve positive environmental outcomes.

Our undergraduate and postgraduate teaching covers the disciplines of biology, climate science, conservation biology, ecology, evolution, geology, geography, marine science and palaeontology. We provide students with hands-on experience in the skills needed for a career in science, and many opportunities for experiencing the natural world through field work and excursions.

We provide a friendly and inclusive environment where staff and students are able to pursue their interests in the natural sciences.