The Department of Environmental Sciences was established in 2019, is located in Gaiopolis Campus in Larissa and belongs in the School of Technology, University of Thessaly. It operated for the first time in academic year 2019-2020 admitting 160 undergraduates in the BSc in Environmental Sciences programme. It has participated in the programme Erasmus+ and signed Interinstitutional Agreements with universities abroad since 2020.
Since academic year 2022-23 the department has offered post graduate studies leading to the MSc in Environmental Management, and doctoral studies leading to the PhD in Environmental Sciences since academic year 2020-21.
Objectives – Research
The main objectives of the Department of Environmental Sciences are to promote education and research in a wide range of disciplines related to, among others, biological, physical chemical and biochemical processes, ecology, ecosystem management and restoration, waste management, socioeconomic approaches and in-depth study of the Environment as a whole, as well as fostering Engineering skills. At the same time, it aims to teach techniques and methods for analyzing space and solving environmental problems using cutting-edge technologies, as applied by Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Remote Sensing (satellite image analysis, UAV mapping, etc.).
The continuing climate deterioration and the increasing pollution are major environmental issues, making Environmental Sciences a subject matter of increasing value and relevance. Although it is a relatively new scientific field, it combines elements of the fundamental sciences of chemistry and biology, and is widely recognized as a cutting-edge academic discipline.
Environmental Sciences is a holistic and interdisciplinary academic field that integrates biology, physics and geosciences, as well as elements of economic disciplines. The main goals of environmental sciences are to understand and interpret the earth’s functioning and the way it supports life; to define, control and prevent the disruption of its systems and species caused by human activity; to promote sustainable development; and to provide scientifically verified assistance to companies and organizations so as to reduce their environmental footprint.
Environmental Sciences as a field of study involves the development of a set of skills that can be useful in many areas and in the job market. It also offers students the opportunity to study multiple branches of science and participate in laboratory-scale research projects, as well as fieldwork (on-site) alongside more traditional study.
