The Department of Earth Science at UC Santa Barbara conducts field studies in diverse regions ranging from the tallest mountain peaks of the Himalayas, the wilderness of Antarctica, to the vast undiscovered depths of the ocean floor. Graduate and undergraduate students in the Department participate directly in the excitement of exploring terra incognita. Taught by a distinguished and dedicated faculty (including several members of the National Academy of Sciences, and winners of the UCSB Distinguished Teaching Award), students in Earth Science experience the wonder of discovery and come to appreciate and connect to the unfolding planetary drama of which they are part. Gifts to the Department of Earth Science support undergraduate and graduate students in their quest to better understand and change the world.