Research Report from the Executive Vice President & Director of Research Science Highlights Research Departments Ocean Institutes Centers     Research > Research Departments Research Departments Applied Ocean Physics & Engineering Department  The engineers, scientists, and technicians of the Applied Ocean Physics and Engineering Department (AOPE) seek novel ways to observe and model ocean processes, extending the reach of the oceanographic community from the turbulent surf zone to the abyssal depths. Biology  Biology Department research reflects the breadth of the field: from bacteria to whales, from ocean depths to surface waters, from fossils to newly discovered species, and from molecules to global ecosystems. Geology & Geophysics  The scientists and research staff of the Geology and Geophysics Department (G&G) study volcanism, the structure and evolution of the ocean basins and their margins, earthquakes and hydrothermal processes on the seafloor, and the role of the oceans in past climate change. Marine Chemistry & Geochemistry  Scientists and staff in the Marine Chemistry and Geochemistry Department (MC&G) assemble pieces of the puzzle that help us understand the ocean and its role in supporting life on Earth. Physical Oceanography  The Physical Oceanography Department focuses on processes that govern the properties and state of the ocean, and the ocean’s interactions with the solid Earth and atmosphere.