This Department came into being in January 1990, when the Department of Geography of the Faculty of Geography and Geology was transformed into a distinct faculty.
It provides students with knowledge in two different areas of the geographical environment - atmosphere and hydrosphere - by way of fundamental disciplines such as meteorology, climatology, hydrology and oceanography, but also through a large range of optional courses, including topo-climatology, agro-meteorology, synoptic meteorology and weather forecasting, geography of the seas and oceans, hydrometry, hydrological synthesis, meteorological and hydrological risks, etc.
At the same time, it is also the Department which plays the greatest role in training students of Environmental Studies by offering them courses on the systemic analysis of the environment, the monitoring of environmental factors, environmental protection, environmental education etc.
For best results in teaching and research activities, the department has three laboratories (of meteorology and climatology; hydrology; and oceanography and environment protection), all equipped with a constantly updated collection of instruments. We can also speak of a process of renovation and modernisation as far as computers and calculation techniques are concerned. The department has 32 teaching posts, but there are currently only 16 full members (2 professors, 2 lecturers, 7 assistant lecturers, 3 tutors and 2 consultants). Of the total 16 members, 10 are PhD students and 6 hold a PhD degree in geography. Two of the latter are supervisors of doctoral studies.
Research Directions:
- Studies on climatic resources and risk factors in different areas
- Studies on hydrological resources and risk factors in different areas
- Studies on pollution and the protection of the aerial and aquatic environment in different areas
- Studies on dynamics of the Black Sea coasts
- Studies on the interaction between sea areas and atmosphere.
- Studies on the relationships between climate and civil engineering in Romania
- Studies on the pollution of the air, water and other environmental components in Romania
- Studies on the impact of human activities on the environment
- Studies on the relationships: climate - pollution; climate - tourism; climate - health etc.
Research projects contracted in the last few years:
- influence of changes in the atmosphere-land system of the Black Sea coast on the evolution of the delta and lagoon coast
Financed by NCRHE (National Council for Research in Higher Education)
- pollution of the air, waters, soil and
subsoil in areas of oil and petrochemical industry financed by the World Bank
- study of the reciprocal inter
conditioning between climate and civil engineering in Romania. Financed by NCRHE (National Council for Research in Higher Education)
- study of the water resources of the
Carpathians and Sub-Carpathians with the purpose of maximising their value for the population of the counties in the area
Financed by NCRHE (National Council for Research in Higher Education)
