PhD and MSc Opportunities in Igneous Petrology, Mineral Systems, and Geoscience AI at Carleton University Carleton University in United States

Carleton University’s MinXAI lab is recruiting graduate students for research at the intersection of Earth Science, Geology, Chemistry, and Computer Science. The post highlights a PhD opportunity on igneous petrology and magmatic nickel-copper deposits in British Columbia, in collaboration with Dejan Milidragovic and Natural Resources Canada (NRCan). The successful PhD candidate will receive a $30,000-$40,000 bursary per year, gain experience with multiple geochemical methods, and contribute to petrological modelling.

There is also a MSc research opportunity with a RAP bursary of more than $24,000 CAD per year to apply mineral geochemistry to mineral exploration, in collaboration with the Geological Survey of Canada and the MinXAI lab at Carleton University. A further MSc project is described on gold mineral systems in the Abitibi, asking whether gold deposits are related to global geodynamics and Large Igneous Provinces, with collaboration involving Richard Ernst, Hafida EL BILALI, and Agnico Eagle Mines Limited. That project mentions a September 2026 start and secure graduate student funding.

Eligibility is broad for the lab overall, welcoming students with backgrounds in geoscience, computer science, data science, and related disciplines. For the PhD opening, applicants must be Canadian citizens or permanent residents of Canada; for the MSc RAP bursary, preference is also given to Canadians and permanent residents. The lab emphasizes training in field and quantitative methods, geochemical analysis, data analytics, structural geology, and AI applications in geoscience.

Interested candidates should use the provided application form and contact Christopher Lawley for more information about current and upcoming MSc and PhD projects.