Innovate for Ireland

Decarb-AI is recruiting PhD iScholars for a fully funded four-year doctoral programme focused on AI-powered pathways to climate resilience in Ireland.

The centre is the first Innovate for Ireland national centre and is created in partnership with AIB and Research Ireland. It brings together a multidisciplinary ecosystem coordinated by University College Dublin, with partners including Trinity College Dublin, Dublin City University, Technological University Dublin, University of Limerick, University of Galway (via ICHEC), and University College Cork.

Research themes include AI-optimised renewable energy systems and datacentre sustainability, machine learning for water quality forecasting and peatland restoration, earth-observation and biodiversity modelling for land-use policy, AI-supported sustainable finance tools for SMEs, and transparent explainable AI decision-support systems for decarbonisation planning.

Applicants should have strong quantitative preparation in AI, data science, engineering, environmental science, ecology, geography, finance, or related mathematical disciplines. The programme is aimed at candidates who want to build high-impact computational tools for climate mitigation and adaptation, with measurable environmental and climate benefits.

Funding includes an annual stipend of €31,000, full coverage of university research fees, and a generous travel and computing allowance.

Applications for the next cohort are open, with a deadline of 2026-06-15. The programme starts in September 2026.