PhD Scholarship in Geology - Carbon Dioxide Removal

About this opportunity

We invite applications for a motivated student to undertake a PhD as part of an international collaboration between New Zealand and China, focused on advancing carbon capture and storage (CCS) science. The PhD student will be funded by a Seeker PhD Doctoral Scholarship at the University of Waikato. The research aims to develop safe and effective pathways for storing carbon dioxide emissions from coal-fired power plants and other large industrial sources.

The PhD project will focus on understanding how impure CO₂ streams (containing N₂, O₂, SOₓ, and NOₓ) behave when injected into deep saline aquifers. This includes investigating the impacts of impurities on CO₂ migration, fluid–rock reactions, reservoir integrity, and long-term storage security. The research will integrate high-pressure laboratory experiments with advanced numerical modelling (multiphase flow, geochemical and geomechanical simulations) to deliver new insights and practical design tools.

The ideal candidate will bring some of the following experience and skills:
• Background in geology, geomechanics, reservoir engineering, hydrogeology, or geochemistry.
• Experience with subsurface modelling (e.g., Petrel, ECLIPSE, INTERSECT, COMSOL, or similar).
• Familiarity with experimental fluid-rock characterisation under reservoir conditions (high pressure-high temperature experiments, geochemical analysis, or rock mechanics).
• Strong quantitative and computational skills.
• Demonstrated ability in English scientific writing (TOEFL/IELTS scores should be supplied if English is not your first language).

The successful candidate will be based at the University of Waikato (Hamilton, New Zealand) and will be supervised by Dr Andrew La Croix (University of Waikato), A/Prof David Dempsey (University of Canterbury), and Dr Adrian Pittari (University of Waikato). International collaboration will be fostered with the A/Prof Jianhua He (Chengdu University of Technology) and Dr Julie Pearce (University of Queensland), providing access to world-class experimental facilities and training opportunities, as well as world-leading expertise in CCS geochemistry.

More information about this opportunity

Scholarship Value

The PhD is fully funded for 3 years, with a stipend of NZD $30,000 per year and full tuition fees covered. Opportunities exist for short research exchanges in China and Australia, depending on feasibility. The preferred start date is February 1 2026.

The general Higher Degrees admission criteria apply.

Additional Eligibility requirements:

A minimum grade point average (GPA) of A- (calculated over the previous two years of full-time study) is required.