Earth Sciences

Carleton’s PhD in Earth Sciences falls under an umbrella organization called The Ottawa-Carleton Geoscience Centre. This is a joint initiative of Carleton University and the University of Ottawa which offers students the unique opportunity to take courses at both universities while benefiting from the expertise of a larger pool of professors. The Centre houses modern instrumental facilities, and research activity includes most areas of the Earth Sciences. Graduate students are enrolled in the university where their faculty supervisor holds an appointment. Learn more about Ottawa-Carleton Joint Institutes.

Capital Advantage

Our location in the nation’s capital offers unique opportunities for collaborative research over a broad range of disciplines. Of particular note is the Centre’s close collaboration with the Geological Survey of Canada, the Canadian Museum of Nature, and local geophysics and mining companies. The two university campuses are 15 minutes apart by complimentary inter-university transport and within a short distance of most federal facilities.

Fields of Specialization

• Environmental Geoscience
• Geochemistry/Petrology
• Geomatics/Geomathematics
• Mineral Resources Studies
• Sedimentary Systems
• Tectonics/Geophysics

Research Highlights

• Meteorite impacts and extinction events in Western Canada
• Geochemistry and mineral potential of large igneous provinces
•  Determining the age of metamorphism by dating garnet crystals
• The evolution of dinosaurs
• The hazards of soil shaking during earthquakes