Geology and Geophysics PhD, Mphil

The Earth and Planetary Sciences Research Institute brings together over 100 researchers united by a drive to understand the composition, structure and history of the Earth, as well as the processes which continue to shape the world in which we live.

The breadth of our expertise, ranging across Geology, Geophysics, Geochemistry and Geodynamics, allows us to lead the way in developing innovative interdisciplinary solutions to the biggest questions in Earth Science, allowing us to understand how the subsurface works, from atoms to plates and on timescales from seconds to billions of years.

As a research student you will have the opportunity to engage fully with our scientific community. We host a weekly seminar series alongside smaller research group meetings. Every year we hold an institute symposium at which we present the latest results and discuss the next great challenges to be tackled.

A great attraction of the institute’s work is the diversity of techniques we employ, including field work, satellite imaging, laboratory studies and numerical computation. When not in Edinburgh, our staff are to be found all over the world, measuring seismic tremors to predict volcanic eruptions, drilling into the seafloor to recover the sediments which will unlock the secrets of ancient climates or finding dinosaur footprints at home in Scotland.

As a postgraduate research student at Edinburgh, you have access to an exceptionally wide range of training courses offered by the many interdisciplinary researchers across the School of GeoSciences, and more broadly across the university.

You will receive guidance both from your supervisory team and the postgraduate research office on appropriate training specific to your research needs and requirements. Additionally, an academic advisor, separate from your direct supervisory team, is always available to help support you and track your progress and welfare throughout your research degree.