Our research
UNSW School of Minerals and Energy Resources Engineering delivers high-impact research that supports a future of clean energy and sustainable resources.
The school works in close collaborations and partnerships with industry and external partners, locally and internationally, driving the national agenda across the sector.
Our mission is simple: we aim to advance the knowledge of extractive industries whilst reducing our footprint and developing efficient energy storage solutions.
Our unique approach will bring together expertise from both academia and industry, to address the grand challenges around future energy and minerals supplies and thus, achieve sustained economic development.
Research strengths
Geomechanics
This theme focuses on fundamental and applied geomechanics related to the mining and geotechnical industries. Our interests are oriented towards improving safety performance related to current and emerging technologies. Our experts closely collaborate with industry partners to find innovative ways to ensure environmentally safe and sustainable practices are incorporated in all aspects of design and operation. With future energy technologies new practices and approaches are ever evolving that require geomechanical expertise.
Learn more
Transformative Technologies
This theme focuses on innovating new technologies and operational excellence to accelerate the transformation of the minerals and energy resources sectors. Of particular interest is to adopt scientific knowledge and emerging technologies from other disciplines tailored for the minerals and energy resources sectors. This includes monitoring and communication technologies to improve operational safety, evaluate environmental impact and expand efficiencies, and artificial intelligence for automation and data analytics.
Learn more
Geoenergy
This theme focuses on fundamental and applied research related to subsurface minerals, energy extraction and storage. Of particular interest are technologies that improve recovery and provide new insights into the production of transition fuels and critical minerals. Traditional knowledge and expertise in petroleum and mining engineering will drive new technologies related to the geological storage of CO2 and hydrogen, recovery of critical minerals, production of transition fuels, and extraction of geothermal energy.
Learn more
Facilities
At UNSW Minerals and Energy Resources Engineering, we’re committed to providing the best learning, teaching and research environment. We continue to invest in world-class facilities to support our academics and students in driving innovative research.
Postgraduate research
We offer two types of postgraduate research degrees – Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) and Master of Philosophy (MPhil) in Engineering. With our state-of-the-art facilities, strong industry partnerships and research-focused community, you’ll be part of the future of the minerals sector.
Discover
Undergraduate research opportunities
UNSW Engineering offers undergraduate students a variety of opportunities to gain experience in cutting-edge research, beyond their thesis. Some of these opportunities give our students insight into projects that make real-world impact in the mining sector.
Find a research supervisor
If you’re considering a future in research but don’t know where to start, we’ve got you covered. Our helpful database of research supervisors will make it simpler to find the right academic to guide your journey. Search our list of UNSW Engineering postgraduate research supervisors and familiarise yourself with our postgraduate research programs a
Centres & institutes
Our multidisciplinary approach to research means we bring together our expertise from across campus. Our research centres and institutes are internationally recognised for solving some of the world’s biggest challenges.