Faculty of Environment
Faculty of Mathematics
Research project description
The objective of this project is to develop robust scenarios for the deployment of a marine-based carbon dioxide removal (CDR) approach that accounts for the interaction between physical (climate and ocean), technical, and social factors.
Current climate projections indicate that atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) concentrations will exceed levels consistent with the Paris Climate Agreement target of limiting temperature increase to 1.5 to 2 ℃ making carbon dioxide removal (CDR) from the atmosphere a crucial element of national climate responses. The key question facing decision-makers is not whether to undertake CDR but which methods of CDR should be pursued. In the Canadian context, ocean alkalinity enhancement (OAE), which aims to enhance ocean biogeochemical capacity to take up atmospheric CO2, has high potential to contribute to Canada’s climate action goals owing to its potential scalability and Canada’s access to large ocean areas. The feasibility and acceptability of OAE is highly uncertain however, and this uncertainty is amplified due to complex interactions between scientific, technical, regulatory, and social conditions. Scenarios play a critical role in informing current decisions regarding research and deployment pathways but are hampered by a siloed approach, which fails to capture the co-evolution of technological and socio-legal conditions. The novel project approach is to develop a coupled, dynamic exploration of the simultaneous geophysical and social conditions under which OAE research and deployment occur: changing biogeophysical ocean and atmosphere conditions under global warming, readiness of different OAE technologies, legal norms, and governance arrangements.
Taking an innovative two-pronged and iterative approach, the project will develop an OAE extension for the ocean circulation model Oceananigans. In parallel, a novel predictive graph model will be developed based on interdisciplinary expert elicitation combining aspects of oceanography, process engineering, law, and governance. This approach allows us to couple the ocean-circulation and graph modelling results, enabling iterative refinement and interpretation of the linked models to arrive at deployment scenarios that are simultaneously technologically and politically feasible. The work’s expected significance is to provide timely guidance on near-term Canadian policy choices regarding OAE research and deployment pathways in or adjacent to Canadian waters.
Fields of research
- Applied Mathematics
- Oceanography
- Ocean Circulation
- Management Science
- Decision Support
- Marine Environmental Law
- International Law
- Socio-Technical Systems
Qualifications and ideal student profile
These research opportunities are contingent on funding, and the research program is scheduled to begin September 8, 2026.
Applicants interested in being supported by a scholarship (e.g., the Canada Impact+ Research Training Award) should complete the expression of interest web form by February 10, 2026.
Prospective graduate student researchers must meet or exceed the minimum admission requirements for the programs connected to this opportunity. Visit the program pages using the links on this page to learn more about minimum admission requirements. In addition to minimum requirements, the research supervisor is looking for the following qualifications and student profile.
There are two PhD research opportunities for model development of (1) the interdisciplinary graph model through expert elicitation with Dr. Vanessa Schweizer (Environment) or (2) ocean circulation modelling in Oceananigans with Prof. Francis Poulin (Mathematics).
- Applicants interested in the graph model opportunity may hold a bachelor’s degree in any field; however, evidence of interest in the social sciences, law, or philosophy is desired. Such applicants should include relevant information in their introductory message and email an unofficial transcript to Dr. Vanessa Schweizer.
- Applicants interested in developing the Oceananigans model should hold a bachelor’s degree in the physical or quantitative sciences.
The University of Waterloo values the diverse and intersectional identities of its students, faculty, and staff. Waterloo regards equity and diversity as an integral part of academic excellence and is committed to accessibility for all members of the Waterloo community. The University of Waterloo seeks applicants who embrace our values of equity, anti-racism and inclusion. As such, we encourage applications from candidates who have been historically disadvantaged and marginalized, including applicants who identify as Indigenous peoples (e.g., First Nations, Métis, Inuit/Inuk), Black, racialized, people with disabilities, women, and/or 2SLGBTQ+. The University of Waterloo is committed to accessibility for persons with disabilities.
If you have any application accommodation requests, please let Dr. Schweizer know.
Faculty researcher and supervisor
- Vanessa Schweizer [Principal Investigator]
Associate Professor, Faculty of Environment - School of Environment, Resources and Sustainability, and Geography and Environmental Management
View faculty profile →
- Francis Poulin
Professor, Faculty of Mathematics - Applied Mathematics
View faculty profile →
Important dates
Exploratory scenario analysis of marine carbon dioxide removal: synthesizing the ocean’s environmental, legal, and technological futures is accepting expressions of interest for the spring 2026 , fall 2026, winter 2027, spring 2027 and fall 2027 terms.