University of Padua

PhD Position on Integrating critical minerals recovery and CO2 mineralization using mine tailings for net-zero sustainable mining

We invite applications for a Ph.D. position to develop an integrated process for critical minerals (CMs) recovery with CO2 mineralization using mining waste under the supervision of Dr. Valentina Prigiobbe (University of Padua, Italy) and Dr. Simona Liguori (Clarkson University, USA). The materials will be provided by the mining companies in Italy and United States with whom the PIs have established collaborations. Experiments and modeling activities will be carried out in conjunction with computational chemistry calculations using density function theory (DFT) to customize the process to the mineral phases in the waste and the elements to be recovered.
Project details can be found at this link.
Applicants should have a master’s degree and a strong background in either chemical engineering, process engineering, environmental engineering, chemistry, geosciences or a related field. Excellent oral and written communication skills in English are necessary, and the knowledge of the Italian language is not required. A Ph.D. guide for international students is available here.
The Ph.D. position is funded for three years, which is the maximum duration of a Ph.D. in Italy, and starts on November 1st, 2025. During the Ph.D., the successful applicant will have the opportunity to spend up to 6 months in an academic institution abroad with an increase of 50% of the salary for that period.
The University of Padua was founded in 1222 and it is one of Europe’s oldest and most prestigious academic institutions. It is placed at high-ranking positions in both Italian and international ranking agencies for its quality of teaching and research activities as well as student life quality. The city of Padua is located near the cities of Venice and Milan which are easily accessible through frequent high-speed trains.

Interested applicants should send their curriculum vitae, statement of research interests, and full contact information of three references to Dr. Valentina Prigiobbe at: vprigiob@stevens.edu. Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until May 5. For general information and application submission, please visit this page: https://www.unipd.it/en/phd-courses-2025-2026