Carleton Scientist Receives Synergy Award for Innovation
Lead image by atriziomartorana / iStock
By Ahmed Minhas
Carleton University’s Scientist-in-Residence, Richard Ernst, has been awarded the 2025 Synergy Award for Innovation by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), in recognition of his leadership in a long-standing industry-academia research partnership that is accelerating the discovery of critical minerals through geological research.
Ernst, a world-leading geological field researcher in the Department of Earth Sciences, leads the Carleton University-Resource Exploration Consortium, a 19-year (2010–2029) partnership involving Carleton researchers, 15 major exploration companies and over 150 scientific collaborators from 25 countries.
At the core of Ernst’s research is the study of large igneous provinces (LIPs); massive volcanic events in Earth’s distant past that have shaped continents and influenced climate.
LIPs are understood to play a key role in the formation and location of economically significant mineral and metal deposits; necessary for Canada’s transition towards renewable energy and green technologies such as electric vehicles and battery storage.
Through geological reconstructions of ancient volcanic activity, Ernst and his collaborators have developed innovative exploration strategies that help industry partners trace ore deposits and locate mineral-rich zones with greater precision.
Research with Impact
These findings empower major industry partners — including Anglo American, BHP, IGO, KoBold Metals, Rio Tinto and Teck Resources — to make evidence-based, strategic decisions regarding exploration and extraction, allowing them to target ideal sites and eliminate those unlikely to yield results.
Fierce competitors in the marketplace, these companies are united in working alongside academic researchers, applying shared data and insights that benefit both industry and society. A major ore deposit discovery can bring transformational benefits to communities in the regions they are located, creating jobs, infrastructure and new opportunities, while advancing Canada’s resource independence.
“It’s an honour to receive the Synergy Award,” says Ernst. “This recognition is deeply meaningful, not just for me, but for the many collaborators and students for their contributions. It reinforces the value of industry-academia partnerships and supports our efforts to understand Earth’s deep processes and their role in critical mineral discovery.”
Since 2010, the consortium has secured more than $4.2 million in joint funding from industry and government. It has also trained more than 30 highly qualified personnel (HQP), including graduate students and post-doctoral researchers, who now work across academia, government and industry on real-world exploration projects and global collaborations. This hands-on training equips the next generation of geoscientists and leaders with the skills needed to excel in this sector.
“Ernst’s work exemplifies the important role of academic research in solving industry challenges while contributing to national priorities,” says Rafik Goubran, Vice-President (Research, Innovation and International).
“By bridging fundamental science with applied outcomes, Ernst’s expertise positions Carleton as a leading national and international research centre in geological research.”
His research also deepens our understanding of Earth’s geological and climatic history. LIPs have been linked to shifts in atmospheric greenhouse gases and past mass extinction events, providing valuable data for modelling long-term climate patterns and exploring potential climate change mitigation strategies.
About the Synergy Awards for Innovation
The annual Synergy Awards for Innovation recognize examples of collaboration that stand as models of effective partnership between partner organizations and colleges or universities. The awards honour the most outstanding achievements emerging from these collaborations.
By working together, award-winning partner organizations and post-secondary institutions prove that effective partnerships and innovation are the foundation of achievement. Their successes enrich the academic and research programs at Canadian post-secondary institutions while providing concrete benefits to Canadians.
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