The first Innovate for Ireland national centre, 'Decarb-AI: AI-Powered Pathways to Climate Resilience' represents a major milestone for the Innovate for Ireland programme.
Created in partnership with AIB and Research Ireland, the €5.7m Decarb-AI centre aims to harness the power of artificial intelligence (AI) to accelerate Ireland’s transition to a climate-resilient, low-carbon future. By combining advanced AI research with real-world climate challenges, Decarb-AI has the potential to generate solutions that are both scientifically rigorous and nationally impactful.
The iScholars’ research at the Decarb-AI research centre focuses on using cutting-edge AI to advance climate mitigation and adaptation across Ireland. Key areas of scientific investigation include:
AI-optimised renewable energy systems and datacentre sustainability.
Machine learning frameworks for water quality forecasting and peatland restoration.
Coupling earth-observation arrays and biodiversity modelling for data-driven land-use policy.
Designing sophisticated, AI-supported sustainable finance appraisal tools for SMEs.
Developing transparent, explainable AI decision-support systems for real-time decarbonisation planning.
Decarb-AI operates across a collaborative ecosystem of highly regarded Irish higher education institutions, coordinated by University College Dublin as the lead institution. Partners include Trinity College Dublin, Dublin City University, Technological University Dublin, University of Limerick, University of Galway (via ICHEC), and University College Cork.
Our multidisciplinary expert team brings together over 50 academic personnel, including leading Principal Investigators, dedicated research supervisors, and incoming cohorts of fully funded doctoral iScholars.
Decarb-AI will welcome 30 iScholars across three distinct recruitment intakes. Every researcher undertakes a fully-funded, four-year PhD under the guidance of established academic experts.
Applications for our subsequent cohort of researchers are open to candidates displaying excellent quantitative backgrounds in AI, data science, engineering, environmental science, ecology, geography, finance, or related mathematical disciplines who aim to build high-impact computational tools for global climate resilience.
Each iScholar receives an annual stipend or €31,000 with all university research fees covered. iScholars receive a generous travel and computing allowance.