Dr. Iain Pitcairn

Biography

Iain Pitcairn is an Associate Professor of Ore Geology at Stockholm University. His extensive academic journey began with a Bachelor’s degree in Geology from the University of Edinburgh, awarded in 1998, followed by a Master’s in Geochemistry from the University of Leeds in 2000. He completed his PhD at the National Oceanography Centre Southampton in 2004, focusing on the sources of fluids and metals in orogenic gold deposits. Since moving to Stockholm University in 2005, he has held various academic roles including a postdoctoral researcher position at Queens University Canada under Dr. Gema Olivo. His research primarily investigates the characterization of hydrothermal ore deposits and their relationship with metamorphic processes. He operates the Low Level Gold Lab at the Department of Geological Sciences, specializing in ultra low detection limit analyses of gold and other metals in rock samples. He teaches courses in mineralogy, metamorphic petrology, and ore geology, and has been deputy head of his department since 2018. His ongoing research interests include the mobility of metals during metamorphism and the origins of fluid-rock interactions in various geological settings.

Research Interests