Janet Muhling

Janet Muhling is an Adjunct Research Fellow in the School of Earth Sciences at The University of Western Australia (UWA), affiliated with the Centre for Microscopy, Characterisation & Analysis (CMCA). She holds a B.Sc. (Hons) from UWA (1972) and a PhD in geology, focusing on nickel sulfide mineralization and metamorphic rock studies. Her career includes postdoctoral fellowships, industry consulting, and research roles at CMCA. Current affiliations include UWA’s Stirling Highway campuses in Perth.

Her research centers on banded iron formation origins, accessory mineral geochemistry, Proterozoic orogenic belts, and manganese mineralization. Key interests include early Earth geochemistry, hydrothermal systems, and the interplay between ocean chemistry and life evolution. She has contributed to projects funded by the Australian Research Council (ARC), including studies on banded iron formations and mineral systems.

Muhling’s expertise spans microanalysis techniques (SEM/TEM), petrological studies, and geochronology. She has co-authored over 86 publications and datasets on topics like greenalite-bearing iron formations and hydrothermal vent precipitates. Her work supports UN Sustainable Development Goals related to environmental sustainability through insights into ancient ocean chemistry and mineral cycles.