b'Education matters Education mattersA cohort of well-educated geophysicistsbased education. However, the technical, is a must for any modern countrymultidisciplinary nature of exploration given the increasing global demandgeophysics renders comprehensive for energy-critical metals, carbononline-based education difficult, if not dioxide and hydrogen undergroundimpossible. Face-to-face tuition is still storage solutions, and geotechnicalrequired in laboratories and in the field.characterisation of onshore and offshoreDr Kate Selway is the new Chair of the sites for wind and solar photovoltaicASEGs Education Committee and one farms. Concerns about geophysicsof the first things she did on assuming education in Australia have been raisedthe position was to conduct a survey of on the pages of Preview more thanwhat geophysics is being taught where once in recent times. In each of the lastin Australia in 2021. The survey data will three issues, I have briefly described theassist the ASEG to establish a baseline for situation and depicted emerging onlinefurther analysis.Marina Pervukhinaalternatives to traditional classroom-Associate Editor for Education Marina.Pervukhina@csiro.auGeophysics education in Australiasurvey resultsTable 1.Geophysics education in AustraliaKate Selway ASEG Education Committee Chair Education@aseg.org.auIn order to understand the state of healthMacquarie, UNSW, QUT, Monash, andMacquarie University and the University of geophysics education in Australia thethe University of Melbourneofferof Tasmania (RMIT cut their geophysics ASEG surveyed all Australian universitiesstand-alone undergraduate subjects thatprogram prior to 2021). With the exception that teach geophysics in May 2021. Thefocus on geophysics, and a total of 12of the ANU, eastern states universities results are shown in Table 1, where greenuniversities offer some undergraduatenow offer very little geophysics, and shading signifies that the designated majorgeophysics content within othercurrent offerings at both Macquarie and or degree is offered or that a change hassubjects. At the postgraduate level,the University of Melbourne are expected been positive, and red shading signifiesCurtin is the only university to offer ato decrease over the coming one to two that the major or degree is not offered ordedicated Masters degree in geophysics,years. This concerning situation, which that a change has been negative. Honoursand an additional eight universitiesis likely to exacerbate the shortage of coursework has been included in theincorporate geophysics teaching intoskilled geophysicists for the Australian postgraduate teaching category. The termother postgraduate coursework degrees. workforce, is a result of the intersection subject is used for an undergraduate unitof low undergraduate student numbers of study, which is variably also called a unitRecent trends have seen a substantialwith current university funding models. or a course at different universities. decline in geophysics at AustralianIndustry-wide efforts to raise the profile of Only three Australian universitiestheuniversities, both in the loss of academicgeophysics, encourage students to study ANU, the University of Adelaide andstaff and the loss of undergraduategeophysics, and to lobby universities and Curtin Universitycurrently offer angeophysics teaching. Undergraduategovernment to retain our geophysics undergraduate geophysics major. Ofmajors in geophysics have recently beencapability, are encouraged to help to the remaining universities, only five cut at the University of Queensland,reverse these trends.35 PREVIEW AUGUST 2021'