b'Education matters future is happening and the benefitsDigitalisation of the sector isThe pace of change is extraordinary. for a sustainable future. what will drive the change. This isWhat you thought you couldnt do There are also unique scholarships thatwhere we will find efficiencies. Thisthree months ago, not only you can do now - its open source. Its redefining our are being offered to attract studentsis how we will be environmentallytraditional industry job profiles.to universities to study in disciplinessustainable. Digital technologies seen as critical for the future of variousMP: How do talented early career sectors of the economy. For example, theare fundamentally changingscientists operate in the system? Do Department of Defence recently offered.how businesses and people workthese people progress on their own? Or about 300 scholarships to undertaketogether. is guidance important? Sometimes these nuclear related Masters courses. Thepeople would like to go their own way.minerals and energy industry also fundsAs an organisation, a research team, or a scholarships, to fulfil their particularThe other thing weve got to thinkprofessional society, we need to motivate requirements. about is supporting mineralsand excite everyone, and early career exploration in Australia. Investorsscientists are no exception. I suggest Industry is also putting people throughare becoming environmentally university after identifying talent at highconscious and they choose to investthey seek a mentor, somebody who can school. Theyre offering them a packagein the infrastructure, exploration orhelp grow their talents, leadership skills, deal, putting them through universitymines that do undertake sustainablecommunication skills, and perhaps their either here in Australia or overseas,development, with the environmentprogramming skills. They also need to depending on where the ideal course isforemost in mind. Australia is wellbe mentored by somebody who can being offered, then giving them a job atplaced to continue to develop ahelp them grow as a contributor to the the end of their studies. sustainable mineral resources sector.organisation that theyre working for. One of the things that were doingEarly career people have so many skills MP: Coming back to the mineralin Australia is looking at secondarythat we want to grow and nurture.resources sector, does the clean energyprospectivity. That is, assessing transition affect what you are doing andMP: Marina, my last question is what kind how you are doing it? mine waste piles and tailings andof specialists are required to pursue the undertaking or supporting researchclean energy economy in Australia?MC: Were working on critical mineralsinto how we can utilise those neglected here at GA, together with the state andresources. MC: This is a really good question, territory geological surveys. We arebecause were looking at sustainable investigating what critical minerals areMP: That brings us to my next question.energy and sustainable infrastructure. found in association with the commonWhat role does digitalisation play inFor example, hydrogen is one of those minerals that we all know we need.the clean energy transition? What kindfuture sustainable energy sources. So, the So, for instance, copper. We needof education is required to guaranteespecialist group skills that we are looking more copper to support a low carbonefficient digitalisation of the sector? for are a blend of traditional academic future, to support electric vehicles andskills, and training in system-based other technologies. But what are theMC: This is the step change that wevethinking. How do the downstream and companion minerals that accompanybeen waiting for. We see more and moreupstream sectors work together? How is copper that are also critical minerals thatstudents and early career people whohydrogen produced? How much do we we need to supply to Australia and thehave high levels of programming skills. need? What infrastructure do we need world for the technology used in defenceWere collecting smarter data, faster data,and where do we store it? Where are the and the technology for wind turbines,higher standards of data and data that ismarkets? As well as the engineering side electric cars and other clean energymore readily accessible than ever before.of things. How do we build? How do we solutions? We now have ready access to high- drill? How do we store?performance computers that can workDriving a low carbon economy will So we know we have to find morewith vast amounts of data. There are open- require specialists who have advanced copper, but we also need these criticalsource artificial intelligence and machineanalytical skills. Particularly when it comes companion minerals. What minerals arelearning algorithms. More and moreto optimisation of complex systems usually associated with those metals andnew discoveries will be underpinned byin finding environmentally friendly where do they end up? excellent data and AI. Digitalisation of thesolutions. We will be relying more and sector is what will drive the change. This ismore on geospatial solutions too.Critical minerals are really importantwhere we will find efficiencies. This is how and underpin the transition to cleanwe will be environmentally sustainable.It is an exciting time to be a geophysicist!energy, underpin the UN SustainableDigital technologies are fundamentally Development Goals and underpinchanging how businesses and peopleMP: Thank you so much for your time and environmental social governance. work together. interesting insights.31 PREVIEW FEBRUARY 2022'