b'OpinionA future for geophysics in Australia?Is there a future for geophysics in Australia?Table 1.A summary of geophysics teaching in Australia. Reproduced from Selway, K., 2021. Geophysics education in AustraliaAEGC wrap up and updated survey results: Preview, 214, 37-38.Tim Dean tim.dean@angloamerican.comOver the months of writing this article (on-and-off of course, Im not that slow a typist) it went through several differentWe should look to the future, primarilyimperative to have more geoscientists versions The emphasis changed fromthe next generation of geophysicists Dowilling and able to mitigate, research and reviewing the general state of thewe have a healthy student populationact Unfortunately, Australia does not geophysical industry, to the state ofacross Australia? Do opportunities existappear to be addressing this imperativegeophysics education in Australia, to thefor those both inside and outside the status of the ASEG itself Eventually (andprofession to learn more about it? Curtin University has long been the most perhaps to get it off my desk once andsuccessful Australian university in terms for all) I decided to go with the ratherBack in the August 2021 issue of Previewof producing geophysics graduates hyperbolic subject and title of Is there athe then ASEG Education CommitteeFigure1e shows the number of students future for geophysics in Australia? Chair, Kate Selway, summarised the stateenrolled in the undergraduate programme of geophysics education in Australiaat Curtin over the last 25 years. From 1995 Whats written here should not be seen(which was further updated in the as criticism (although perhaps thatOctober 2021 issue) With her permissionuntil the early 2010s student numbers interpretation is unavoidable) instead I seeI have included this summary again aswere relatively consistent varying it as a call to arms to try and rejuvenateTable 1 At first glance the number ofbetween 80 to over 100 (with a small what I, and many others, see as a steadyred cells in this table is discouragingdip around 2003). It is no secret that (although perhaps now precipitous)Generally speaking, people who refer toearth science enrolments tend to track decline in Australian geophysics before itthemselves as geophysicists tend to havethe fortunes of the resource industry, is too late - although the reader could bea degree in geophysics, if we look at thisand the Figures 1a to d are included to forgiven for thinking that that momenttable, we see only three undergraduategive an indication of industry health may have already passed courses with a geophysics major, andover those years. From these graphs the only the one named Masters degree Ofcollapse of the oil industry around 2015 A wise colleague often reminded me tothe three undergraduate courses named,is immediately recognisable, with the oil consider what does success look like?only one contained more than fiveprice and exploration spending dropping If we dont have a clear picture of whatstand-alone geophysics subjects Perhapsprecipitously. However, when we look we are attempting to achieve, theneven more discouraging is the recentat the mineral industry the picture is how do we know if we achieve it? Withchanges column, with all the recentvery different, with pricing remaining geophysics, some obvious areas to assesschanges being negative (although therestable and exploration spending (of are the commercial health of the industrywere two institutions who claimed thatwhich geophysics is a key component) - are geophysical companies healthy? Dothe future was positive) continuing to climb. Unfortunately, this we see new companies enter the marketdid not result in an increase in geophysics or just companies leaving it? We canThe recent dire state of earth sciencesstudent numbers at Curtin, and they have also look at the professional society - arein general (and not just in Australia) wasnow reached the level where geophysics membership numbers increasing (orconsidered worthy of an editorial in theteaching is under review. Referring back at least stable), are meetings healthilySeptember 2021 issue of Nature Afterto Table 1, teaching at Curtin represents attended? Does the society play anlisting the numerous institutions that12 of the 27 (44%) stand-alone geophysics active role in promoting our field? Finally,have cut back or culled earth sciencessubjects at Australian universities. One can and in my view, we should remembercompletely, the Editor issues a call toonly assume, that if the geophysics course the wise words of Whitney Houston Iarms: As the climate crisis rages on,at Curtin was to suffer cuts, this would believe the children are our future Teachhuman populations continue to groweffectively represent the end of in-depth them well and let them lead the wayand Earths resources dwindle, it isgeophysics education in Australia.21 PREVIEW OCTOBER 2022'