b'Education matters Education mattersSA DEMs focus has evolved andlinks with the University of Adelaide for broadened particularly over the last \x1dvemany years, re\x1cecting its strong reputation years and to quote SA DEMs visionwefor geoscience education and research. are leading the global transformationAs the Department has evolved, so weve economy, overseeing the responsibleseen the University evolve in this changing mining and production of the minerals,energy landscape that we are all in now. metals and fuels of the future, to safelyWeve been able to have input through and sustainably generate the energy andrepresentation on University Advisory low carbon products of the future so,Boards along with industry and other its not just petroleum nowlike manyacademics towards how the courses are other organisations and companiesstructured. So, its something very close around the world SA DEM is workingto us.Marina Pervukhinaon the energy transition. Apart from oilOne of the fundamental issues is getting Associate Editor for Educationand very importantly natural gas - a keyschool students interested in STEM so Marina.Pervukhina@csiro.au pathway to net zero - our role includesthey want to go to university and study geothermal energy, were looking atscience, technology and engineering natural hydrogen, hydrogen storage,courses - subjects that are fundamental and carbon capture and storage. I haveto our country. I think many of us have Putting a lot of e\x1eort into beingcolleagues in the Geological Survey heard anecdotal evidence of students anemployer of choice working on critical minerals and copper,being concerned about oil and gas or the Growth and Low Carbon teamminerals, whether its because they In this issue of Preview we continue a seriesare involved in renewable energy - of interviews on educational needs inbatteries, solar and wind, colleagues areare worried about the stability of a the \x1deld of earth science. I am pleased todeveloping legislation for Hydrogen andcareer in these sectors, the future, or introduce our special guest today: ElinorRenewable Energy and the new SA O\x1bceenvironmental perceptions. However, its Alexander, the Director of the Geosciencefor Hydrogen Power is progressing greennot all bad news - emerging \x1delds like and Exploration team in the Departmenthydrogen. Were all working to achievespace and defence in SA are starting to for Energy and Mining, South Australia. the Governments Net Zero target. attract students into STEM and its great to see Adelaide University o\x1eering a space geology course, as well as a new I think oil and gas companiesGeoEnergy course focused on the various and their highly skilled sta\x1e aredi\x1eerent components relevant to meeting pivotal in achieving net zero societal needs and Net Zero targets.Another issue my university contacts tell MP: And in this currently rapidly changingme is that a lot of students dont want to world, what does the Department expectget specialised too quickly because they from tertiary education? How do you seeare focussed on employment outcomes. your fresh blood? They are going into more general science, geoscience and engineering The Department has had a long andcourses, for example the traditional civil, Elinor Alexander productive relationship with the universitychemical or mechanical engineering MP: Elinor, thank you so much forsector and leadership has alwayscourses, rather than specialising in being here for this interview. Beforerecognised the role the Department canpetroleum geoscience or subsurface we start, please tell me a little aboutplay. The Department funds the Stateengineering. This also applies to more your background and journey to yourChair of Petroleum Geoscience, currentlyniche engineering courses like mining, high-level leadership position at Southheld by Prof Simon Holford, at theenvironmental or water engineering - its Australian Department for Energy andUniversity of Adelaide. The Departmentnot just about petroleum or mining. So Mining (SA DEM). was instrumental in establishing thefuture graduate employees are likely NCPGG in the mid-1980s, has supportedto need bridging courses and add-on EA: I graduated as a sedimentologist withthe Australian School for Petroleum andtraining when they start work. If they an Honours degree from the UniversityEnergy Resources (ASPER), and is nowleave university with less specialist of Adelaide in 1985 and joined theworking with the Universitys GeoEnergysubsurface training, employers like South Australian Department of Minesresource engineers and geoscientiststhe Department and companies may and Energy, Oil, Gas and Coal Division.on multidisciplinary CCS and hydrogenneed to consider getting their graduate Ive been working on basin analysis,storage research. Some of the support isemployees back to university for top sedimentology, petroleum systemsabout our research needs, but some of itsup coursesfor example seismic and reservoir petrophysics for manyalso about getting graduates with the rightinterpretation and geophysics, reservoir years. Then, as my career progressed,skills to be employed in the Department,and subsurface engineering, reservoir I was able to take on some leadershipindustry, or interstate and Federalpetrophysics, seals, carbon capture responsibilities, and now Ive ended upgovernment departments, and perhapsstorage, petroleum systems etc. Theres as the Director of the Geoscience andsome even going on to other universitiesan emerging need to have that top-Exploration team in SA DEM. to continue research. Weve had very closeup available for graduate employees. JUNE 2023 PREVIEW 24'