CAGE 22 takes on Australia’s geophysics gap
Students discover geophysics' tools beneath the blue skies of South Australia on Ngadjuri nations country. Image: Kate Brand
The inaugural Camp for Applied Geophysics Excellence (CAGE 22) has blazed a new path for students and early-career geoscientists! This NCRIS enabled event addressed the significant reduction in geophysics education across Australia by giving students real-world experience in applying geophysics techniques in the field from industry-recognised experts. We asked Dr Kate Brand and Dr Kate Selway to give us a glimpse into the initiative.
Welcome, and congratulations on a successful CAGE 22! What inspired this event?
Kate B: Thank you! CAGE 22 was an idea that slowly brewed over the last couple of years. While more and more universities were culling geophysics from their curriculum, I reflected on my own geophysics education. Although my education was fantastic and featured a few geology field trips, exposure to practical geophysics applications was scarce. Post-PhD, I found myself specialised in one type of geophysics (magnetotellurics) with minimal practical experience in other techniques.
I wanted anyone – from students to early-career geoscientists to more experienced geoscientists – to gain hands-on geophysical experience to take with them into their geoscience future.
With that, the idea of CAGE was born and luckily for me, Kate Selway was entirely on board with the idea, and together with an excellent band of volunteers, we got CAGE 22 off the ground.
Why is CAGE 22 important, and what unique opportunities did it offer aspiring geophysicists?
Kate B: As formal geophysical training opportunities at universities become increasingly scarce, and many companies move toward contracting out geophysics work rather than having in-house geophysicists, there is a risk of having a team of geoscientists working with geophysical data without a comprehensive understanding of data collection, processing and modelling.
CAGE aims to fill this gap and empower geophysicists and geoscientists more broadly to gain exposure to the end-to-end process of geophysics whilst hopefully enjoying themselves and making lifelong networks to kickstart careers.
Kate Selway explains magnetotellurics to students at CAGE 22. Image: Kate Brand
Is this the first time an event like this has been held, and are there plans for future camps?
Kate B: I’m not sure if it’s the first time an event like this has been organised in the Australian Society of Exploration Geophysicists 51 year history, but I’m confident that with the feedback and overwhelming support CAGE 22 has received, it won’t be the last!
Can you share some student experiences or reflections with us?
Kate S: We set the attendees a challenging goal: to collect, process, model, and interpret four different types of geophysical data within a week.
They were so engaged, enthusiastic and hard-working that they not only achieved this, but they also produced some great insights into their models and integrated their interpretations with the known geology and hydrogeology of the field region.
The attendees came from a range of backgrounds, from geophysics PhD students with strong theoretical knowledge to early career industry geologists with little training in geophysics. One of the best things about the camp was seeing how the attendees pulled together their field practices, geophysics theory, software, geology and petrophysics skills. They worked together as really integrated teams in a way we hope they will continue to do in their careers and produced better results than they could have individually.
Student’s acquiring resistivity data in the field. Image: Kate Brand
Even though we haven’t gotten our formal surveys back yet, we already have some great feedback from attendees. Tom McNamara, a Masters student at The University of Melbourne, said on LinkedIn:
“The CAGE 22 camp was a fantastic experience, and very excited to have been part of the inaugural group! I hugely appreciate all the organisers, demonstrators and sponsors that got it off the ground. The practical experience and exposure to the range of geophysical methods was so valuable, and I got so much out of the expertise that all the demonstrators had to share.
Given the deficit of education for geophysics in Australia at the moment and the trajectory all geoscience education is taking, the chance to participate and the training I've taken from it is (almost literally) irreplaceable. Honestly, I feel a lot more competent as a geoscientist coming out of it. Can't wait to see where the program goes in future!”
In closing, what have you learned about the needs of students and what excites you about their future?
Kate S: I was given a big dose of optimism for the future of geoscience in seeing the enthusiasm of the CAGE 22 attendees. They were creative thinkers, team players and were hard-working and engaged, even on long and challenging days.
The CAGE 22 attendees and sponsors showed that there is a considerable demand for geophysics education in Australia, both from the students and from the industry. We are lucky to have the support of organisations like AuScope to fill this demand.
These early career geoscientists will drive and experience some incredible transitions over their careers. They need training in geoscience that is rigorous and interdisciplinary and that prioritises the safety of people and the environment. The fact that the attendees were willing to give up their time to further this training at CAGE 22 - and that we had three times as many applicants as available spaces - gives me great hope that there is a fantastic talent to help guide geoscience through the coming decades. We hope that CAGE 22 has given them some extra knowledge and networks to help make that happen.
See more of CAGE 22:
AUTHORS
A conversation between Dr Kate Brand (ASEG), Dr Kate Selway (MinEx CRC) and Philomena Manifold (AuScope)
LEARN MORE
You can learn more about the Australian Society of Exploration Geophysicists at their website or sign up for membership (students are free).