Unlocking Geophysics - CAGE24 and Upskilling Australia’s Future Earth Scientists

CAGE24 participants at Wave Rock which has become a key geophysical location for the camp to observe the crustal mass called the Yilgarn Craton. Image: Vlad Alekseev

In the Mining Town of Forrestania, on Ballardong Country, a host of students and early-career geoscientists congregated. Their aim? To delve into the real-world applications of geophysical techniques. The Camp for Applied Geophysics Excellence (CAGE) enters its third year, engaging participants to upskill Australia’s future Earth Scientists and demystify geophysics.

The Big (Geophysics) Gap

With over 14% of Australia’s GDP being owed to mining and mineral exploration, including developing global issues of Climate Change and the Green Transition, the need for earth science capability in Australia has become glaringly obvious.

Yet, Earth Science teaching is not keeping up with these national and global trends; instead, a sharp fall in federal funding has produced a deficit in quality educational outcomes for Earth Science. Leaning on her own experience teaching Earth Science, Kate Selway was determined to develop a program that could fill the gap in Australian geophysics - It was here that CAGE was born:

“With CAGE, I always imagine a young graduate geologist or geophysicist looking at a geophysical model that has just arrived in their inbox. We want to give them the training to understand how that model was produced, the fieldwork… data and processing that went into it, the uncertainties in all those steps, and the links to geology.

Ultimately, understanding those [factors] will help them make better geophysical decisions throughout their careers, which is a great goal.”
- Kate Selway

On top of Wave Rock, illustrating its enormous granite dome. Image: Image: Vlad Alekseev

A Week-Long Exploration

Entering into its third year, CAGE aimed to continue building on the successes of its field camp by guiding 25 attendees through the geophysical data collection at the Forrestania EM Test Range in WA. From 3rd-year university students to early career geoscientists, CAGE also aimed to provide a comprehensive overview of fieldwork health and safety, geophysical survey design, geophysical approaches, goals and challenges utilising industry-standard software.

“Every year CAGE develops and grows. This year for the first time, the camp culminated with the attendees presenting their results to sponsors from industry and government, which was a great chance for them to make connections and learn about career options.

The highlight for me is always getting to know the CAGE attendees, who are always full of passion and enthusiasm.”
- Kate Selway

Agnieszka Stoch from Southern Geoscience Consultants showcasing seismic reflection techniques to CAGE attendees. Image: Vlad Alekseev

Photo (L to R): CAGE Attendees collecting magnetic data in the field. Time-domain EM data was also captured using compasses. Image: Vlad Alekseev

Participants gathered their findings in a workshop on the final day, exploring models and survey data to form geological interpretations. Image: Vlad Alekseev

And What Do The Participants Think?

Since 2022 when CAGE had its inaugural event, feedback has been nothing short of amazing. Read some of the feedback from students who attended this year’s 7-day experience:

“I heard about CAGE from one of my friends at uni [who] went to it last year… and said it was an amazing experience. [I applied] April this year, and it has lived up to every expectation.”
- Claire

“This has been a great opportunity to get [geophysics] experience in the field.”
- Ash

“I’ve had the most amazing time… this has been so valuable, both personally and professionally, and so thankful for this opportunity.”
- Kasper

Smiles all around from CAGE24! Image: Vlad Alekseev

Keen to Support?

If you would like to offer support to future CAGE instalments to upskill Australia’s future geophysicists, please contact the team at continuingeducation@aseg.org.au.

 
 

STORY IN A NUTSHELL
CAGE is back to upskill students and early career geoscientists in the ways of the ‘force’, ahem, geophysics.

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