Rene has a Master’s degree in Structural Geology and Tectonics. He is a Chartered Professional and a Fellow with the AusIMM, and a Member and Registered Professional Geologist with the AIG. Rene is a director of the AusIMM, a director of Straterra (New Zealand’s industry lobby group and national voice for the natural resources industries), Managing Director of mineral resource development specialists RSC, a director of Opaxe (an information technology company providing mineral resource intelligence data), and a director of Transition Minerals (a company exploring for vanadium, copper and gold). He also holds ex-officio roles on the JORC committee and the Australian Geoscience Council.

Stephen Durkin is CEO of AusIMM, the peak body and trusted voice for people working in resources. Since being appointed CEO in 2017, Stephen has led AusIMM through a fundamental strategic transformation. Under his leadership, AusIMM has increased its global reach, along with expanding its world-class professional development program. Stephen is a highly experienced executive leader with a background in financial services, association management and business leadership. His background covering leadership, marketing, corporate strategy as well as government, media and community relations has shaped Stephen’s view that associations could and should play a more vital role in the corporate landscape.

“Scott Stewart is the Queensland Minister for Resources and Member for Townsville. Before entering Parliament as the Member for Townsville in 2015, Mr Stewart worked in education for 28 years; serving as a principal and teacher in several high schools. Upon his election in October 2015, he served as the Chair of the Education, Tourism, Innovation and Small Business Committee and as deputy speaker. Having started his career in Springsure in regional Central Queensland and now being the Member for Townsville, Mr Stewart understands regional Queensland and the benefits of living there. Mr Stewart is a strong and active leader within the community and understands and appreciates the value of education and sees it as the key to success. Mr Stewart is also passionate about the resource sector, with his great grandfather Walter John Davidson being one of the original Mount Isa mine workers in the 1920s. Since becoming the Minister for Resources, Mr Stewart has released the Queensland Resources Industry Development Plan for consultation which will give direction to the sector for the next 30 years. Having spent a significant part of his professional life in regional Queensland, Mr Stewart understands how important the resources industry is for creating jobs and opportunities in the regions. He holds a Bachelor of Education and a master's degree from the Queensland University of Technology.”

Dr Haydon Mort is the CEO and Founder of Geologize Ltd. A geologist with 15 years of research experience, his encounters with neurology put him on a parallel path in the science of attention and communication. In September 2020 his company launched the critically acclaimed training course, Practical Geocommunication. The training teaches geoscientists of all colours to powerfully connect with the public in ways that inspire students and engage disengaged members of society. The goal is to shift the highly negative public and political perception of the field and get more students into geosciences.

Kerry Turnock has 29 years of resource sector experience spanning geoscience, operational, technical marketing and technology disciplines. This multidisciplinary experience underpins Kerry’s ability to understand the value of geoscientific inputs for organisational decisions across the value chain, ranging from grassroots exploration through mining and processing to the end customer. She has a proven track record of successfully delivering breakthrough projects with functioning solutions that have resulted in realised benefits from resource identification through to improved mining practices and the establishment of new market products. Kerry holds a Masters in geology from Monash University and is the Global Practice Lead for Resource Knowledge with BHP’s Resource Centre of Excellence

A graduate from the National University of Ireland, Emma moved to the Goldfields of Western Australia in 2004 and has continued to work in the region for companies such as Croesus, Gold Fields, Saracen and Northern Star. Emma has been employed at a number mine sites in various open pit and underground Geology roles gaining experience in many the facets of Mine Geology, project development, resource estimation and reconciliation. Emma believes that the key to good mining is in the understanding of the geology. As a leader, Emma aims to inspire her teams to extract as many secrets from the rocks as possible and to continue the fight against mining dilution.

Paul is an experienced geologist who in 2004, was awarded a Bachelor of Science in Exploration and Mining Geology from Curtin University’s WA School of Mines. He has also been awarded a Post graduate Certificate in Geostatistics from Edith Cowan University in 2021. In his early career Paul worked in several nickel, copper and gold mines throughout WA. Since 2016, Paul has worked at IGO’s (Ni-Cu-Co) Nova Operation, seeing the transitions from start-up, steady state production and now optimisation. Paul’s current professional focus includes grade control, Mineral Resource estimation and mine to mill reconciliation studies. He particularly enjoys working with small teams of highly inquisitive motivated mine geologists.