Geology Talk

Thank you to Leeds University who came to Holy Cross to give a talk to our students on the metals we need for a sustainable future and why we need Geologists. Also career paths in studying Geology at University.


Guest Speakers:


Rob Chapman: Metals for the Future

Rob Chapman gained a BSc and MSc in Minerals Engineering from the University of Birmingham before spending 4 years in South Africa. He acted as a Consultant for Namdeb, Namibia, for 5 years exploring the possibility of co-mining gold and platinum from offshore diamond deposits. His work has also taken him to North America with collaborations with the University of British Columbia the Yukon Geological Survey and the US Geological Survey.

Rob will discuss how the strategies to reduce carbon emissions are dependent upon the emergence of renewable energy sources to progressively replace fossil fuels. This talk explores what materials global society will need, some of the issues in meeting demand, and why major technological developments to deliver the low Carbon transition are ultimately dependent on geological expertise.

Lily Dickson: Studying Geology is an option for everyone

Lily Dickson chose to study geology as she had a love of physical geography, and really enjoyed some geotechnical work experience whilst she was at school. She is now studying the deposition of gold and cobalt as part of her PhD. Lily thinks that it is a particularly exciting time to be a geologist and she looks forward to seeing where her career will take her. Lily is a member of Women in Mining which is an organisation that helps women into the industry by awarding scholarships, organising networking events and more. She also volunteers for the Critical Minerals Association, whose role is to liaise between government and industry to ensure a secure mineral supply chain for the UK.

Lily will be debunking some myths about geologists and shedding some light on some of the exciting opportunities you may be afforded as a young geologist. Why is now more than ever one of the most important and exciting times to become a geologist?

Lily is in the first year of a PhD at Leeds, having completed her undergraduate degree in 2019 (also in Leeds), before doing an MSc at Exeter University. She is involved in many initiatives both at Leeds and in Industry to engage with potential students and to communicate the role of geology in society to a wider audience. She will talk about the experiences of her student cohort at University, what jobs they gained on leaving University, and her time spent working in mineral exploration and mining in both South Africa and Finland.