New President

26 August 2004

Mike Smith New President of Geoscience Council

The Australian Geoscience Council announces that Mr Mike Smith has been elected President of the Australian Geoscience Council, replacing Dr David Denham, who has held the position for 5 years.

Mike is the Managing Director of Natural Power Limited, which plans to develop geothermal power projects in the Fiji Islands. He has worked for small entrepreneurial companies and a large multinational group, with mineral exploration experience throughout Australia, the Pacific Region and in Europe.

Mike is currently Treasurer of the Federation of Australian Scientific and Technological Societies, having served as the Board representative for the Geosciences for the past four years. He is a former President of the Australian Society of Exploration Geophysicists and also a former President of the Australian Institute of Geoscientists. He administers the latter organisation’s Registered Professional Geoscientist (RPGeo) scheme.

The Australian Geoscience Council is the Peak Council of geoscientists in Australia. It represents nine major Australian geoscientific societies and has a membership of over 7000 professionals. Our members work in diverse fields, embracing earth resource exploration (minerals, coal, oil and gas), environmental monitoring and remediation, geotechnical investigations, hydrogeology including groundwater management, teaching, and strategic and applied research.

The geosciences are critical for Australia. The mineral and petroleum industries are the main export earners and underpin the nation’s wealth creation. The geosciences are needed to discover, develop and manage these resources. Our future prosperity will depend on these industries remaining healthy, innovative and internationally competitive.

In addition, we face huge challenges in respect of sustainability and survival on planet Earth. Issues of land degradation, water resources, energy supplies, climate change, urbanisation and natural hazards affect not just Australia but the whole Earth. These important matters require input from the geosciences.

For further information:

Mike Smith, Tel: 0411-103-761

Email: mike_rpgeo@optusnet.com.au