Education, Outreach and YES Subcommittee

Chairs

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Other Members

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  • University of Calgary

  • Mount Royal University

    Jerry is an enthusiastic geoscientist and a member of the International Venus Research Group (IVRG). He advocates for community engagement and volunteerism, fostering collaboration among geoscientists across Canada and globally.

    Jerry is a dedicated adventurer, nature lover, and marathon runner, who is excited to contribute to the International Geoscience Conference  with a passion for education, research, and exploration.

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  • Liaison with IGC-NOC

    Mount Royal University - Associate Professor, Department of Earth & Environmental Sciences

    International Director - Canadian Federation of Earth Sciences

    Katherine is fascinated by the processes that form the “Earth beneath our feet”. She is the Director for the Community Science Liaison program that strives to embed place- and curriculum-based citizen science programs in Canadian kindergarten to grade 12 classrooms. Teachers appreciate these projects because they bring the real world into their classrooms, students feel empowered because they contribute towards improved understanding of their scientific-environmental backyards and scientists get rejuvenated passions for their disciplines through these student’s enthusiasm and energetic approaches to these programs.

    Katherine is also a very passionate promoter of the geosciences and has just recently developed a model to change the general public perception of the geosciences through national and international collaborations across these geoscience communities represented by various components of this Canadian bid to host IGC 2028.

    In addition to being the Chair for the CNC – IUGS and the International Director for the Canadian Federation of Earth Sciences; Katherine developed significant management, leadership and communication skills through her 33 years in the Royal Canadian Naval Reserves (RCNR) where she was awarded the Queen’s Jubilee medal for her combined service to the RCNR and the geoscience academic community.

  • Yukon Geological Survey

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  • Geological Survey Ireland

  • Courtney is a Ph.D. candidate at SFU studying geoscience communication. She is VP of GAC’s Geoscience Education & Communication Division and was the Communications Director for CFES (2021 – 2023). Based in Cranbrook, she enjoys mountain adventures, running, and time with her pets, Tuzo (named after Tuzo Wilson), Mookie, and Karen.

  • Susanna Occhipinti is a geologist and educator with expertise in student engagement and innovative geoscience teaching methodologies.

    She is a lecturer at UNICAM, Italy, as well as the IUGS-COGE vice chair and Field Officers network coordinator.

    Susanna is also the 2024 prize winner for Excellence in Scientific Education, and author of "Geosciences with New Eyes", a book dedicated to inspiring the next generation of geoscientists.

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  • Yukon Geological Survey

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  • Ecology North

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  • Renzo Ocampo is an early-career geologist based in Australia, working in the mineral exploration and mining industry. He is the inaugural recipient of the 2025 IMARC NextGen Leaders Award, recognising his contributions as an emerging young professional in the resources sector.

    Renzo serves in leadership and volunteer roles across professional organisations in Australia, including AIG, AusIMM and Austmine, supporting student engagement, mentoring and workforce development initiatives. He actively participates in university and high school outreach programs, organised student engagement events and volunteered as a panellist and mentor at major events. He advocates for meaningful community engagement and cross-sector collaboration among geoscientists, educators and industry professionals.

    Renzo also contributes as a member of the Young Earth Scientists (YES) Network for the 38th International Geological Congress and serves on the Communications Team for the 10th International Conference on Geoscience Education (GeoSciEd-X).

Young Earth Scientists (YES) Team

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  • Coastal Geologist, Nova Scotia Geological Survey
    Mitch Maracle is a Coastal Geologist with the Nova Scotia Geoscience and Mines Branch (GMB), where he leads the Coastal Monitoring Program surveying over 130 sites across the province. He recently completed his MSc in Geology at Acadia University, combining Quaternary sedimentology and subsoil geochemistry to evaluate viticultural terroir in the Gaspereau Valley–Grand Pré wine region. Mitch has since extended this research by launching the Geoviticulture Innovation Project for the GMB, conducting a land suitability study to assess soil profiles and terroir viability in the Cobequid Hills. In addition to his provincial work, he serves as a board member for the Canadian Federation of Earth Sciences (CFES) and as co-chair for the International Geological Congress (IGC) 2028 Young Earth Scientists (YES) program, leading the Coastal Geoscience and Indigenous Geoscience themes.

  • Assistant Professor, Department of Geology, St. Xavier’s College, Mumbai, India
    Dr. Anirudh Chakraborty is currently an Assistant Professor of Geology at St. Xavier’s College, Mumbai, India. He completed his Ph.D. from the University of Mumbai, specializing in mineral exploration using remote sensing and Geographic Information Systems (GIS). His academic and research interests include the application of geospatial technologies and advanced techniques in mineral exploration. Prior to entering academia, he worked with several national and international organizations as a Gemologist, where he specialized in the identification and characterization of natural and synthetic gemstones and the determination of their geographic origin using advanced scientific instrumentation.

  • PhD Student, Faculty of Sciences Semlalia, Marrakech, Morocco
    Malika is a PhD student specializing in petrology, geochemistry, metallogeny, and remote sensing. Her current research focuses on the mapping, volcanology, and geochemistry of the Cambrian Jbel Boho Alkaline Complex in the Anti-Atlas (Morocco), exploring its potential for REE and copper ore deposits.

  • BSc, Environmental Scientist

  • MSc Student, Earth, Planetary and Environmental Sciences (STPE), ENSG, Université de Lorraine, France

  • Geophysical Survey Technician & Business Development, UVAD Technologies Inc.
    Daniel Gamble is a geoscientist and geophysical survey professional with experience in UAV-based mineral exploration, airborne geophysics and field operations. He currently works with UVAD Technologies Inc., where he supports geophysical survey planning and execution, client engagement, proposal development and project delivery across domestic and international projects. Daniel holds a Bachelor of Science in Mineral Geoscience from the University of Adelaide and has also worked in academic geoscience research. His experience spans mineral exploration, UAV operations, geophysical data acquisition and the application of emerging technologies to field-based geoscience.

  • Product Specialist, Geoscience, Fleet
    Brooke is an exploration geoscientist specialising in the integration of geology and geophysics to support mineral discovery. She began her career with OZ Minerals and BHP, exploring for copper and nickel systems across Australia, and holds a Bachelor of Science in Mineral Geoscience with First Class Honours in Geology from the University of Adelaide.

    At Fleet, she combines geological insight with cutting-edge geophysical and machine learning datasets to improve targeting confidence and reduce exploration risk, working closely with exploration teams globally to deliver applied interpretations across a range of deposit styles. As Product Specialist, she translates geoscience knowledge into product design, with the goal of making Fleet’s platform the most usable and impactful in the minerals industry.

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