International Advisory Committee

Chair

  • Daniel Lebel spent most of his career in the Geological Survey of Canada, including Director General from 2011 to 2024 and other executive and managerial roles.

    He also led geoscience research in the Rocky Mountains of Alberta and Quebec Appalachians and authored over 50 geoscientific research and other papers.

Other Members

A F R I C A

  • University of Buea

  • Geological Survey of Namibia

    Mrs Nguno serves as a Deputy Director at the Geological Survey of Namibia (GSN) and holds an MSc in Geology and Mineralogy from the University of Helsinki, Finland. She has proven track record of leading geoscience projects, managed research teams, and fostering collaborations with local and international research institutions. Mrs Nguno holds leadership positions in several professional organizations, including Vice-President for Southern Africa-Geological Society of Africa, President of the Geoscience Council of Namibia, and committee member of multiple international technical working groups (i.e., AU- African Mineral and Energy Resources Classification and Management System - and Pan African Resource Reporting Code & former member of the IUGS Nominating Committee for the term 2020-2024).

  • UNESCO

    Kombada Mhopjeni is the National Programme Officer for Natural Sciences at the UNESCO Windhoek office.  She leads the delivery of UNESCO’s science programs in Namibia and coordination of the geoscience program in Southern Africa drawing on over 18 years of scientific experience in the government, including various roles in geosciences and management.  She served as the national representative for the International Union of Geological Sciences and the Co-Secretary General of the IUGS Commission for the Management and Application of Geoscience Information. Kombada is an Executive Member of the Geological Society of Namibia and founding National Representative of the Young Earth Scientists Network Namibia chapter.

    She holds a MSc in Geology from the University of Western Australia.

  • University of Johannesburg / DSTI-NRF CIMERA / Editor ICCP Newsletter

  • Senegal Geological Survey / Organisation of African Geological Surveys

  • Council of Geosciences, South Africa / Organisation of African Geological Surveys

A S I A / I N D I A

  • Task Group on Submarine Geohazards (TGSG) / Yamaguchi University

  • Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology

  • Anna University / Geological Society of India

  • Kangwon National University / IGC 2024: Busan

    Daekyo Cheong, began to study geology in Seoul National University, Korea and was graduated in 1979 with BS and in 1984 with MS in geology. In 1987 he started a graduate study in United State and received another MS degree in geology from University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign, and completed the PhD dissertation work in 1990 at University of South Carolina, U.S.A.

    He worked as a Professor of Geology at Kangwon National University in Korea by 2022. He took in charge of a Co-Chairman of Bidding Committee for IGC 2024 in Korea. After winning the bid of IGC 2024 in Busan, Korea, I have served as the Chairman of Organizing Committee of IGC 2024. He also served as the President of Geological Society of Korea(GSK) and  the Korea Geoscience Union (KGU), and the Vice President of IUGS.

  • International Association for Structural Geology and Tectonics (IASGT)

  • CCOP Technical Secretariat

  • Geological Survey of India

  • China University of Geosciences

A U S T R A L I A

  • IUGS Commission on Geoscience Education (COGE) / CSIRO/Charles Darwin University

  • Retired Branch Manager for Mineral Exploration at Geoscience Australia

  • Emeritus Professor, University of New South Wales Sydney / IUGS Executive Committee‍

E U R O P E

  • University of Cambridge

  • Association of Ibero-American Geological and Mining Surveys

  • University of Salamanca

    Graduated in Geology by the University of Salamanca; Master in Sciences by the University of Portsmouth (UK). Postdoc and visiting researcher at McMaster University’s Nuclear Reactor Facility (1992-1996).

    She has been the chair of the IUGS Publications Committee, Secretary General of the Heritage Stones IUGS Subcommission and now is councillor of the IUGS Executive Committee (2022-2026).

    She teaches Geochemistry at the University of Salamanca and is leading European projects to incorporate research matters in the study programs of universities in Africa. 

  • Emeritus Professor, University of Aberdeen

  • IUGS Commission on Global Geochemical Baselines / Geochemistry: Exploration, Environment, Analysis / Institute of Geology and Mineral Exploration

  • Basque Coast UNESCO Global Geopark / International Commission on Geoheritage / Global Geoparks Network Executive Committee / IGCP

  • IUGS Commission on the History of Geological Sciences / University of Insubria

  • International Commission on Stratigraphy / University of Milan

  • EuroGeoSurveys

  • Queen’s University

  • British Geological Survey

    Kathryn Goodenough is a principal geologist at the British Geological Survey, where she leads the programme of externally commissioned international work and collaboration. She has a research background in the geology of critical raw materials.

  • Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources / Europe and EuroGeoSurveys / Geological Mapping & Modelling

  • University of Heidelberg

  • IUGS Commission on Geoethics / Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia

N O R T H A M E R I C A

  • William and Mary University

  • IGC 2028 Foundation / Professor Emeritus, University of Calgary

    Professor David Eaton was appointed 2015-2020 as NSERC/Chevron Industrial Research Chair in Microseismic System Dynamics in the Department of Geoscience at the University of Calgary. Together with graduate students and postdoctoral fellows, his work focuses primarily on advancement of research, education and technological innovations in microseismic methods and their practical applications for resource development, with a secondary focus on the deep lithospheric structure of continents. In 2007, he rejoined the University of Calgary as Head of the Department of Geoscience, after an 11-year academic career at the University of Western Ontario. His postdoctoral research experience included work at Arco’s Research and Technical Services (Plano, Texas) and the Geological Survey of Canada (Ottawa). He has recently published a textbook on Passive Seismic Monitoring of Induced Seismicity. His work has been recognized by several major awards including the J. Tuzo Wilson medal from the Canadian Geophysical Union and a 2020 NSERC Synergy Award for Innovation.

  • University of Calgary

  • Geological Society of America

  • University of Minnesota / IUGS Commission on Geoscience Information / IUGS Deep Time Digital Earth

  • American Geosciences Institute

  • IGC 2028 NOC / Mount Royal University / CFES

    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.

  • Cape Breton University / CFES

    Dr. Lilian Navarro is currently working as a Lab Instructor at Cape Breton University (CBU). Prior joining CBU, Lilian earned her BSc from the Universidad Central de Venezuela, and she received her MSc, PhD, and Postdoctoral Fellowship at the University of Ottawa. Her research work has particularly focused on process-based sedimentological characterization, stratigraphic architecture, geochemical analyses, and sedimentary evolution of ancient deep-water systems in Canada and Venezuela. She is currently the Secretary of Canadian Federation of Earth Sciences (CFES).

  • Geological Society of America

  • Manitoba Geological Survey / IAGOD

    Tânia Martins obtained her PhD in Geology in 2009 from the University of Porto (Portugal) studying Li-Sn-Nb-Ta mineralization in granitic pegmatites.

    In 2010 and 2011 Tânia worked at the University of Manitoba, Canada, on the mineralogy of alkaline rocks and carbonatites.

    Tânia joined the Manitoba Geological Survey in November 2011 and has since May 2023, been Chief Geologist for the Precambrian Geoscience section.

  • University of Iowa

  • United States Geological Survey

  • CGU / Queen’s University

  • IGC 2028 NOC / University of Calgary

    Glenn is a geologist, turned ninth-grade earth science teacher, turned geoscience education researcher.

    He is currently an associate professor at the University of Calgary in the Department of Earth, Energy, and Environment, where he has been since 2013. His research focuses on teaching geoscience content using the history and philosophy of geology. He also researches how the use of metaphor impacts teaching and learning and how students learn when using virtual outcrop models.

S O U T H A M E R I C A

  • Geological Society of Chile

  • Colegio de Geólogos de Costa Rica / Universidad de Costa Rica

    Gerardo J. Soto is a Costa Rican geologist graduated from University of Costa Rica (1985); professional specialty in volcanology, and in history of geology; master in Humanities (2015).

    Has worked in academia, in the public sector, and in the private sector as international geological consultant since 2002.

  • Colombian Geological Survey

    Jorge Gómez Tapias is the first author of the Geological Map of Colombia and the Geological Map of South America and served as editor–in–chief of ‘The Geology of Colombia’, the first comprehensive multivolume publication on the geology of Colombia.

    He is regular member of the IUGS–Commission on Geosciece Education and vice president for South America of the Commision for the Geological Map of the World. He has organized 150 events, including congresses, symposia, seminars, workshops, sessions, and courses.

  • IUGS Young Reporters Initiative / Universidad de Santiago de Chile

  • Colombia Geological Survey

    Juliana Andrea Avendaño Ascencio is a young geologist at the Colombian Geological Survey.

    She led the organization of the 14th Technical Week of Geology in 2024 and supported the local coordination of the 82nd IUGS Executive Committee Meeting.

  • Los Andes University

  • University of Campiñas

  • Universidad de Buenos Aires /
    Asociación Geológica Argentina