Dr Pavel Golodoniuc1, V Fazio2, B.S Motevalli1, N Taherifar1, Y Li1, J Klump1, S Bradley1, A Devaraju1
1CSIRO Mineral Resources, Kensington, Australia, 2CSIRO Mineral Resources, Clayton, Australia
Biography:
Jens Klump is a geochemist by training and Group Leader, Exploration Through Cover in CSIRO Mineral Resources, based in Perth, Western Australia. Jens’ work focuses on how information technology can be used to solve geoscience challenges. This includes data in minerals exploration, data capture, and data analysis, automated data and metadata capture, sensor data integration, both in the field and in the laboratory, data processing workflows, and data provenance, but also data analysis by statistical methods, machine learning and artificial intelligence.
Abstract:
Launched in 2020, the AuScope Virtual Research Environment (AVRE) Build Program aimed to bridge gaps between geoscientific research needs and technology capabilities by actively collaborating with universities and research institutions across Australia. Through five successful years, the AVRE Build Program delivered a diverse portfolio of collaborative projects spanning numerous scientific and technological domains, including seismic network optimisation, machine learning-based lithology classification, geological sample curation using persistent identifiers and geochemistry laboratory resource management via tailored digital catalogues. The program consistently utilised and championed Open-Source Software and Cloud computing capabilities, adhering to FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable) data principles and Open Science methodologies, thus establishing robust, reusable and sustainable technological infrastructure and data services.
Key innovations, such as the ML-based classification of drill cuttings, facilitated deeper subsurface insights significant for advancing renewable energy projects and critical minerals exploration, while seismic network modelling introduced Cloud-enabled applications, accelerating accurate earthquake monitoring workflows.
Beyond fostering technical innovation, the AVRE Build Program established a sustainable legacy by embedding user-centred design principles that empowered scientist participation from initial concept through to deployment, creating lasting ownership and accelerating methodological adoption across diverse geoscience domains. Consequently, these developments positively impacted research outcomes by enhancing interdisciplinary collaboration within Australian research institutions, democratising data access and interpretation, and instilling best practice standards to expand and enrich Australia’s geoscience digital infrastructure.