AusIMM Geomechanics Society 2025 Elections
The AusIMM Geomechanical Society has opened for committee elections for 2025.
You can review individual candidate biographies below to learn more about each candidate before casting your vote here.
Zachary Corbett
I am a Geotechnical Engineer who works for Grange Resources. Although I am young and have only 5 years of experience in the field, I see my time spent in a smaller mining region as a chance for the committee to be able to be representative of all corners of our country and the vast and diverse roles that we all play within geomechanics across the board. I am constantly chasing further learning and experience within our discipline as shown by me concurrently completing my master’s degree (Min. Eng. spec Geomech) at UNSW over the last two years whilst working full time. I have experience with committees over the years, currently being on the Inclusion and Diversity committee and Reconciliation Action Plan Working Group at Grange. I am eager to learn and grow as a geomechanics professional and would love the opportunity to be within this society’s committee to attempt to expand my understanding and knowledgebase, make invaluable contacts, and I believe I can make a major contribution to the society by representing my age, experience, and area demographics within the field.
Carol DeMoliner
I am an experienced Geotechnical Engineer whose passion is the people within the discipline. I’m interested in developing the knowledge within the Geotechnical Engineering field further within Australia. By not having a focussed degree on mining Geotechnical Engineering in Australia, the field is missing out on many talented individuals. I would like to assist in making the field more appealing by highlighting its growth potential and even have an endorsed training program within AusIMM. Currently, I am the stream lead for the Geotechnical Graduates for Evolution Mining and am highly involved in their growth and development within the program so I have seen the uncertainty of individual entering the profession with limited current knowledge.
I have experience in working in Rock Mechanics committees both in Australia and South Africa where currently I am in the EAGCG committee (Board Members – EAGCG | Eastern Australia Ground Control Group) and previously was the Chairperson of the Western Bushveld Branch of SANIRE (South African National Institute of Rock Engineers). I understand the level of commitment, relationship building and effort it takes to make these interest groups a success and valuable to its members.
Alex Phillips
I feel my experience and background to be highly relevant to the purpose of the society. There are many currently practicing in the mining industry who have come into geomechanics from different pathways; crossing over from civils, coming at it from a geology pedigree and directly through geomechanics degree courses. I personally come from a mix of geology, civil geomechanics and mining geomechanics backgrounds, therefore understanding the varied pathways undertaken by many.
In my role with Minegeotech, I have a training and mentoring function with junior members of our team and often with the members of our client’s team. My skillset is very much geared towards the on site implementation of geomechanics and how to effectively operate in underground environments, communicate with operators and management, and produce high quality, informative plans or solutions which are easily translated to the crews. I feel that these attributes will be important in any discussions on AusIMM standards, professional development and leadership.
Paul Couto
I would like to be considered for nomination as a committee member of the Geomechanics Society, as I believe I can contribute to the society's growth and development. I served on the South African National Institute of Rock Engineering (SANIRE) for 11 years between 2010 and 2021, starting at a regional representative level and finally completing my term as a Past President before immigrating to Australia in 2022. I served on the national council for 8 years and was President between 2019 and 2021. During my time at SANIRE, I held a range of positions, from Secretary to Treasurer whilst looking after different portfolios allocated to me. I was part of systems review and also made a large contributing in event planning and marketing of the association.
I am currently an AusIMM (CP - Mining Geotechnical Engineering) member, with RPEQ certification. I am also a member of Engineers of Australia (EA). I am still a member of SANIRE, as well as the South African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (SAIMM) and the South African Council for Natural Scientific Professions (SACNASP) (Registered professional: Earth Scientists). Globally, I am a member of the International Society for Rock Mechanics and Engineering (ISRM), through my membership at SANIRE and the Australian Geomechanics Society (AGS).
I believe that my experience in serving and leading a professional association, like SANIRE, whilst being involved in numerous other professional associations/organisations puts me in high standing as a possible committee member of the AusIMM Geomechanics Society. I believe will be able to positively contribute to the society and add value to members growth.
Charles Lilley
I believe that I can contribute to the committee through:
1. Commitment to actively engage in the committee's discussions and decision making processes.
2. Willingness to collaborate and contribute to the committee's objectives.
3. Deep understanding of the challenges facing the geotechnical discipline in the mining industry.
4. Where required, leveraging contacts within my strong professional network, which includes geotechnical and mining professionals within Australia and internationally.
Saurav Karn
A Geotechnical Engineer with five years experience in sub-level caving operations with BHP and Evolution Mining, Saurav holds a Bachelor degree in Mining Engineering and a Doctoral degree in rock mechanics from The University of Wollongong.
Saurav is a collaborative team member, dedicated to advancing geomechanics innovation and learning from one another to solve challenging problems. He is an advocate for professional development, regularly training new engineers in his team, engaging with global conferences and has been involved in student chapters of Society of Mining Metallurgy and Exploration during his undergraduate studies.
Maree Gaughan
Maree has over fifteen years’ experience in geotechnical engineering, engineering geology and project management in both mining operations and civil construction projects. She has been involved in geotechnical investigations, geotechnical assessments and geological modelling for a wide variety of projects and operations and is skilled at communicating geological and geotechnical information to stakeholders from all backgrounds ranging from Operators to CEO’s.
Maree focuses on fundamental geological and geotechnical skills, the on-going development and improvement of geotechnical processes and procedures, and the development of emerging geotechnical practitioners within her team, to produce robust engineering designs and ensure the identification of key geotechnical risks to enable effective and informed design, safety and business decisions. Her aim for joining the Geomechanics Society committee is to contribute to the expansion of networks and knowledge bases of geotechnical professionals within the minerals sector; to help the industry maintain engineering standards, encourage and develop existing and emerging geotechnical professionals and to support continuous process improvements that the minerals sectors is well known for.
Her current role as a Principal Geotechncial Engineer includes technical management, project management, client management, and team leadership and development.
Will Norrie
As a dedicated professional in the geotechnical field, I am passionate about advancing the objectives of the Society and contributing to the development of geomechanics within the industry. I bring strong interpersonal skills, energy, and a proven ability to connect with others, which enables me to collaborate with committee members and external stakeholders alike. My focus is on fostering strong relationships that drive positive outcomes for the Society.
Evan Jones
I would like to contribute in this group as an active member. For a long time I have been wanting the AusIMM to have a stronger Geomechanics advisory group and committee to further advance the discipline. I believe I have much to bring to the table from the perspective of working across global projects bringing experience from beyond Australia, an academic basis, consulting and also site-based. I'd be happy to contribute as required in the monthly meetings and more broadly in the organisation of events and exposure and relevancy of the society amongst AusIMM members.
Felicia Weir
Dr. Felicia Weir is a Director and Principal Engineering Geologist at PSM, an Australian geotechnical engineering firm. With extensive expertise in geotechnical models, mining geomechanics, and open pit slope design, Dr. Weir has made significant contributions to both industry practice and academia. Her specialised skills include the development of robust 3D geotechnical models, discrete fracture network modelling and management of unstable slopes in complex environments across Australia and Southeast Asia. Over her career, Dr. Weir has demonstrated leadership and governance, holding roles as a board director and as Mining Discipline Lead at PSM. She brings operational experience, combined with a dedication to advancing geomechanics through education. Dr. Weir is actively involved in teaching engineering geology and slope design at universities across the globe, including a number of courses in the master’s program at UNSW and the Geotechnical Centre of Excellence (GCE) Open Pit Slope Design Course.
Dr. Weir is an engaged member of several professional organisations, including the AusIMM, the American Rock Mechanics Association (ARMA) and the Australian Geomechanics Society (AGS). She serves on the Engineering Advisory Board at Macquarie University and plays a key role on the executive committees of both Women in Engineering Geology (WEG) and Women in Mine Stability (WiMS). Her ability to communicate complex technical concepts effectively, her extensive global network, and her active involvement in technical advisory committees for conferences make her a strong candidate for the Geomechanics Technical Committee. With a career marked by both technical achievement and leadership in the geotechnical community, Dr. Weir is well-prepared to contribute meaningfully to advancing the field of geomechanics.
Ash Page
Ash has over 10 years of experience as a geotechnical engineer in the mining industry, predominantly site based as an operational geotechnical engineer in both hardrock underground and open pit operations. Ash’s experience has given him exposure to a range of mining methods and environments including small to large-scale open pit mining, narrow vein and bulk longhole open stoping, longhole room and pillar, modified avoca, remnant mining, deep and high stress mining (seismic and squeezing ground), shallow/weathered ground, ground consolidation, paste and cemented rockfill. Ash completed a Bachelor of Engineering (Geotechnical Engineering) at the University of Tasmania in 2013. Ash is currently a director at Operational Geotechs who specialise in the provision of site based, practical, Geotechnical Engineers on a short or long-term basis.
James Jung
I have 20+ years in geomechanics experience across civil and mining, so always glad to offer what I can and learn from the group. I’m engaged within the company and externally with research, universities, and professional organisations as am always interested to know industry leading practices and challenges.
Alex Barnes
My name is Alex Barnes, and I currently work as a geotechnical engineer in the underground coal sector (BMA Operations – QLD). I am interested in joining the AusIMM Geomechanics Society committee as I have substantial expertise in coal mining geomechanics, having worked on numerous coal operations / projects across NSW and QLD, including offering geotechnical support whilst performing other roles during my 10-year tenure with Glencore Coal Assets Australia (Hunter Valley Corporate Office). Having worked in the coal industry for almost 25 years, I maintain a good network with a lot of my geotechnical peers and am an active member of the Bowen Basin Underground Geotechnical Society. I do feel that I have a lot to offer and gain by joining the AusIMM Geomechanics Society committee, as I am interested to learn more about the application of geomechanics in hard-rock mines, which I find to be quite different to the coal mining discipline.
My geotechnical career highlights include: Geotechnical Engineer, undertaking design, monitoring and analysis at Australia’s first longwall mine completely extracted above previously subsided ground (Aquila Colliery); Developing / implementing a complete Strata Control Management System for an operating longwall mine (West Wallsend Colliery); Participating in the development of the Technical Framework System (including geotechnical standards, guidelines and protocols) for Glencore Coal Assets Australia; Collaboration (including trials) during the development of the torque-tension cable bolt; Training junior professionals who have successfully progressed through to senior levels.
I have been a member of the AusIMM for over 20 years and would like to participate more and give back to the Institute, hence my interest in joining the AusIMM Geomechanics Society committee.