IOM3 Investigates...Unearthing Stories: Authors discuss the mining and materials supply chain
How best to communicate the minerals supply chain to a general audience or children? Alex Brinded speaks to three published authors about the rich vein of stories to mine.
Historically, some industrial activities have elicited strong views from the public. Finding the balance between interest and accessibility without bias can be a challenge. Understandably, many companies are nervous of lighting the touchpaper of public opinion and over time this reticence about sharing the details of industrial processes can lead to a lack of public understanding about how things are made.
There are thousands of people doing jobs that aren't well known, digging up rocks at unprecedented scales all over the world. An increasingly complex supply chain with countless processes convert natural resources into something useful. With critical minerals ever more in the headlines, it is critical that the public understand what it takes to produce the goods and services that support their modern lifestyles, as well as the multitude of roles and wealth of expertise that are the backbone of the industries. Good communication can ignite the interest of the next generation, who are going to be needed as part of the growing workforce in these sectors.
Joining Alex Brinded to discuss how this can best be achieved are:
Ed Conway HonFIMMM – author of the book Material World and Economics Editor at Sky News
Catherine Lalut - author of the children’s book series, The Mine that Fell Asleep, Project Manager at Fortescue - Mine Planning; Founder & President of Women in Mining & Engineering Western Australia, and CEO & Co-founder of the Australia-Latin America Mining & Energy Alliance.
Sharon-Elizabeth Strugnell FIMMM – author of an activity book about mining and minerals for primary schoolchildren, and Technical Director and Group Leader of Mine Waste for WSP in the UK as well as a STEM ambassador.
Music
Pamgaea by Kevin MacLeod
Link: incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4193-pamgaea
License: creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Interested in developing your own storytelling skills?
We're delighted to be working with award-winning science communicator and author Dr Anna Ploszajski to offer this short course exploring the importance of storytelling in technical communications.
