Dr Yvette Poudjom Djomani

Dr Yvette Poudjom Djomani is a Senior Geophysicist at Geoscience Australia (GA). She analyses signals collected by scientific instruments to understand the structure of the earth - kind of like medical X-rays, but instead of seeing through a human body, she can see through the earth!

Using high performance computers, Yvette processes data to make models of the structure of the earth. She supports the discovery of groundwater, mineral and energy resources, which are all important for a sustainable economy. 

Why did you choose this career pathway?

While in high school, I developed a passion for earth science, earth systems and geology in general. Physics was also one of my favourite subjects in high school. After my Bachelor of Science, I decided to combine geology and physics and moved into geophysics. My interest was more in the use of potential field geophysics to help locate new mineral deposits around the world.

After my PhD, I started working in academia, as I enjoyed teaching and doing research. However, it became clear to me that research was not so much for me, and I enjoyed data processing. I decided to move from university setting to a government job, because of the flexibility offered and for me to have a good work-life balance.

What are the best parts about your job?
What are the hardest parts?

Whenever new resources are discovered, I am proud to be part of a team that was involved in such resources. This is very rewarding especially in areas that are underexplored or where existing datasets are not sufficient to make sound decisions. It is also great to be able to explain my work to the younger generation of geoscientists, through public outreach. Another important and exciting part of my work is to collaborate with geologists and come up with models based on data integration.

The hard parts? Although I don’t actually come up close and personal with rocks, my work can be seen as helping to destroy the environment. It is difficult to explain to the general public that without discoveries, the economy may not be sustainable. I also need to convince the public that there are methods in place to close off areas that may be destroyed during exploration and minimise impact on the environment.

How did you get to your current role?

This is a long story. I was born and raised in Cameroon (West-central Africa). After completing high school and college, I left the family home to attend the University of Yaounde in the capital city of Cameroon.  While in high school, I developed a passion for geology and earth processes. Following my passion, I graduated in Earth Sciences and on completion of my BSc, I received a scholarship from the Cameroonian government to study in France where I had more opportunities. I completed a Masters in geophysics and a PhD in geophysics (Paris XI).

After my PhD I went off to the University of Leeds (UK) as a postdoctoral research fellow. This lasted almost 4 years after which I migrated to Australia in 1997 on another post-doctoral position at Macquarie University, Sydney. I gained a lot of experience in academia, and enjoyed collaborating with many universities across Australia and overseas.

In 2006, I decided to change the scenery, moving from academia in Sydney to a government job in Maitland, where I joined the Department of Primary Industries.  Due to family reasons, I moved to Canberra in 2008 to work at FrOGTech, a consultant company providing advice to the mining, energy and petroleum industry both local and international. I enjoyed the practical aspect of the work, and the interaction with many international companies. However, with a growing family, I felt that I enjoyed more the work in the government setting, and the flexibility that came with it. Since April 2016, I have been working at Geoscience Australia in the Mineral, Energy and Groundwater Division.

As an aspiring manager, I decided to undertake an online MBA in 2015 with the Australian Institute of Business based in Adelaide.

How well did your degree prepare you for your career path?

During my Earth science degree, I learned about geological processes. This gave me a sound understanding of geology. I then combined these skills with a Masters in Geophysics followed by a PhD in geophysics. The combination of the two broad subjects has been beneficial to me especially when using geophysical data to explain ‘buried’ geological features.

What advice would you give to students in your study area trying to decide on a career path?

Be sure to grab every opportunity given to you, don’t be afraid to move away from your comfort zone. Allow yourself to learn new skills and develop your personal and professional network. It is also important to broaden your skills. For instance, if you want to focus on one particular geophysical technique, also have a broad understanding of other techniques (e.g. airborne electromagnetic, seismic, radiometrics), and understand how things work so that you are a bit versatile and not too specialised.