Brad, a State Geologist at the Geological Survey of Sweden, is forging a career quite distinct from his roots in rural northern New South Wales. Looking back on his time at St Andrew’s College, he reflects on how his friendships and experiences played a pivotal role in shaping his career and expanding his horizons, guiding him to work and study across various countries.
Now, with years of research and collaboration under his belt, he plays a key role in shaping Sweden’s geological landscape, particularly in areas related to environmental challenges and resource management. Balancing a fulfilling career with a rich family life, he remains connected to both his work and his roots, offering valuable insights into the world of science and exploration.
Tell us a little bit about yourself; where are you originally from and where did you grow up?
I am from Dorrigo, a small town in northern NSW. I spent my first eight years on a dairy farm before my parents wisely decided to leave dairy farming and buy a supermarket in town. My high school years were spent in a boarding school near Lismore. I was a good student and enjoyed sports. Boarding school was the first step towards broadened horizons, in part because we had a lot of students from the South Pacific, especially Papua New Guinea, as well as Malaysia.
What made you choose St Andrew’s College? What appealed to you the most?
Mostly because it was Presbyterian, which represented an important change from boarding school. The appeal was in living on campus and having a great opportunity to develop a network of new friends, which it very much delivered.
At College, what were you involved in, and do you have a favourite memory to share?
I am not a gifted sportsperson, but I did participate in College life in general. I feel privileged to have landed in a Fresher year with a great group of men. My favourite memory is one of mateships and the great luxury of living on campus at Sydney University.
How do you feel your time at St Andrew’s influenced your post-College life?
Coming from rural NSW and having boarding school experience, St Andrew’s played an important role in broadening horizons and helping to develop a social network. Our parents told us, and it’s true, you’ve really got to make the most of those university years where your primary responsibility is to yourself. Learning to work hard and play hard was a key influence from St Andrew’s.
What drew you towards studying and working in the field of Geology?
I have a broad range of interests, so as an 18-year-old, I did not really know what career path to follow. I originally trained as a chiropractor, which included a Bachelor of Science at the University of Sydney followed by a Masters at Macquarie University. I was always an outdoors kid, and I spent 12 months during 1997-98 working in Elgin, in northern Scotland. During that time, my weekends were frequently spent ‘bagging Munroes’, which is climbing the mountains of Scotland, drawing me towards wanting to understand landscapes. That’s how I fell into geomorphology, which is my speciality within geology. So, a couple of years of retraining at the University of Melbourne were followed by a PhD from Stockholm University and then four years as a postdoc at Stanford University. If I had my time over, I would have studied applied mathematics at the University of Sydney.
In your time in the industry, you’ve had many roles that carried out scientific research and have published many articles and journals about geology within Europe. How has this experience shaped your view of the industry?
Geologists have a key role in shaping the future by helping our society meet environmental and social challenges and in exploiting opportunities to improve standards of living. As a small, highly educated, and innovative country, Sweden is rapidly gearing its economy to take advantage of decarbonisation. At SGU, we interact directly with the Swedish government (presently centre right, supported by the far right), both being directed in what activities to pursue and in providing an advisory role. For example, there is considerable interest in locally sourcing critical minerals to support technological advances and electrification of transport and manufacturing. Being a neighbour of Russia also necessitates Sweden to be very strategic in its planning, and there is now considerable activity to improve Sweden’s security. SGU has an important role to play there in terms of mapping, for example of bathymetry, and contributing to national self-sufficiency in the event of an acute crisis. More broadly, the rate and scope of innovation in geology is astounding, and there is no shortage of interesting research questions to pursue.
Is there a ‘typical day’ for you as a State Geologist? If so, what does it look like?
I develop and lead research projects and co-lead Research and Innovation at SGU. I work extensively with erosion, i.e. coastal erosion through sea level rise and storms, wind erosion of agricultural soils, and bedrock cracking and glacial erosion for the Swedish Nuclear Fuel and Waste Management Company, which is soon to commence construction of a permanent geologic repository for spent nuclear fuel rods. Sweden is a consensus-based society, so we have a lot of meetings. So, a typical day is made up of meetings, doing research, and writing new research proposals, interrupted by morning and afternoon ‘fíkas’.
What is the most enjoyable part of your work?
Without a doubt, it is doing research with my close collaborators, including scientists at the Swedish universities and at Purdue University and Stanford University in the USA, with whom I have worked for many years. I’ve had the great fortune of working with some brilliant minds who also remain grounded and are fun to work with.
What is the best part about living in Sweden? Do you miss Australia?
The best part is the possibility to travel to Europe and experience its huge diversity of cultures and landscapes within a relatively small area – at least from an Australian perspective; my Danish wife would beg to differ. The Nordic countries are also famous for promoting work-life balance and offer outstanding support for working parents. The worst part is also easy – November; which brings me to the question of ‘do I miss Australia?’ Yes, I do, a lot. From my experience, Australia offers an unbeatable quality of life, and I am looking forward to moving back there (at least half-time) within about a decade from now. I miss my mates, even if I am not the best at maintaining regular contact.
What would be your biggest accomplishment after leaving St Andrew’s?
There is a lot of satisfaction in each new research paper but perhaps my biggest accomplishment is my breadth of experience gained through having lived in five countries.
What advice would you give to current students wanting to explore a career in the sciences?
Science is fundamental to understanding and addressing present environmental and societal concerns and in exploiting the many opportunities to innovate a better future. Scientific knowledge is essential, and we must get better at communicating its benefits. Whereas science offers many possibilities to contribute new knowledge and to create solutions to key modern challenges, its greatest gift is learning how to think. It teaches us how to adapt our worldviews to well-founded evidence rather than trying to adapt evidence to our worldviews. Science is both invigorating and humbling. My advice to current students is to learn quantitative skills, learn how to communicate, and gain a diversity of experiences through, for example, student exchange programs, and seize the opportunities that are out there. You’ll know you’re on the right track if you’re also having fun doing it!
What do you do outside of work? How do you unwind and switch off?
I have hobby research projects that keep me busy. We have a dog, I have two teenage sons, and we have recently adopted a third boy from South Africa. So, there are important things to focus on outside of work. Summer vacation is also crucial. In Sweden, it is mandatory to take 35 days of annual vacation, and this year, we will be driving down to France. We found a great place in the foothills of the Alps last year, which we will be returning to this summer.
Looking ahead – what’s next?
Having recently adopted a child and moved house, a quieter, less eventful year is at the top of the list!