Department of Environment and Geography - Environmental Science
Associate Professor Damian Gore - Outreach
Contaminated site assessment
With student groups, I assess contaminated sites, and particularly derelict mine sites as part of my third year teaching program. We use field-portable analytical gear, including PANalytical X-Ray Fluorescence spectrometers and an In Xitu Terra portable X-Ray Diffractometer, to determine the distribution of contaminants and compliance with national sediment and water quality guidelines. We then present these data, gratis, to the landholders and where approved, to the NSW Department of Mineral Resources for their action. So far we have conducted major studies around active and derelict mines and industrial sites near Braidwood, Broken Hill, Inverell, Lithgow and Newcastle, NSW.
Public presentations
I give talks to students from primary and secondary schools, mainly on Antarctica and environmental science. I have spoken at schools in Annandale, Chatswood, Greystanes, Hornsby, Marrickville, Normanhurst, Turramurra, Newcastle, Auckland and London. Send me an email - maybe I can visit your school!
I also give talks to community and professional groups, and over the last few years I have spoken several times on contamination in urban rivers and X-ray analyses of geological materials.
Other activity
I am on the Editorial Boards of the journals "Antarctic Science" and "Polar Record".