Dr Gujie Qian‘s collaborative work with industry partners is developing new processes to help the transition of former mining sites. We asked Dr Qian about has career journey, and learn that he’s on the hunt for badminton fans at Flinders.

What is your role and what does your work focus on?

I am a Senior Research Fellow in Chemical Mineralogy and also the Area Radiation Safety Officer within the College of Science and Engineering. My research work is mainly focused on the remediation and closure of acid and neutral metalliferous drainage (A/NMD) sites, supported by a five-year CRC TiME A/NMD project led by Prof Sarah Harmer.

What journey brought you to this point in your career?

I completed my PhD in the field of geochemistry and mineralogy in December 2011, then briefly worked at the Department of Mineralogy in the South Australian Museum and CSIRO until June 2012, before taking a full-time research position at the University of South Australia. I joined Flinders University in 2018 as a Research Fellow and was promoted to a Senior Research Fellow in 2022. Since mid-2022, I have been working on the five-year CRC TiME project, in collaboration with six sponsors from the mining industry.

What is something you love most about your work?

I enjoy working on various types of samples from different mine sites in Australia and overseas. Through running a series of mineralogical, geochemical and microbiological analyses and having discussions with project sponsors, we design unique experimental conditions and aim to solve real-world problems for them. This really inspires me to apply my research knowledge and find practical solutions.

What would you like people to know about your role?

Geochemistry and mineralogy are my main research fields. However, some of my research expertise and skills such as kinetic/thermodynamic modelling and materials characterisation using X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and other analytical methods can be applied to other research disciplines, so I look forward to collaborating with my colleagues at Flinders University in these areas.

What is something you are most proud of?

Before my column leaching work on acid mine drainage, my team and I developed a hypothesis of galvanic interactions between sulfide minerals under simulated acid mine drainage conditions and proved the hypothesis through a range of instrumental and chemical analyses. This work was published in a high-impact ACS journal. It was a great team effort!

What does a normal day look like for you

I start my day by checking emails from my colleagues and research collaborators, then plan and prioritise everything for my work day. I spend most of my time working in the lab, having meetings with sponsors and students, as well as reading papers and reports.

How do you like to relax or spend your spare time?

I like playing badminton (B grade) and going camping. Badminton really helps reboot my brain – particularly after working all day in a lab. I’d be keen to hear from anyone who shares this same hobby.