One female role model, who spoke at Dysart and Moranbah last week as part of  events organised by QRC and Women in Mining and Resources Queensland, was Rio Tinto engineer Jo-Anne Dudley.

 

Dudley has worked in underground mines throughout Australia, Africa, the USA and Mongolia and is currently Rio Tinto's senior manager strategic mine and resources planning.

 

"To ensure that not only the strongest survive those early, and often lonely years, I am a passionate participator in the WIMARQ/QRC mentoring program having mentored four wonderful women in resources over the past three years," she said.

 

"It's so important for women working on site to have these sorts of events to meet, network and learn from each other.

 

"This event aims to inspire people to look within, find and celebrate their strengths, as well as meet new people."

 

Dudley will vie for the Woman in Resources National awards in September, which will be presented at Parliament House in Canberra.

 

She has been a regular guest lecturer in Caving Studies at University of British Columbia, and former chair of WIMARQ. 

 

A member of the University of Queensland Women in Engineering Initiative Advisory Board, Dudley helps promote the entry of women into engineering, supports them at university and prepares them for post-university life.

 

She was only the second woman in NSW to gain an underground mine manager certificate and is one of only two female Competent Persons in Rio Tinto for reporting ore reserves and mineral resources under the JORC code.