Women in Mining meet in Tucson

Join the University of Arizona at the Women in Mining national conference at the Tucson Convention Center April 12th through April 15th. The conference features speakers and panelists from the mining industry, round-table discussions on diversity, equity, and inclusion in the industry, networking, professional development, and more. 

Women in Mining is a national organization made up of professional and student organizations across the United States. It was originally formed in 1972 to educate the public about the importance of mining as well as support women and underrepresented groups in the industry. The current goals of WIM are Education, Advocacy, Empowerment, and Inspiration. 

“I got involved in WIM shortly after the Arizona Chapter formed in 2019 as Chair of the Finance and Programs committees. Before coming to UArizona, I was a geological engineer and part-owner of a geotechnical consulting company (Call & Nicholas, Inc. or CNI). I joined WIM to connect and share experiences with other women in the industry. I was one of very few female engineers / scientists, the first female shareholder, and the first female to fill a leadership position at CNI. I wanted to find role models and mentors for myself, and work to provide access to the same for future generations,” says Julia Potter, Vice President of WIM USA and Co-Director of the Geotechnical Center of Excellence. 

Some of the speakers featured in the conference are Anita Bertisen, Partner and Director Of Recruiting, Brooks & Nelson, LLC, Karen Moffitt, founder of Equilibrium Mining, and UArizona’s own Dr. Angelina Anani.  

“Representation and mentorship are in my opinion the most important components of inspiring a diverse mining workforce,” says Potter. “Highlighting a broad range of voices that are diverse in not only professional expertise, but also gender, race, and ethnic background, is crucial to developing the next generation of mining professionals.” 

Interested in WIM? Check out their page to learn more.