Kerry Turnock

Manager Technical Marketing
Portman Iron Ore Limited

Bachelor of Science
Master of Science

"I have seen some of the most spectacular and remote parts of Australia and been able to travel the world with my work."

Previous jobs with past employers; Mine Geologist, Exploration Geologist, Senior Exploration Geologist, Batch Planner, Specialist Technical Marketing.

In the nine and a half years since I left Monash University I have seen some of the most spectacular and remote parts of Australia and have been able to travel the world with my work. This has been possible based on the foundations of my Bachelor of Science (Geology and Geophysics) and Master of Science (Geology) degrees combined with the accumulate knowledge gained (and continuing to gain) from the mining industry.

After eight years of developing grass root and specialised skills working in exploration/mine geology and mine scheduling roles I moved into a technical marketing role. My current position as Manager Technical Marketing with Portman Iron Ore Limited is a challenging but fulfilling role. An understanding of all aspects of iron ore quality, supply production and usage/performance by our customers in their iron making plants is essential. Regular travel to our West Australian operations and to Japan and China for technical discussion with
our customers provides a great blend of office and field based work. This role is particularly enjoyable as I get involved in every aspect of the iron ore business and continue to learn each day. The challenges come in varying magnitude but when approached systematically they can be addressed.

Five years of undergraduate and postgraduate studies at Monash University have shaped my recent past, present and future. It is the skills developed through obtaining a BSc and MSc of approaching a problem in a systematic, logical and most importantly scientific way that I utilise every day. But it is the friends I made at Monash, late nights poured over revision, finding the rocks that supported your hypothesis, BBQ's in front of the geology department and the wee small hours shared around a camp fire on field trips still make me smile.