RPGEO Program

Professional Registration for Geoscientists

AIG's Registered Professional Geoscientist (RPGeo) program is Australia's most rigorous recognition program for continuous professional development by Australian geoscientists.

The Registered Professional Geoscientist (RPGeo) program of AIG recognises Fellows and Members who have committed to the maintenance and continuous development of their technical and professional skills and capabilities. This commitment is widely recognised by employers.

Importantly, the program provides a means by which self employed geoscientists and consultants may demonstrate their commitment to continuous professional development to both existing and potential clients.

Registered Professional Geoscientist is a voluntary grade of the Australian Institute of Geoscientists membership and is defined in the "guidelines for the registration of geoscientists" AIG, (1996).

A geoscientist is defined as "a person who has acceptable tertiary qualifications in geological science from a university or tertiary institution recognised by the Council of the Institute for the time being or who has received adequate industrial training equivalent, in the Council's opinion, to such tertiary qualifications" and may be taken to mean "one who practises one or more of the geological sciences".

Applicants for registration may nominate one or more Fields of Practice and demonstrate competency suitable for registration in one or more of the following:

Mineral Exploration
Mining
Petroleum
Coal
Hydrogeology
Industrial Minerals
Geotechnical and Engineering
Environmental Geoscience
Regional Geology
Geophysics
Geochemistry
Information Geoscience
Other specialist Geoscience

The voluntary registered grade of membership is designed to be self-regulatory, meet the minimum requirements of any State or Federal legislation for professional standards, and help maintain professional standards and a high level of competence among geoscience practitioners.

The requirements for RPGeo include formal qualification of a tertiary geoscience degree or equivalent approved by the AIG Federal Council, and a minimum of five years of experience of a responsible nature and involving exercise of independent judgement in the nominated Field of Practice. Four referees must attest to the knowledge of the applicant's professional work and experience in the nominated Field of Practice. The names of applicants for registration are published in the AIG News for peer review and acceptance. Interviews are an option at the discretion of the Registration Board.

Registered Professional Geoscientists are required to undergo continuing professional development and to keep a record of the activities undertaken. The activities typically include attendance at conferences, undertaking relevant postgraduate education including extension courses, in-house courses, distance learning, on-the-job training and private reading of learned publications.

As members of the AIG, Registered Professional Geoscientists are bound by the Institute's Code of Ethics as a condition of their membership. They may use the postnomial denoting their status; RPGeo Registered Professional Geoscientist RPGeos' are issued with a stamp identifying the Institute, the position of Registered Professional Geoscientist, the member, and a registered number. This may be used in endorsing reports to identify the author's status.

Lindsay Furness

RPGEO application kits are available from the AIG Secretariat office or on-line (click here to download a kit in pdf format)

AIG Student Bursary Program

AIG's bursary programme for undergraduate and postgraduate students is generously supported by sponsors including: