Dear SOMP Members,

It is a great honour and privilege to serve as Secretary General of the International Society of Mining Professors / Societät der Bergbaukunde (SOMP).

I would like to sincerely thank the Council and all our members for the trust and confidence you have placed in me. It is a privilege to serve a Society that has played such a significant role in my academic career and personal journey.

I would also like to acknowledge and thank Professor Vlad Kecojevic for his outstanding leadership, dedication and friendship over the past years. Through his commitment, SOMP has continued to grow as a vibrant and internationally respected Society, and I look forward to building on the strong foundations established by Vlad and the many Secretary Generals who have served before him.

Since joining SOMP in 2009, I have built lifelong friendships, found exceptional mentors and collaborators, and become part of a truly global professional family. I know many of you share similar experiences, and it is this spirit of friendship, openness and collaboration that makes SOMP such a unique Society.

Today, SOMP brings together more than 321 members from 48 countries, representing 132 universities and organisations across every major mining region of the world. This global diversity is one of our greatest strengths. While our members work in different countries, cultures and educational systems, we are united by a shared commitment to advancing excellence in mining education, research and professional practice.

SOMP provides a unique international platform where mining academics can exchange ideas, establish long-term collaborations, develop joint research initiatives, share innovative teaching practices, mentor emerging academics, and support staff and student exchanges. Many of our most successful research partnerships, educational initiatives and lifelong professional friendships have begun through SOMP. In a world where the challenges facing mining are increasingly global, no single institution or country can solve them alone. Our greatest strength lies in working together as one international academic community.

As Secretary General, my vision is to further strengthen SOMP as the world's leading society for mining academics by expanding international collaboration, supporting the next generation of mining educators and researchers, deepening partnerships with industry, and ensuring our Society continues to provide an independent and respected global voice for mining education, research and professional development. I also see SOMP playing an increasingly important role in connecting universities across both established and emerging mining nations, sharing knowledge and best practice, building capacity, and creating opportunities that benefit our members, their students and the global minerals industry.

Our Society has always been built by its members. The dedication of our Council, committees and volunteers has created an extraordinary international community founded on friendship, trust and collaboration. Together, we have an opportunity to build on this legacy, broaden our global reach and further strengthen SOMP's impact for future generations.

I encourage every member to become actively involved in our Society. Whether through our committees, annual and regional meetings, mentoring, collaborative research, educational initiatives or simply connecting with fellow members, each of us has an important role to play in shaping the future of our profession.

As mining continues to evolve to meet the world's growing demand for responsibly sourced minerals, our role as educators, researchers and leaders has never been more important. The challenges facing our profession—including the energy transition, critical minerals, technological innovation, sustainability, workforce development and social responsibility—are global in nature and require global solutions. Through international collaboration, innovation and the open exchange of knowledge, SOMP will continue to make a meaningful contribution to the future of mining engineering and to the sustainable supply of minerals for society.

I warmly invite you to share your ideas, become involved in our activities and help shape the next chapter of our Society. Together, we can continue to strengthen our global community, inspire the next generation of mining academics, and ensure SOMP remains the leading international voice for mining education and research.

It is an honour to serve as your Secretary General, and I look forward to working with all of you over the coming years.

Kind regards,

Professor Serkan Saydam - BEng, MSc, PhD in Mining Engineering
Director, ARC Research Hub for Next Generation Mining Methods
Chair of Mining Engineering, School of Minerals and Energy Resources Engineering, UNSW Sydney

UNSW SYDNEY 
NSW 2052 AUSTRALIA
M:+61 (4) 0687 6629
E: s.saydam@unsw.edu.au
W: https://research.unsw.edu.au/people/professor-serkan-saydam