EurGeol of the month: Anke Penndorf

“European Geologist of the month” is a new category of EFG’s monthly newsletter GeoNews. Each month we ask one of the European Geologist title holders to tell us about his professional experiences and which role the title has played for his career. This month we interview Anke Penndorf, member of the German Professional Association for Geoscientists.

Name: Anke Penndorf
EurGeol title number: 1152
Country: Germany


In which country do you currently work? – 
Currently I am involved in potash projects as well as in seismic and environmental projects in Australia and Germany.

In which field of geology do you work? – Mineral Exploration, Geological Mapping & Geophysics, Remote Sensing & GIS, Oil & Gas, Engineering Geology and CO2 geological storage.

Could you give us your opinion on the advisability of being member of a professional association? – 1. As a member of a professional association you are considered to be trustable. 2. Within the network a worldwide exchange with colleagues takes place. You can get information on latest business or scientific developments and stay up to date. In an association you get support and have many chances to increase your professional qualification.

Could you explain why you applied for the European Geologist title? – Many projects require the EurGeol title, which represents a high quality standard in geosciences. An important aim of my employer is the permanent education of the personnel. When I started my job at my current employer I was asked to apply for the title.

Do you consider that these titles represent an added value for finding a job? – First of all I think for all professions a good qualification is necessary. The EurGeol title can surely be of benefit for a job in exploration and e.g. as consultant for mining companies.

What does this title allow you to do? – The EuroGeol title qualifies to sign reports based on international standards like PERC, JORC or NI 43-101. Additionally you have to give the guarantee for the design, performance and evaluation of international projects according to the standards named above.

Currently a demand of geologists exists abroad. Would you advise unemployed geologists to look for a job outside your country? – Yes, if there’s an attractive offer from an international company, you should take it. You can collect a lot of experience in international business and networking. On the other hand it is a great benefit for geologists to have the opportunity to work on many sites around the world because in this business it’s absolutely necessary to know as much as possible about the specific formations or types of mineralisation directly from the field.

Did you already work abroad? If yes, could you tell us more about your international experiences? – I worked at many projects situated all around the world, but the place of business was always Germany. It was always a good and very helpful experience to join knowledge and get in contact with different mentalities.

Are professional titles useful abroad? – It’s more and more important because international projects listed for stock exchange need to be signed by a QP/CP. This titles stand for professional experience in many countries in Europe and overseas. But basically successful project work in every country is based on your own knowledge and experience and your personal identification with your profession.

More information on the EurGeol title: https://eurogeologists.eu/eurgeol-title