From PhD student to Education & Training leader: Dr Adrienne Brotodewo’s MinEx CRC journey

Adrienne Brotodewo never expected to spend almost a decade at MinEx CRC. In fact, she never expected to spend almost a decade in academia either.

“I always wanted to work in the mining industry,” Adrienne says. “But during my Honours year, I did surprisingly well and ended up sticking around to complete a PhD and never left academia.”

What began as a PhD project with Caroline Tiddy during the transition from the Deep Exploration Technologies CRC to MinEx CRC has evolved into a diverse career journey for Adrienne, spanning roles as a postgraduate student, postdoctoral researcher, Project 7.5 Leader and, most recently, Education and Training Coordinator.

For Adrienne, the appeal has always been the opportunity to sit somewhere between two worlds.

“Through my involvement with MinEx CRC, I have found a space that brings together the parts of both academia and industry that I really enjoy,” she says.

“It’s bridging the gap between research and practical application – working with different people, managing projects and seeing research translated into something that can actually be used.”

 

Caption: Adrienne attended the MinEx CRC 2026 Mid-Year Science Review in Perth and presented on behalf of Education & Training and Project 7.5.

 

A career that keeps evolving

After submitting her PhD thesis in January 2021, Adrienne moved into a postdoctoral role the following month. A four-week internship with the Geological Survey of South Australia in between gave her another opportunity to experience the broader MinEx CRC network.

By 2022, she had stepped into a leadership role as Project 7.5 Leader, before taking on her current position as Education and Training Coordinator at the end of 2025.

It’s a role that has brought her career journey full circle. Having navigated the highs and lows of postgraduate research herself, Adrienne now has the opportunity to support the next generation of students through the MinEx CRC Education and Training Program, which aims to graduate 50 postgraduate students while also contributing to VET training in areas including drilling and mineral exploration.

“I really enjoy being able to share my experiences, provide guidance and hopefully help students navigate some of the challenges that come with research,” she says.

And while supporting students is now a big part of her work, research remains close to her heart.

Within Program 3, Adrienne’s research focuses on innovative geochemical tools using accessory minerals such as zircon, apatite and monazite to help understand mineral systems and support the search for resources hidden beneath cover.

In simple terms, she’s looking for the clues left behind by mineralising systems.

“By understanding the chemical footprints of mineral systems and the processes involved, I am contributing to the broader goal of discovery of resources undercover,” she says.

 

Caption: Adrienne featured in MinEx CRC’s Education and Training video update

 

From research to real-world impact

As MinEx CRC approaches the end of its program, Adrienne is particularly excited to see years of research translated into something that can be used beyond the life of the CRC.

User guides, workflows and online resources are being developed to help researchers and industry apply the techniques and knowledge generated through the program.

“I think this is an important part of the legacy of MinEx CRC – making sure that the knowledge and techniques developed through the program are accessible and can continue to be used by researchers and industry beyond the life of the CRC.”

For Adrienne, however, the legacy of MinEx CRC is about more than research. It’s about people.

 

The people behind the research

Collaboration has been a defining part of Adrienne’s experience, giving her opportunities to work with researchers, geological surveys, government and industry representatives from across Australia.

“I think working across industry, government and research organisations enables you to bring together different perspectives and expertise that you wouldn’t have access to within one organisation alone,” she says.

Those relationships have also shaped Adrienne personally.

Professor Caroline Tiddy, who has been her supervisor, mentor, colleague and friend for around a decade, has been particularly influential.

“Seeing the breadth of her career has encouraged me to think more broadly about my own career and the opportunities available to me,” Adrienne says.

She also credits Anthony Budd and her fellow project leaders with helping her develop skills in project management and leadership, skills that have allowed her career to grow well beyond traditional research.

It’s this culture of collaboration that Adrienne hopes will be one of MinEx CRC’s lasting legacies.

“For me, the legacy is not just the research itself, but also the people it has trained and the networks it has created.”

 

A little bit of duck-like resilience

For someone who has achieved so much during her career, Adrienne is refreshingly honest about one of the less visible sides of research: imposter syndrome and perfectionism.

She’s recently been learning more about the small strategies that can help manage those feelings, including the realisation that you don’t necessarily have to feel confident to appear confident.

“Someone might see you as a high-achieving individual who has mastered things like public speaking, organisation and management, while behind the scenes you can still have the same nerves creeping in and feel completely out of your depth.”

Her theory?

“Perhaps everyone is a little more like a duck than you realise – calmly gliding along on the surface, while underneath, they’re paddling away like crazy.”

It’s an analogy that seems particularly fitting for someone whose career has continued to evolve, even when the path ahead wasn’t always obvious.

Another piece of advice she carries with her is that nerves aren’t necessarily a bad thing.

“If you feel nervous before a presentation, it means you care about what you’re doing and want to do a good job.”

 

Caption: Outside of work, Adrienne loves travelling and exploring new places

Beyond the lab

When she’s not thinking about mineral systems, research or supporting postgraduate students, Adrienne likes to keep things a little less technical.

“My day doesn’t really start without coffee!”

She loves travelling, exploring new places and good food and wine shared with family and friends. Bali is a particular favourite, “my second home”, as she puts it.

And when she really wants to switch off, she heads for the water.

Whether it’s a walk along the beach, a swim or even a bit of crabbing, Adrienne says spending time outdoors is one of the best ways to step away from work.

After almost a decade with MinEx CRC, Adrienne’s career may have taken a very different path from the one she originally imagined.

But perhaps that’s the best part.

She never did quite choose between academia and industry. Instead, she found a space where she could bring the best of both together, while helping others find their own path along the way.