Nedal Nassar
United States Geological Survey
Session: The Critical Mineral Potential of the USA
Presentation Title: Quantifying the impact of mineral commodity supply disruptions on the U.S. economy
Biography: As chief of the Minerals Intelligence Research Section at the U.S. Geological Survey, Dr. Nassar and his research team quantify the global stocks and flows of nonfuel mineral commodities at each stage of their life cycle, analyze trends and examine concerns regarding foreign mineral dependencies, develop supply and demand scenarios, and assess the mineral commodity supply risk to the U.S. economy and national security. Dr. Nassar received his Ph.D. from Yale University where he worked on the development and application of a methodology for assessing critical minerals. He has continued that work as a leading member of the U.S. National Science and Technology Council’s Critical Minerals Subcommittee. He also serves as co-chair of the Council of Senior Science Advisors at U.S. Geological Survey and has been on the advisory board of various international research projects. In 2019, he was awarded the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers–the highest honor bestowed by the U.S. Government to outstanding scientists and engineers who are beginning their independent research careers. His research has been published in several high-profile journals and highlighted in major media outlets. He has been called upon to testify before the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives, brief senior government officials, and invited to give keynote addresses and present his research at significant venues including The National Academies, the European Commission, and the World Bank. Previously, Dr. Nassar worked as a consultant and as a process development engineer in the semiconductors and data storage industries where he was the recipient of three trade secrets. He also holds a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from the University of Minnesota, an MBA in sustainable global enterprise from Cornell University, as well as two master’s degrees from Yale University.
Cheryl Seeger
Missouri Geological Survey
Session: The Critical Mineral Potential of the USA
Presentation Title: The Missouri Geological Survey and Earth MRI: Critical Minerals at the State Level
Biography: Cheryl Seeger attended the University of Missouri-Rolla for all three degrees. She discovered ore geology during her Bachelor’s degree and never looked back. After a brief stint in oil shales, she has been with the Missouri Survey for nearly 40 years, starting with an internship during her Master’s degree. She and her unit currently are working on multiple grants related to critical minerals geology in Missouri.
Leigh Freeman
Leigh Freeman Consultancy
Session: Critical Minerals Workforce Development
Presentation Title: Critical Minerals Workforce Development – Hiring Strategies
Biography: In leadership roles over his 40+ years of experience in over 30 countries Leigh ticked-the-box in exploration, mine development, finance, production and BODs for large and small mining companies. His recent focus is corporate strategies, team building including talent recruitment, minerals education and enjoying his five delightful grandchildren. Leigh serves as chairman of Timberline Resources and as a senior mining advisor to Stanton Chase Global, a large executive recruiting company. He is active in minerals education with three of the mining schools, SME, and National Academy of Sciences. Leigh is an engineering graduate of Montana Tech.
Sarah Schwarz
Nyrstar
Session: Mineral Processing and Recycling
Presentation Title: The Nyrstar Clarksville Critical Minerals Project
Biography: Sarah has over 25 years in the mining industry with experience in operations, technical, business improvement and consulting work across all aspects of the value chain. She has worked at numerous processing plants around the world and holds a bachelor degree in Metallurgical Engineering, an MBA in General Business Management and a Ph.D. in Mineral Processing, all from the University of South Australia. Sarah is currently the Technology Manager at the Nyrstar Clarksville Smelter in Tennessee, USA.
Michael L. Free
University of Utah
Session: Mineral Processing and Recycling
Presentation Title: Low Cost Extraction and Recovery of Critical Minerals from Low Grade Resources
Biography: Michael Free is a Professor in and Chair of the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City, Utah. He has performed research and taught courses as a faculty member for more than 27 years. His areas of expertise include hydrometallurgy, electrometallurgy, corrosion, and materials synthesis. He has been the principal investigator of more than 65 research projects funded by more than 20 companies, the Department of Defense, Department of Energy, Office of Naval Research, and the National Science Foundation. He has authored or co-authored more than 260 publications. He has been a paid consultant for 40 organizations. He received a B.S. degree in metallurgical engineering, an M.S. degree in chemical engineering and a Ph.D. degree in metallurgical engineering from the University of Utah. He worked as a Post-Doctoral Associate at the University of Florida in the Departments of Materials Science and Engineering and Chemical Engineering for two years before becoming a faculty member at the University of Utah.
Beia Spiller
Resources for the Future
Session: Policy and Supply Chain Economics
Presentation Title: Community engagement and social justice in mining
Biography: Beia Spiller is a fellow and the director for RFF’s Transportation Program. Prior to joining RFF, she was Lead Senior Economist at Environmental Defense Fund, where she worked for almost a decade. She is also a Board member for the Association of Environmental and Resource Economists. Spiller is an energy economist, with experience working on electricity and transportation issues. During her time at EDF, she participated in many electric utility proceedings in NY and CA, with a goal of ushering in a cleaner, more efficient and equitable energy system. She also has many years of experience working in the transportation sector. Her more recent efforts have focused around electric vehicles and environmental justice, exploring some of the most pressing issues around electric car, truck and bus adoption. Her publications range across the energy space, with a large focus on identifying environmental, community and health impacts of renewable energy resources and energy policies.
Andrew Grant
Queen’s University
Session: Policy and Supply Chain Economics
Presentation Title: How ‘Just’ are Mineral Supply Chains in the Just Energy Transition? Insights from the Democratic Republic of Congo
Biography: J. Andrew Grant is an Associate Professor in the Department of Political Studies at Queen’s University and Early Researcher Award recipient from the Government of Ontario’s Ministry of Research and Innovation for his work on security and governance challenges in mineral resource sectors. His latest books are Natural-Resource Based Development in Africa: Panacea or Pandora’s Box? (University of Toronto Press, 2022) and Corporate Social Responsibility and Canada’s Role in Africa’s Extractive Sectors (University of Toronto Press, 2020). His findings based on fieldwork conducted across Africa and other parts of the globe have appeared in journals such as International Affairs, International Journal, International Studies Review, International Studies Perspectives, Journal of Cleaner Production, Extractive Industries and Society, Land Use Policy, and Resources Policy. In 2017, Dr. Grant served as Program Chair for the International Studies Association annual conference, which brought together more than 6,000 scholars and practitioners in Baltimore, MD.