Dr Choi is a Senior Principal Research Scientist of CSIRO Petroleum. His research areas include computational mechanics, petroleum and mining geomechanics and gas in coal. Among his major research areas over the past ten years are coal and gas outbursts, coalbed methane, CO2 sequestration in unmineable coal seams, and petroleum reservoir simulation. Dr Choi has provided key developments in modelling technology for tackling major coal mining problems of worker safety and public environmental protection. The results of Dr Choi’s work on the investigation of gas emissions in the working seams during longwall mining has provided breakthrough in the understanding of the major mechanisms of interburden gas flow during longwall mining.

The outcomes of Dr Choi’s work are a significant input to ongoing assessments of mine viability in Australian coalfields. Dr Choi’s scientific achievement and contribution has been well recognised by industry (both mining and petroleum companies), and he has received continuing industrial support through ACARP and one-to-one projects with industry (e.g. BHP, Anglo Coal and other major oil and mining companies). He has received many awards for his excellence in research including “CSIRO Petroleum Divisional award for innovation (2003)”. Two of the codes developed solely by Dr Choi were considered by the international and national panel of reviewers during the science review of the Division to be at the forefront in the world at the time. The modelling capability has contributed to the attraction of around $5m external funding for the Division.

Dr Julian Seidel

Dr Chris Haberfield

Dr Sushil Bhandari

Prof Sushil Bhandari, Professor in Mining Engineering, is currently the Director (Academic) of the JIET School of Engineering and Technology, Jodhpur, India, and the Director of Earth Resource Centre, India & Australia. He has 40 years experience in Teaching, Mining Industry and Explosives Industry in India, Australia and Oman. He remained Professor of Mining Engineering at the Faculty of Engineering, JNV University, and Jodhpur for 25 years

He has served as a member of the International Organising Committee of Fragblast Symposium for over 15 years and has been regional co-editor of the International Journal of Rock Fragmentation by Blasting. He is also a member of the education committee on rock fragmentation of International Society of Rock Mechanics. He has been a member of the Asia Pacific Symposium on Blasting International Organising Committee