"Future of photovoltaic materials with emphasis on resource availability, economic geology, criticality, and market size/growth" 

Dr. George J. Simandl earned a B.Sc. in geology from Concordia University, an M.Sc. from Carleton University, and a Ph.D. in Mineral Engineering from Ecole Polytechnique de Montréal. His career spans roles with Iron Ore of Canada, Atomic Energy of Canada, Canada Talc Industries, and the British Columbia Geological Survey (BCGS), as well as consulting in critical materials and industrial minerals. From 2010 to 2020, he led the Specialty Metals component of Targeted Geoscience Initiatives 4 and 5, a collaboration between Natural Resources Canada and BCGS. Currently, he serves as an adjunct professor at the School of Earth and Ocean Sciences at the University of Victoria, focusing on economic geology, critical material-bearing ore deposits, exploration methodologies, and raw material supply chains. He has co-authored over 200 scientific, technical, and market-oriented papers.