Leading geoscientists from around the world will deliver 45-minute presentations over three days, sharing relevant insights and experience.
Students from across Africa will showcase their research in dedicated poster sessions, fostering exchange between emerging and established experts.
The program is designed to create space for discussion, collaboration, and the sharing of new ideas.
Training courses and workshops will be offered before and after the conference, providing additional hands-on learning opportunities.
The conference also offers sponsorship opportunities, providing visibility and engagement.
Lenka BARATOUX
Tectono-metamorphic evolution of the West African Craton.
Lenka Baratoux is a Research Associate at the French National Research Institute for Sustainable Development (IRD), currently based in Toulouse, France. Her scientific interests are focused on Precambrian geodynamics, with a particular interest in the relationship between tectonic evolution and mineral-forming processes, using a multidisciplinary approach that integrates structural analysis (field and geophysical data interpretation), thermodynamic modelling, geochronology, and geochemistry. She has been working in West Africa since 2006 on various projects, including the West African Exploration Initiative WAXI and projects focused on Precambrian paleogeography reconstructions using mafic dyke swarms. She has also been involved in projects focused on mapping and evaluation of environmental impacts of artisanal gold mines in West Africa.
Abderrahmane BENDAOUD
Structure and geodynamic evolution of the lithosphere beneath the Hoggar Shield: Constraints derived from petrological, geochronological and geophysical studies.
Abderrahmane Bendaoud is a full professor of Geology at the Faculty of Earth Sciences, Houari Boumediene University of Science and Technology in Algiers, Algeria. Professor Bendaoud has contributed to research on the geodynamic evolution of the Eburnean, Pan-African and Hercynian orogenies, multi-source geological mapping, the nature and evolution of the continental crust, geochemistry and the application of mineral equilibrium modelling techniques to study metamorphic processes in UHT, HT and HP metamorphic rocks. He has published over 80 articles in international peer-reviewed ISI journals and book chapters.
Paul BONS
Anisotropy matters in rocks and ice.
Dr. Paul D. Bons is Full Professor of Structural Geology at the University of Tübingen, Germany. His research covers the modelling of rock and ice deformation from the micro- to tectonic scale, the dynamics of crustal-scale fluid flow and associated metasomatic processes, and the role of self-organization in geological systems. He has authored over 180 scientific publications, cited more than 5,600 times.
Yan BOURASSA
The importance of recognizing gold timing at the deposit scale in West-Africa. Examples from the Ashanti and Oumé-Fettèkro belts and their impact on exploration strategy.
Vice-President, Exploration Allied Gold Corporation. International mining executive with 30+ years of experience with mid-tiers and majors across the Americas, Africa & Asia. Strong leadership in exploration strategy, technical services and Mineral Resources & Reserves disclosure, having spent the last 10 years in management roles with gold and base metal producers. Yan Bourassa – Allied Gold Corporation LinkedIn
Tarryn CAWOOD
How deformation affects the distribution of battery metals: from the regional to the micro scale.
Affiliation: University of British Columbia – Okanagan, Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada
I am a geologist interested in the structural and tectonic controls on the formation of mineral deposits, and the effect of deformation and metamorphism on pre-existing mineralisation. I recently joined the faculty at UBC-Okanagan in Canada as an Assistant Professor, after several years leading studies on rare-metal pegmatites and the deformation of massive sulphide deposits at the Geological Survey of Canada. I completed a PhD in structural geology at the University of Southern California, USA, having obtained an M.Sc. in economic geology from the University of Stellenbosch, South Africa, and spent several years working in the exploration and mining industry.
LinkedIn – University website, Tarryn Cawood website
Guillaume DUCLAUX
Computational tectonics: regional to global-scale numerical modelling of Earth’s geodynamic processes.
Geoazur Research Institute, Université Côte d’Azur, Observatoire de la Côte d’Azur, Nice, France | School of Earth and Oceans, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia.
Dr Guillaume Duclaux is an Associate Professor of Structural Geology and Tectonics at the Université Côte d’Azur, in Nice, France. He studies tectonic processes in various settings, utilising both field geology and computational tectonics. Guillaume’s research interests are divided between the secular evolution of tectonic processes and mineral systems, and the development of 3D structures in the continental lithosphere. He is currently an Adjunct Senior Research Fellow with the School of Earth Sciences at the University of Western Australia. Guillaume has worked as a senior geoscientist consultant with various large mining companies in Australia and Africa, assisting exploration teams with combining geological, geochemical and geophysical data, and testing exploration models through cutting-edge numerical modelling methods.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/guillaume-duclaux-40508637/
Abigail Enyonam AYIKWEI
Structures of the Volta Basin from top to bottom.
DeepSignal Geophysics, Ghana
Department of Earth Science, University of Ghana
Abigail Enyonam Ayikwei is a Geophysicist and lectures at the Department of Earth Science, University of Ghana, where she leads research on the structural and tectonic evolution of sedimentary basins in West Africa. Her work integrates gravity, magnetic, radiometric, electromagnetic, and seismic datasets to illuminate crustal architecture, basement–cover relationships, and structural controls on mineral and energy resources, particularly within the Birimian terranes and the Volta Basin.
Her current research, “Structures of the Volta Basin from Top to Bottom,” draws on advanced potential field modelling and structural mapping to unravel intrabasin deformation patterns and their implications for resource exploration and sustainable energy development. She has consulted widely for mining and exploration companies across West Africa, contributing to geophysics-led targeting, drone magnetic interpretation, and subsurface characterisation.
She plays a leading role in advancing geoscience capacity building, professional mentorship, and industry–academia collaboration across Africa. She is passionate about research that bridges scientific innovation with societal impact—supporting responsible resource development and the transition to sustainable geoenergy systems.
Kim HEIN
Exploring the metamorphic complexes, anatectites and volcano-sedimentary belts of southeast Burkina Faso; a fascination with crustal recycling.
Professor Emeritus (University of the Witwatersrand); Adjunct Professor (University of Western Australia)
Kim Hein (BSc Hons; PhD; FGSSA) has over 35 years of experience in the fields of mineral exploration and mining, research and development, management, and geoscience education in Africa & Australia. She has specialised in applied structural geology as relevant to mineral exploration and mining in Africa. Kim is the Owner and Director of the geoscience consulting company KAAH Geoservices, and a Fellow of the Geological Society of South Africa. LinkedIn
Uwe KIRSCHER
Global palaeogeographic evolution in the Palaeoproterozoic: pushing the limits to better understand the formation of major mineral deposits during a first phase of global plate tectonics.
Earth Dynamics Research Group (EDRG), Curtin Frontier Institute for Geoscience Solutions (CFIGS), School of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Curtin University, Perth, WA, Australia.
I was awarded my PhD in Geophysics in 2015 at the Ludwig-Maximilians University in Munich, Germany. My main topic was the paleogeographic evolution of the Central Asian Orogenic Belt in the Palaeozoic using Palaeomagnetic data. Between 2016 and 2018, I went to Perth, Australia, to work on the palaeogeographic evolution of supercontinents. After another 4 years as a research assistant at the University of Tuebingen, Germany, I came back to Perth to work on the long-term evolution of Earth’s magnetic field. Currently, I am the lead scientist at the Western Australian Rock and Paleomagnetic facility. My research spans the entire geologic time spectrum, applying palaeomagnetic techniques from magneto- and cyclostratigraphy in the Cenozoic to palaeogeography in the Precambrian. My focus is on palaeogeographic reconstructions related to supercontinents in the Proterozoic and the associated tectonic and palaeogeographic driver of the formation of mineral deposits. LinkedIn
Linda LACCHERI
Microstructures and geometallurgy.
School of Geosciences, Wits University, South Africa
Linda Iaccheri started her career in Italy with her MSc project on VMS ore petrology at the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia (Italy) in 2000. She progressively expanded her solid multidisciplinary background by collecting work experiences in geotechnical engineering, mineral exploration, geochemistry, and mining geology in Italy, Germany, Australia, and South Africa. In 2017, upon completion of her PhD at the University of Western Australia (UWA, CET, Perth), she relocated to South Africa to set up a brand-new state-of-the-art isotope geochemistry laboratory at Wits School of Geosciences, a unique isotope facility on the African continent. Since 2021, Linda has been a Senior Lecturer in Mining Geology at Wits University and uses geochemistry and mineralogy for a better understanding of the formation of ore deposits and the definition of new targets in mineral exploration. She is currently involved in projects in South Africa, Zimbabwe, Zambia, and Angola, unravelling structurally controlled gold and copper deposits. She is passionate about training and mentoring the next generation of geoscientists. She takes advantage of every opportunity to spend time in the field and examine rocks. Link to LinkedIn or more extended bio(1) Linda Iaccheri | LinkedIn
Mark LINDSAY
Structural geology links the minerals value chain.
CSIRO Mineral Resources
School of Earth and Oceans, The University of Western Australia
Mark is currently a CSIRO Mineral Resources Science Leader and Adjunct Senior Research Fellow at the University of Western Australia. He is a geoscientist whose research interests include understanding the complexities of modelling mineralisation and uncertainty in 2/3D throughout the various scales and phases of mining and exploration. Mark has extensive experience integrating diverse data sets for interpretation, mineral systems and prospectivity studies while working with a number of geological surveys, leading mining organisations and various academic institutions around the world. Mark and collaborators work across capability boundaries to bring a deeper understanding of the links between the data we collect and the geological phenomena they represent.
Manish MAMTANI
Multiscale fabric data from deformed rocks – meso to nano scale analysis.
IIT Kharagpur, India.
Professor Manish Mamtani specializes in Structural Geology and Microtectonics, integrating field data with AMS, X-ray micro-CT, SEM-EBSD, and TEM analyses. He has published 80 papers on fabric analysis in deformed rocks, deformation mechanisms, and structural controls on mineralization.
He established a Fabric Analysis Laboratory at IIT Kharagpur, equipped for AMS, microstructure studies, and SEM-EBSD sample preparation. He has conducted international workshops and edited special issues for the Journal of the Geological Society of India, International Journal of Earth Sciences, and the Journal of Structural Geology.
Professor Mamtani is a DAAD and Humboldt Research Fellow, former Visiting Professor at the University of Turin, and recipient of the K. Naha Award (2002) and National Geoscience Award (2010).
He is President of IASGT, a Board Member of DRT, former Vice-Chair of the IUGS TecTask, and an Advisory Editorial Board Member of the Journal of Structural Geology.
Tolulope OLUBOJI
Crustal tomographic inversion
University of Rochester, USA
Tolulope M. Olugboji is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences at the University of Rochester.
He earned his PhD and M.Phil in Geology & Geophysics from Yale University, and holds a B.Sc. in Computer Science from Obafemi Awolowo University, Nigeria. Olugboji’s research centres on global Earth imaging, particularly the lithosphere (crust and upper mantle), using seismic signal processing, computational geophysics, inverse theory, and computational statistics.
He builds high-resolution models of Earth’s interior from ground vibrations collected by seismic arrays — work that helps illuminate continental and oceanic structure, and the roots of tectonics worldwide.
He has published extensively in peer‑reviewed journals (including high‑impact outlets). He has received several honours, including a prestigious grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF CAREER Award), to advance deep probabilistic seismic imaging of the Earth’s crust beneath the ocean.
Sandra PIAZOLO
Sustainable geoenergy solutions: Challenges and Opportunities.
Professor of Structural Geology at the University of Leeds with extensive international experience in Sweden and Australia. Her research focuses on tectonics, structural geology, and deformation processes shaping the Earth’s crust.
Delores ROBINSON
Recent Advances in Fold Thrust Belts.
University of Alabama.
Dr Delores M. Robinson is a Professor and Chair of Geological Sciences at the University of Alabama, specialising in the evolution of orogenic systems from proto-magmatic arcs to mature, collapsing mountain belts. She integrates tectonics, structural geology, geochemistry, geochronology, and field mapping to unravel the architecture of mountain ranges. Her work focuses on the Himalaya, across Nepal, India, Bhutan, and southern Tibet, as well as the Appalachian Mountains, the Cordilleran system, and the Gulf of Mexico. Dr Robinson has led major NSF- and USAID-funded projects worldwide and previously worked as a structural geologist for BP Alaska. She is internationally recognised for advancing the understanding of mountain building, lithospheric evolution, and their links to sedimentation and tectonics.
Nicolas THEBAUD
Radiogenic Isotopes as tool to peer into the crustal growth, tectonic evolution and metal fertility of continental masses.
The University of Western Australia
Nico Thebaud completed his PhD between the University of Paris 6 and the University of Sydney in 2006. Nico’s research focuses on geodynamic and tectonic processes, their petrological and geochemical impacts, and their controls on the formation of ore deposits. Down the line, his research aims at unravelling the understanding and detection of mineralised systems. In a resource-constrained world and amid growing cost and energy pressures, sustainable metal production relies on maximising near-mine resource development and productivity. By providing an understanding of the physical and chemical processes that lead to the solubilization, transport, and deposition of metals in natural ore systems, my research is critical to the future sustainable development of the mineral resource sector. Nico has a broad range of skills and expertise in Mineral System Science, and his scientific contributions focus on three main themes. (1) Investigation of the lithospheric to continental architecture, (2) 4D reconstruction of mineralised terrains and (3) Geochemistry and mineralogy of ore-forming processes.
Daniel Apau
Gerald Adda
Kofi Eghan Nkum Ekuban
The conference will provide a limited number of sponsorships for students to travel to Accra and present their research. Interested students must submit their poster abstract by March 31, 2026, at the latest. Sponsorships will be awarded subject to abstract acceptance and availability, as the number of sponsorships is limited. Please fill out the online registration of interest form.
This 5-day course provides practical training in the use of open-source tools for geological mapping and field data workflows.
17 to 21 July 2026
5 days
Alisa Hotel
This course introduces modern 3D gravity and magnetic inversion techniques tailored for regional to district scale data using the open-source Tomofast-x platform. The curriculum progresses from basic inversion fundamentals and input file preparation through petrophysically-constrained inversions (incorporating density and magnetization properties) to more advanced methods including structurally guided inversion and post-inversion model assessment. It combines theoretical lectures with hands-on laboratory exercises and demos applying these techniques to real-world datasets.
20 & 21 July 2026
2 Days
Alisa Hotel
This 5-day training course is intended to provide an overview of new state-of-the-art techniques in mapping sedimentary terrane using integrated geophysical and field methods.
27 to 31 July 2026
5 days
The University of Ghana
This 5-day training course will provide an introduction to modern laboratory-based techniques applied to the regional geophysical data of the West African Craton.
25 to 29 July 2026
5 days
Alisa Hotel
All tickets provide access to the full three-day conference. Early Bird sale ends 31 March 2026. Full rate from 1 April 2026 – Registration and payment via Ticket Tailor.
Compagnie
African Country: Individual, Academic, Government Organisation
Other Country: Individual, Academic, Government Organisation
$650.00
$50.00
$300.00
Compagnie
African Country: Individual, Academic, Government Organisation
Other Country: Individual, Academic, Government Organisation
$750.00
$60.00
$400.00
All students are requested to complete and submit the online registration of interest form before the 31 March 2026.
The conference will bring together international geoscientists, industry stakeholders, and top postgraduate students from across Africa, providing sponsors with valuable visibility, strong networking opportunities, and the chance to support the future of geoscience.
Your support makes this event possible and helps us keep registration fees low. Your support will be acknowledged on the conference website and during the event. Donor company logos will be displayed before and after sessions and during all breaks.
For more information on the various sponsorship opportunities, please contact:
Valid Passport: Your passport must have an expiry date at least 6 months after your arrival.
Vaccine Requirement: Ghana requires a valid yellow fever vaccination certificate. The vaccination needs to be done at least 10 days before travel.
Visa Requirements: Please verify if you require a visa to enter Ghana. For further information, you can visit: https://gis.gov.gh/visas/ et https://apply.joinsherpa.com/travel-restrictions
Letter of invitation: If you require a letter of invitation to apply for your visa, please email: AAyikwei@ug.edu.gh
Information for your visa request:
Event Venue: Alisa Hotel, 21 Dr Isert Road, North Ridge, Accra
City: Accra
Region: Greater Accra Region
Event Digital Address:
Purpose of Visit: Participation in the IASTG Conference 2026
Visa Type: tourist
Contact: Info@agate-project.org
The International Association for Structural Geology and Tectonics (IASGT) was established in 2022 from the IUGS-TecTask (Tectonics and Structural Geology Commission) and aims to unite scientists, industry professionals, and students worldwide to address challenges in the fields of tectonics, resources, and sustainability.
Organising Committee:
