From May 19 to 22, the 2024 International Workshop on Gravity, Electrical & Magnetic Methods and Their Applications (GEM 2024 Shenzhen) was held at the Southern University of Science and Technology (SUSTech).

The workshop, co-organized by the Society of Exploration Geophysicists (SEG) and the Chinese Geophysical Society (CGS), and hosted by the Department of Earth and Space Sciences at SUSTech, brought together nearly 300 leading geophysics experts and scholars from around the world.

They focused on the critical role of gravity, electrical, and magnetic methods in energy transition and climate change mitigation.

Hong WANG, Deputy Provost and Dean of the Graduate School at SUSTech, welcomed the attendees and provided insights into the history, current status, and future plans of SUSTech in her opening speech.

Xiaofei CHEN, Head of the Department of Earth and Space Sciences at SUSTech, Arthur CHENG, President of SEG, Jiajia SUN, General Co-Chair of GEM 2024 Shenzhen, and Mengli ZHANG, Chair of the Technical Committee, also delivered speeches. They celebrated the successful launch of the workshop and emphasized the importance of clean energy in the future of geophysics.

The event featured six keynote speeches by experts and scholars, along with oral reports and an exhibition hall showcasing poster presentations. During the three-day event, a total of 60 oral reports and 69 poster presentations were arranged.

Keynote speakers included John Bradford, Vice President for Global Initiatives at the Colorado School of Mines, who discussed the pivotal role of geophysics in the energy transition and its future over the next 50 years in his talk, “Geophysics in the energy transition: Opportunities for the next 50 years”.

Xiangyun HU, Professor at the China University of Geosciences (Wuhan), presented the latest applications of multiparameter fusion technology in geothermal research with his report “Geophysical multiparameter fusion for temperature prediction and geothermal property characterization”.

Additionally, Tingting LIN, Vice Dean of the College of Instrumentation & Electrical Engineering at Jilin University; Marco Antonio Braga, Professor of the Department of Geology at the Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro; Adam Schultz, Professor at Oregon State University; and Keke ZHANG, Director of the Macau Institute of Space Technology and Application, shared cutting-edge technologies and emerging applications of gravity, electrical, and magnetic methods.

The oral reports highlighted recent advancements and practical applications of these methods in areas such as groundwater resource management, geophysical data acquisition, ocean exploration, and urban geological environment monitoring.

Participants also engaged in fruitful exchanges in the exhibition hall, discussing potential new opportunities for cooperation.

The technical reports covered the development of new technologies, improvement of existing methods, and specific applications of gravity, electrical, and magnetic methods, showcasing the diversity and innovation in the field.

GEM 2024 Shenzhen not only highlighted the latest research progress of gravity, electrical, and magnetic methods and their application, but also inspired new research ideas and fostered cooperation. The workshop underscored the importance of advancing clean energy technology and addressing global challenges related to climate change and resource and energy demands.