In a landmark paper published in 1982, Jack Sepkoski and David M. Raup identified five mass extinctions. Could we be on the verge of the 6th?

Dominique Dodge-Wan, or Dr Dominique as she is known to her students, is Associate Professor in Applied Geology at Curtin University, Miri, where she has been teaching full time since 2010. She graduated in Geology and Mineralogy at Brussels University (ULB) and then completed a PhD in Hydrogeology.

She worked as a consultant hydrogeologist in Europe, Africa and the Middle East, for groundwater resource investigations, borehole test pumping and contamination studies. Dominique came to Sarawak to manage groundwater research for Malaysian Rural Water Supply Schemes for Antah Biwater/JKR. The work included identifying possible water sources for drought prone rural communities in the Kuching to Sibu coastal region.

Having been a keen caver, her on-going research interest are centered on limestones and their karstification. More recently, she has identified and researched rare biologically influenced cave formations in various caves in Malaysia. Dominique is also an active member of the Malaysian Nature Society and was involved in raising public awareness for Piasau Nature Reserve.

This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx