Summer 2026 at GTK: Tanzanian Interns Share Their Experiences of Working in Finland

Adelina’s story

Hello! My name is Adelina Shilula, a bachelor’s graduate in geophysics at the University of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. I’m currently working as university trainee in the Geophysical Solutions Unit at GTK in Espoo. I got this position through the Academic excellence in Mining and Energy Female awards at Pre-IWD Event 2026.

Despite the heavy eagerness and expectations, I had to gain experience in the world class Geological survey like GTK. My first weeks were full of work participation, warm welcome and positive environment. I began with theory-reviews from the EM &MT senior scientists to testing and installations of the new MT devices at Nurmijärvi, which strengthen my theory on magneto-telluric method to practical sense.

My tasks were mainly in survey planning, data acquisition, processing, modelling and inversion in more than one software, for different geophysical methods including Magneto-telluric, EM, Gamma spectrometer measurement, GPR and currently looking forward to Drilling core observation and seismic method.

During June, I had an opportunity to self-conduct a gamma spectrometer survey plan and measurement taking, along rapakivi trace-lithologies at Kirkkonummi with the help of my fellow trainee. I also had a chance to join a Kuusamo project that was already in development stage, aiming at cobalt prospection. This gave me exposure to working with experts from several countries and how it goes from learning mistakes, data quality and maintenance for good result. In July, I returned to Espoo and participated in GPR survey at Porvoo.

With all these constructive experiences, in the office times, I have been versatile learning several software including AGS workbench, EEMStudio LITE, RESIpy etc. Interestingly, I had to have self-learning and tutorial preparation for other geophysicists. I am currently looking forward to doing observation on drilling cores in Loppi, Some projects’ MT and EM data processing and inversion, GPR data processing and seismic data acquisition later.

I would surely choose my supervisor and his team again, if I had a chance to, due to their cooperation, openness, readiness to share expertise even at zero requesting. At large I have had enjoyable and charming atmosphere with my fellow trainees and other colleagues from other units as well. Of course, it was also pleasured to have sharing moments with other unit members especially in mineral issues directly concerning Tanzania.

From university courses to career path, I have been always interested in geophysical data manipulation, programming, inverse modelling, and eager to do integrated geoscience for mineral exploration. Through FutuRAM project review task given in early July, I became curious on one of critical raw materials that seems a bit underexplored in Finland with high supply risk and more demand in like six parts of world industry. It reshaped me to do even more literature review and raised research interest. The best thing about this internship strengthens my enthusiasm, confidence and career focus on the same path I had with clear direction.

Thank you GTK and everyone in the team with your enthusiastic mindset in further researching. It is what brings scientific discoveries and solutions to the geo-industry, and I recommend GTK’s spirit to other institutions and I carry it to my own country.

Esthermary’s story

My name is Esthermary Conrad Mushi. I work as an intern in the Geophysical Solutions Unit at GTK. I ’m a graduate geologist from the University of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania with a basic foundation in geology. I ’m an academic award winner in Female Mining and Energy Sector by PreIWD and GTK gave me this precious opportunity to participate in their summer internship 2026. I heard and now get to witness that GTK has a strong reputation for a highly collaborative, innovative, research-driven, supportive work culture and an environment of continuous learning.

The onboarding went really smoothly. The team was very organized, my supervisor had my desk, office working computer and phone, ID and office tag ready. I was even included and introduced during their geophysical unit meeting, which of course was my first meeting at GTK! What stood out to me in particular was how incredibly welcoming and supportive everyone was. Even the senior experts took the time to introduce themselves, answer my questions, and make me feel like a valued part of the team right away.

During my internship, my tasks have been split between advanced geophysical fieldwork and in-depth project research:

Advanced Geophysical Fieldwork:

1. Conducted a 4-day Magnetotellurics (MT) field campaign in Kuusamo.
2. Participated in a 1-day field trial testing a new, cutting-edge MT methodology in Nurmijärvi and Vihti.
3. Executed a 1-day Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) fieldwork survey in Porvoo.

Project Research & Synthesis: Researched and compiled various past and ongoing exploration projects across Finland-FutuRaM and Uomari Projects.

Technical Presentations: Prepared and delivered a presentation to a senior geophysicist, Xiao Longying, summarizing these regional projects and providing a detailed geologic review of the Otanmäki mine district.

Coming from a geology background, stepping into the Geophysics Unit has been both my greatest challenge and my most rewarding educational experience. While I arrived with a solid understanding of geological concepts, the daily discussions and technical workflows here are highly focused on geophysics—a field where I only had basic theoretical knowledge. Adapting to this new technical language and learning how to apply geophysical methods (like MT and GPR) in the field has been a steep learning curve. However, I have thoroughly enjoyed pushing past my comfort zone, asking questions, and rapidly building my geophysics skillset to bridge the gap between geology and physics.

The most interesting and surprising task has been preparing my upcoming presentation, where I propose an integrated geoscientific project (combining geology, geochemistry, and geophysics) targeting Rare Earth Elements (REE) in Finland. Reading the literature and developing this exploration model has been incredibly fascinating. I have genuinely enjoyed diving into the data, and it has sparked a strong interest in this field. Looking ahead, I would be highly motivated to participate in GTK’s ongoing REE exploration projects or even help advance my proposed project idea if it aligns with the team’s goals and gets approved.

The collaboration has been excellent. My supervisor, Rudi-Matti Suoknuuti. He is incredibly supportive, cooperative, and takes his mentoring role seriously; he always keeps me focused on key priorities and reminds me of the most important details as I settle in. Furthermore, the wider team in the Geophysics Unit has been exceptionally welcoming and accessible. Coming from a geology background, I naturally have a lot of questions about advanced geophysical concepts, and everyone has been incredibly patient, helpful, and open to sharing their expertise. It has made integrating into the team a smooth and highly rewarding experience.

A standout moment for me was our four-day Magnetotellurics (MT) fieldwork campaign in Kuusamo. Spending long days in the field with the team completely broke the ice. It was incredibly rewarding to see how supportive and cohesive the crew was under real field conditions. Additionally, the transition of presenting my research on Finnish projects and the Otanmäki mine to a senior colleague was a major highlight; her constructive, encouraging feedback made me feel that my geological input was genuinely valued by the geophysics team.

This internship has significantly sharpened and expanded my career goals. Coming in with a geology background, working in the Geophysics Unit has shown me the immense power of integrated exploration. I now see myself not just as a geologist, but as someone who can actively bridge the gap between geology and geophysics to locate hidden resources. Furthermore, researching and designing my own exploration proposal for Rare Earth Elements (REEs) in Finland has ignited a deep passion for critical raw materials. This experience has made it clear that I want to focus my career on critical metals exploration—using both geological modeling and advanced geophysical techniques to help secure the resources needed for the green transition.

During this internship, I have learned several key things about my professional and personal capabilities:

I am highly adaptable: Entering the Geophysics Unit with a geology background felt daunting at first. However, I realized that I can quickly grasp complex, unfamiliar concepts and contribute meaningfully to a team outside my immediate area of expertise.

I thrive in active field environments: The intensive fieldwork in Kuusamo and the GPR/MT sessions showed me that I have the physical resilience and mental drive to enjoy hands-on, fast-paced field settings, even when learning new technologies on the fly.

I have a strong capacity for independent research: Taking the initiative to research, design, and present an integrated project proposal on REEs in Finland taught me that I am capable of creative, big-picture thinking. I realized I don’t just want to execute tasks—I enjoy solving geological problems and proposing real-world solutions.

The most valuable asset I will take with me back to Tanzania is a deeply integrated approach to mineral exploration. In Tanzania’s rich geological terrain—particularly across our gold and critical mineral belts—exploration has traditionally relied heavily on classical geological mapping and geochemistry. My hands-on experience in GTK’s Geophysics Unit has shown me how powerful it is to integrate advanced geophysical methods (like Magnetotellurics and Ground Penetrating Radar) right from the start.

I am taking back the practical knowledge of how to design and pitch multi-disciplinary exploration projects, a stronger confidence in translating complex geophysical data for geological modeling, and a collaborative, supportive work ethic that I hope to foster in my future teams.