Meet the Board: Kalev Ruberg: Bridging Industry and Academia for a Sustainable Future
Kalev Ruberg served as the Vice President of Future and Chief Innovation Officer at Teck Resources Ltd, Canada’s largest mining company, where he has served as an influential leader from 2006 to 2023. With over 45 years of experience in information systems, Ruberg has played a pivotal role in overseeing digital systems, services, and projects for Teck. His extensive expertise and innovative mindset have made significant contributions to the mining industry and beyond.
The importance of bridging the gap between academic research and industrial application is a key focus for Ruberg. He believes that industry often knows what the critical problems are, and academic research can provide the necessary frameworks to address these issues. “I think one of the bigger issues in academia generally has been making research relevant. It’s the industry that knows what the problems really are. How can academic research and theoretical research aid in developing a framework where industry can use that information? BRIMM provides that framework.”
Particularly interested in the potential of artificial intelligence (AI) and digital technologies, Ruberg envisions a future where these innovations transform the mining industry. AI and microbiome research could play crucial roles in future mining processes – from exploration to tailings management – using genome mapping to advance sustainable practices. “The microbes help us identify ore within certain geological bodies,” he explains. “These microbiomes are attracted by certain metals or minerals. And by identifying them, you actually identify where the ore is. So it’s food for the microbiomes, and it’s metal and minerals for us.”
Ruberg’s vision for BRIMM extends beyond UBC, advocating for global collaboration with other universities and research institutions. He believes that such consortia can drive innovation and create new industries within Canada and internationally, leveraging technology for the betterment of the entire mining industry. “We shouldn’t only be aligned with UBC, but with universities around the world. We should become consortia ourselves with labs like the Creative Destruction Lab and begin to tap into our place in this universe of creativity and transformation.”
As a member of the BRIMM Board of Directors, Ruberg is dedicated to fostering a collaborative environment where academia and industry can work together to address the challenges and opportunities in the mining sector. His extensive experience, strategic vision, and innovative approach make him a valuable asset to BRIMM and its mission to advance sustainable and responsible mining practices. “BRIMM’s role is a unique and critical one,” Ruberg affirms. “Mining has been a very fractured, siloed industry. Mining companies do not like to talk to each other. And when they do, they’re very guarded about all kinds of information. So BRIMM is really trying to open up that door into research for industry, to make sure that those capabilities that are found in universities are actually used in an industrial setting as well, and that’s an extremely difficult transition to make.”