Sarah Holcombe

Papers

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About

Dr. Sarah Holcombe is a leading voice at the intersection of Indigenous studies, resource extraction, and technological disruption. Her research critically examines how the rapid automation of the mining industry impacts Indigenous communities, employment, and cultural heritage. Her most influential work, the 2019 "Indigenous peoples and mine automation: An issues paper" (35 citations), provides a foundational framework for understanding the social and economic risks posed by new technologies. Building on this, her 2018 paper (24 citations) documents the unprecedented growth of the Indigenous mining workforce over two decades, only to question its future viability in the face of robotics and AI. Holcombe’s major contribution lies in forcing a necessary conversation: as industry evolves, how can the hard-won gains in Indigenous employment and community partnerships be protected? By centering Indigenous voices and futures in debates often dominated by engineering and economics, she has become a pivotal figure in shaping ethical, forward-looking policy. Her work is essential reading for anyone studying the human dimensions of automation, resource governance, or Indigenous self-determination in a rapidly changing world.