Winter 2012

Newsletter

LEONE FAMILY DEPARTMENT OF

JOHN AND WILLIE

PLUS...Catch up on all the latest news in each of our program updates

HISTORY IN THE MAKING

Meet the EME student who’s about to make history

255% increase in undergraduate enrollment and an 80% increase in graduate enrollment.

The other big events on the horizon are the impending ABET Accreditation visits for our programs in Energy Engineering, Environmental Systems Engineering, Mining Engineering, and Petroleum and Natural Gas Engineering. It is expected that these visits will take place in the fall of 2014. In the meantime, many of you have already or will be receiving ABET-related surveys from us as part of the review process. We hope that you are able to take the time to fill out these surveys and return them, as your feedback is always valuable to our programs.

In other department news, I have two partings to share with you. André Boehman, professor of fuel science, left in July to accept a post as Professor of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Michigan. And in January 2013, Samuel Oyewole, assistant professor of environmental health and safety engineering, will be going to work for the United States Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board.

We still are searching for a new faculty member to fill the new endowed Leone Family Chair in Energy and Mineral Engineering. As you may recall, this chair was created as part of the generous $5 million gift from John and Willie Leone to the department. The holder of the chair will be expected to further scholarly excellence through contributions to instruction, research, and public service that fosters a combined business and engineering education. If you know of anyone who you believe would be a good match for this position, please let us know.

Finally, I am pleased to announce that we will have a new member of the faculty joining us in the new year. Shimin Liu has accepted the position of Assistant Professor of Energy and Mineral Engineering. He will arrive just in time for the beginning of the spring 2013 semester.

I wish you and your families a safe and happy holiday season.

Mark KlimaEME Interim Department Head

Dear Alumni and Friends,

Here in EME, the last six months have been filled with excited anticipation over who will take the reins as the next permanent department head. I am sure you are anxious to find out as well. The initial search turned up three excellent candidates this fall. In October and November, each of these candidates was invited to take part in a two-day interview process, where they had the chance to meet one-on-one with members of our faculty and staff as well as Dean William Easterling and his associate deans. The candidates also were asked to provide us with a presentation to showcase their vision for the future of the department. Now that every candidate has been interviewed, the search committee will be meeting with the Dean to offer their recommendations. As soon as the new department head is chosen, the news will be announced on our website at: www.eme.psu.edu.

Whoever is chosen to head our department, he or she will have the advantage of taking charge of a unit that continues to excel in all areas of teaching, research, and service. Our enrollment continues to be by far the largest in the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences and shows no signs of abating. We now have over 1,300 undergraduate students, a 22% increase since last fall. Our graduate student enrollment is holding steady at approximately 180 students. A five-year snapshot shows a

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6th International Industry Summit on

Business Process Performance

“Achieving Lasting Improvements in the Energy

and Minerals Industries”

May 13 - 16, 2013Sheraton Station Square

300 West Station Square DrivePittsburgh, PA

www.agsci.psu.edu/business-process

In the Spotlight...................

Alumni and Friends............

Program Updates...............

Faculty News....................

EME @ Your Service........

Student Voice....................

Professional Societies.....

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Connection is a publication of the John and Willie Leone Family Department of Energy and Mineral Engineering in the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences at Penn State.

Editorial Director: Mark KlimaEditor: Anna MorrisonAlumni Coordinator: Rachel Altemus

CONTACT:116 Hosler BuildingPenn State UniversityUniversity Park, PA 16802-5000URL: www.eme.psu.eduPhone: 814-865-3437E-mail to: eme@ems.psu.edu

U.Ed. EMS 13-34

This publication is available in alternative media on request. Penn State is committed to affirmative action, equal opportunity, and the diversity of its workforce.

From the Department Head

you can’t be an engineer.’ ‘You don’t have the smarts.’ ‘You don’t have the grades.’ ‘You won’t be able to do the math.’ On paper, they were right. My placement tests weren’t good. The curriculum followed by inner city high schools in Philadelphia just can’t provide the level of preparedness needed to test well for an engineering program. I was already behind, even before classes started. But when I got to Penn State and talked to my college advisor, Jonathan Merritt, I told him how much I wanted to pursue Mining Engineer-ing. He listened. Although he was probably skeptical, he still listened and gave me an

honest appraisal of the work required and the difficulties ahead.

Q: Why Mining Engineering? That’s an unusual goal, isn’t it?

A: Coming from inner city Phila-delphia, I didn’t know anything

about mines. But I’ll never forget seeing reports of min-ing disasters on the news, depicting the lives lost, and the grieving families, and I was determined to work one day to be a part of improving health and safety in the mining industry.

Q: Have there been ob-stacles for you, given that this is a male-dominated field?

Connection 3

The College of Earth and Mineral Sci-ences is set to laud the first African American woman to graduate in Mining Engineering at Penn State: Ms. Kimberly J. Grant.

“I will always remember Kimberly for her passion about workers’ safety and health and the need for strong compliance with both safety and environmental regulations,” said Larry Grayson, undergraduate program officer for mining engineering, an encourag-ing mentor to Kimberly since she began her studies in 2009. “She has quiet passion for important issues and worked very hard for her grades, always doing a very professional job on her assignments and projects. Kimberly will be a true and dedicated professional, and I am very proud of her and her family for supporting her.”

Kimberly took time out of her very busy class schedule to chat with me in her final semester at Penn State. Our conversation follows:

Question: What was the most difficult aspect of the road to your B.S. in Min-ing Engineering?

Answer: The going has been tough, but I’ve been really determined. Everyone except my family was telling me no. ‘No, you can’t get into Penn State.’ ‘No,

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A: Oh yes. Sometimes, guys don’t take wom-en seriously, and I can tell you it’s even worse for a black woman. When I first walked into a mining engineering class, the guys’ first reaction was, ‘Who are you, where are you from, and what are you doing here?’ They weren’t mean about it, just really surprised and curious. They all laughed and shook their heads. On a field trip in a coal extraction course, we visited an underground coal mine in West Virginia. The workers there were chuckling and whispering, ‘What’s she doing here?’ But then, once we were in the mine, and I was making observations and answer-ing questions, they shut up pretty quickly. That was a good feeling. Oh, and don’t get me wrong about the guys in my mining engi-neering courses. After that original shock, they have all been really great and we’ve really bonded. We enjoy each other’s company; we have the same passion about our field.

Q: What would be your advice to other women interested in the same path?

A: Don’t be discouraged by males who don’t think you are fit for the field. You can still maintain your femininity, too. I met a representative from the Matterhorn Mining Boot company at a meeting of the Society of Mining and Metallurgy Exploration (SME) in 2010. I asked her if the company made any boots that weren’t all black, which are very mannish looking. She completely surprised me by express-mailing a pair of pink and black steel-toe mining boots that she had

Photos: Mining Engineering student Kimberly Grant (left); Grant with Larry Grayson, undergraduate program officer of mining engineering, at the 2012 EME Awards Banquet; Grant (second from right in back) performing with the Silent Praise MIME ministry at Penn State.

In the Spotlight

Kimberly Grant to become first African American woman to graduate in Mining Engineering at Penn Stateby Martha Traverse, EMS Ryan Family Student Center

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Superfund site. Later he served as a research economist in the Federal Reserve System, and then as Vice President and Branch Executive of the Fed’s Denver Branch. He was responsible for regional economic research, energy markets analysis, policy advising, and public communication. Orlando also worked as Vice President for Research and Product Development with a media monitoring and business analytics firm.

Orlando’s research spans a range of topics in applied microeconomics. He has published work on corporate governance, financial regulatory policy, the economics of payments networks, the geography and industrial demography of innovation, and energy and environmental policy. He is also a practiced teacher, and has developed courses in economics, finance, and energy business policy, and has co-authored a textbook on money and banking.

Orlando holds degrees in economics from Washington University in St. Louis and in business administration from Tulane University.

Michael Orlando, principal and owner of Economic Advisors, Inc., recently was named as a 2012 recipient of the Graduates of Earth and Mineral Sciences (GEMS) Alumni Achievement Award. The award is given by the Penn State Earth and Mineral Sciences Alumni Society to recognize outstanding achievement by EMS alumni.

Orlando received his bachelor’s degree in petroleum and natural gas engineering from Penn State in 1988. In addition to his current role at Economic Advisors, Inc., a consulting firm specializing in vote-theoretic and game-theoretic applications for investor relations and multi-stakeholder negotiations, Orlando also serves as an adjunct professor of finance at Tulane University and a course content developer for Penn State’s online energy business programs.

Orlando began his career with Shell Oil Company. He provided reservoir engineering and economic evaluation expertise for oil and gas exploration and development projects in the Gulf of Mexico. He also worked as an environmental engineer, ensuring environmental compliance and managing the company’s relationship to a listed

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Question: Your bachelor’s degree is in petroleum and natural gas engineering. What made you decide to branch into economics?

Answer: My first job out of Penn State was with Shell in New Orleans. It was a great experience, but it also made me realize that I enjoyed learning about engineering as much as I enjoyed practicing it. I became particularly interested in economics while working on an MBA at Tulane University. I’ve always been interested in how we make decisions - individuals, organizations, societies -- and economics provides a systematic framework for thinking about that.

Q: You have an impressive breadth of knowledge and experience from working in different areas of private industry, government, and academia over the years. What are your current research interests?

A: I’m interested in understanding political markets, and how we can use financial innovations to improve political outcomes. We have a good model for thinking about price-based exchange in real markets, for example, all those decisions that go into developing a gas field or a manufacturing facility. And our financial models are also relatively well understood. But commercial and financial decisions are also affected by political markets - legislation, regulation, public interest campaigns. Political markets often result in relatively prescriptive solutions to public concerns. For example, outright bans on certain practices and

Alumni and Friends

ALUMNUS PROFILE: MICHAEL ORLANDO

Michael Orlando (left) with his daughter Hannah and wife, Sarah.

Michael Orlando receives the 2012 GEMS Alumni Achievement Award

“I always thought of Penn State as the place that gave me the resources and relationships

to realize just how much is possible.”Alumnus Michael Orlando (‘88 B.S. Petroleum and

Natural Gas Engineering) talks about his career, the energy and minerals industries as he sees them, and his

lasting relationship with the John and Willie Leone Family Department of Energy and Mineral Engineering.

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technologies. Alternatively, financial contracting can address many of the public’s underlying concerns in a more direct way, say through bonding, insurance, or beneficial trusts.

Q: How did your educational experiences at Penn State prepare you for your chosen career path?

A: Andrew Carnegie once said that he built libraries because they helped people who helped themselves. In general, I always thought of Penn State as the place that gave me the resources and relationships to realize just how much is possible. More specifically, the technically-rigorous training I received in the College taught me how to impose structure onto messy and seemingly intractable problems.

Q: What do you enjoy the most about your current job?

A: In my consulting practice, I enjoy helping clients bring to their commercial problems -- business strategy, negotiations -- the same degree of rigor that they apply to their technical problems they may address using geology, engineering, information technology. The social sciences provide us great tools for decision making. I want to be sure we use them in practice. I suppose it’s the same in my teaching relationships -- I enjoy helping students realize that we can address commercial and social questions thoughtfully and systematically.

Q: What is the toughest part of your job?

A: I’m lucky to have found something I enjoy and seem to have an aptitude for, so I don’t consider my job very tough. Being a good father, and a good spouse, and a good brother, and a good friend -- those can be hard. I spend more time thinking about how to do those things better.

Q: What advice would you give to new graduates who are just beginning their careers in the energy and minerals industries?

A: Stick with it if you enjoy it. The bulk of the world’s population is in countries that are just beginning to enter an income regime where demand for minerals and produced goods grows very fast. So the career prospects will remain strong. But you have to enjoy what you’re doing enough to want to be a life-long learner in your field.

Q: Last year, you were a featured speaker at the Graduates of Earth and Mineral Sciences (GEMS) Seminar on natural resource development. In your talk, you spoke about the systems-design approach employed by the EME department in its educational curriculum. What are the benefits to using a systems-design approach as a model for future energy development?

A: Systemic problems are those with lots of interconnecting pieces. I can’t think of industries more appropriate for this perspective

than those concerned with energy and minerals. We develop technologically-sophisticated, capital-intensive solutions for large-scale business applications. And these activities often have broader societal implications in the form of risks to environmental and public health. A systemic perspective ensures that solutions engineered to proximate opportunities also reflect seemingly peripheral concerns. Because those systemic issues can often scuttle the best solution, nonetheless.

Q: What is the biggest change you have seen in the energy and minerals industries since graduating from Penn State in 1988?

A: In oil and gas, things were relatively tight back in 1988. So most of the smaller players had left the industry. It’s exciting to see the smaller players, and the high level of domestic activity. On the minerals side, I think there is a growing awareness that we have a national interest in developing our own rare-earth and other strategic minerals. This sector has potential to grow as we find ways to address potential environmental liabilities.

Q: You were one of the course developers for Penn State’s online Bachelor of Arts degree in Energy and Sustainability Policy, which was rolled out in 2010. What were your overall goals when assisting with the development of the course curriculum for this program?

A: I wanted to ensure that the courses included social scientific fundamentals where appropriate. That degree program is a relatively unique blend of technology and policy. So students need to understand how decisions are made, in commercial and political markets. I think the program has been successful in that regard and more generally.

Q: What is your take on the current state of the energy markets? What trends do you think we’ll see in the near future?

A: I think energy remains an exciting place to be. I expect natural gas to remain relatively weak through 2013 and probably even into 2014, partly because of slow global growth and partly because geopolitical risks are supporting high oil prices, which provides incentives to bring gas to market if it comes with even just a little oil. So weak demand and strong supply will continue to weigh on prices. But overall, we’ll be on firmer economic footing in 2013 and thereafter. And we should see global growth improve as we work through our fiscal issues, and as Europe finds political solutions to their stalemate over finances. The demand side should result in price pressure returning in 2014.

Michael Orlando was one of the featured speakers at the 2011 Graduates of Earth and Mineral Sciences (GEMS) Seminar on natural resource development.

2013 Society for Mining, Metallurgy & Exploration Annual Meeting

EME Alumni ReceptionFebruary 26, 20135:30pm - 7:30pm

Denver Hyatt Regency650 15th Street

Denver, CO

Save the Date

6 www.eme.psu.edu

Program Updates

Energy Business and Finance (EBF)by Andrew Kleit, Professor of Energy and Environmental Economics

For the third year in a row, students from the College of Earth and Mineral Science’s Energy Business and Finance program competed in the Alberta Energy Challenge (AEC) from September 27th to October 1st. The AEC is a 36-hour case competition where teams are challenged by industry with a task facing the oil sands. Students prepare a presentation to be given before a panel of judges from industry and academia. Using the “Texas-style” format, during the presenta-tion judges are permitted to ask questions and focus the presentation on their area of interest. Therefore, students have to make a detailed but flexible presentation to accom-modate many aspects of their idea and the case prompt.

Traveling to Edmonton, Alberta, Kirsten Guelly, Will Mitchell, Natalie Gerber, and Thomas Rauch, accompanied by Dr. An-drew Kleit, program officer of the Energy Business and Finance (EBF) program, engaged with teams from Canada, the United Arab Emirates, and the United States in a case focused on the transportation logistics of supporting oil sand ex-traction and refining proj-ects in the remote Athabas-ca region in northeastern Alberta. The case asked teams to engage the bottle-neck of delivering materials and product to and from the oil sands region and the city of Edmonton using any inventive method the teams could support.

The EBF program’s unique combination of disciplines prepared Penn State’s team for the challenge. The students proposed the forma-

tion of an Athabasca Business Improvement District (BID) to encourage growth and entrepreneurship as a long-term solution to the problems facing the region. The initial focus of the Athabasca BID proposal was to create a trans-portation company that would focus on the rail bottleneck in the region, particularly cross-ing the Athabasca River north of Ft. McMurray. Ft. McMur-ray, the town supporting the oil sands, has limited access by a notoriously dangerous

highway and limited rail. Currently no rail goes above a rail yard south of Ft. McMurray and thus any rail shipments must be offloaded

and continued to site by truck, which creates a significant delay in the transport logistics of the region. Canadian Na-tional, the rail operator in the region, has invested in the rail line from Edmonton to Ft. McMurray in recent years, but the gap between Ft. McMur-ray and the actual operations, particularly the oil sand mines, keeps rail utilization low. In

Left to Right: Energy Buisness and Finance (EBF) students Will Mitchell, Kirsten Guelly,

Natalie Gerber, and Thomas Rauch with EBF Program Officer Andrew Kleit.Penn State’s Alberta Energy Challenge team poses with faculty advisor Andrew Kleit

just before heading to the first round presentations at the Alberta Energy Challenge in Edmonton, Alberta, on September 30, 2012.

“This experience helped me gain a more realistic grasp of energy and policy issues that are affecting many countries like Canada, which have global implications. Learning aside, I had a fantastic time meeting students from around the world who were eager to share stories and ideas.”

~ Will Mitchell, B.S. student in energy business and finance

“This was a once in a lifetime experience, not only because it was a challenge so relevant to our major, but because we got to meet students similar to us in a different country.”

~ Natalie Gerber, B.S. student in energy business and finance

order to extend rail to the major producers outside of Ft. McMurray, a bridge crossing of the Athabasca River would be necessary, which is a technological and environmental/social chal-lenge. As a popular alterna-tive, pipelines have been built from upgrader (refin-ing) sites, but they do not currently meet the required output capacity to support production, add costs due to dilution, and do not ad-dress transport of byprod-ucts and inputs. Acting as a consultant, Dr. Kleit helped the team to prepare their innovative solution for pre-sentation to the industry and academic panel of judges, as well as helped organize in-dustry contacts for the team to consult with.

Kirsten, Natalie, Will, and Thomas com-bined business structure, engineering, actual current and future developments, and detailed planning to present a sustainable solution to supporting growth: rail is the best utilitar-ian solution for the future of oil sands. Some of the other projects that were presented by competing teams ranged from zeppelin style airships to toll highways, with airships taking first place in the competition.

Kirsten, Will, and Thomas are all gradu-ating seniors. Natalie is a junior who will graduate in 2014 and is planning to compete in the Alberta Energy Challenge again next year.

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Program Updates

The energy engineering capstone design course is another success in cooperation with the “Learning Factory” in the Penn State College of Engineering. Through the Learning Factory, industrial groups sponsor small projects that can be completed by a group of students in a se-mester. Students from various disciplines (usually four to five, depend-ing on the project) work collaboratively, and in consultation with the sponsor, complete the project and “showcase” the outcome at the end of the semester. As always, the program is looking for these industry-driven projects. If you would like to sponsor a project or know some-one who can, please pass this information on or contact Dr. Semih Eser at seser@psu.edu.

If you have any comments or suggestions about the program, please do not hesitate to email sxp17@psu.edu or call me at 814-865-0874.

by Sarma Pisupati, Associate Professor of Energy and Mineral EngineeringEnergy Engineering (ENENG)

It is indeed a great pleasure to announce that the Energy Engi-neering program was accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET this past summer. The program is growing and becoming an important engineering discipline both within the Uni-versity and on the national stage.

It is not just that the number of students is growing, but the quality of the program also is continuously improving. More industries are seeking Energy Engineering students as summer interns and for co-ops. This summer, our students had internships at reputable organiza-tions.

Additionally, our Industrial and Professional Advisory Committee (IPAC) has been very supportive in continuously improving our pro-gram. The committee has reviewed the program and given some great suggestions to make it even better. Thanks to all the committee mem-bers for their hard work and time commitment.

The Society for Energy Engineers (SEE), a professional student or-ganization, is very active in organizing guest lectures and information sessions from a variety of industries, and several employer information sessions. SEE members have actively participated in various regional and national competitions such as Energy Path 2012, Solar Work-shops, and the Rube Goldberg Project.

Students from the Society of Energy Engineers participated in the Energy Path 2012 Conference at DeSales University.

Earlier this year, a Chinese delegation visited the EMS Energy Institute to discuss current energy research and issues. The group, whose primary research interests are in clean coal and clean carbon-based energy, met with University leaders in the morning and listened to presentations by EMS Energy Institute faculty in the afternoon. The day also included a tour of Institute facilities. Sarma Pisupati was one of the faculty who discussed his research with members of the delegation (pictured below).

Program Updates

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Environmental Systems Engineering (ENVSE)by M. Thaddeus Ityokumbul, Associate Professor of Mineral Processing and Geo-Environmental Engineering

ENVSE students. During the spring semester, the Society coordinated ENVSE activities for the an-nual Earth and Min-eral Sciences Exposition (EMEX). Twenty students vol-unteered for the event. As usual, they did an excellent job promoting the major to prospective students and demonstrating a number of experiments to the many families who visited the displays, which were located in the ENVSE labs on the first floor of Ho-sler building. Also in the spring, the Society hosted a speaker from Blazosky Associates and one from National Fuel Gas, both of whom were program graduates. The Society’s co-ed soccer team provided another oppor-tunity for ENVSE students to interact. The semester’s activities ended with the annual picnic, which was attended by more than 30 students, including many of the seniors who were given a proper SESE sendoff.

At the fall kick-off meeting, the returning students discussed their summer internships and other activities, providing a great venue for new students to hear the opportuni-

ties available to them. It also gave current students ideas on possible internships and companies to consider for full-time employ-ment. The SESE also invited two depart-ment graduates to speak at the fall meetings. One speaker from McLanahan Corporation discussed the application of process equip-ment in environmental separations. The other speaker was from PPL Corporation and discussed issues surrounding the generation and use of combustion residuals from coal-fired power plants. A new social event for this year was a pumpkin decorating competition, which allowed the students to practice their carving and painting skills. Many of these activities were made possible by Chevron’s generous donation and continued support of the program.

At the start of the fall 2012 semester, total enrollment in the program stood at 137 (10% of the undergraduate students in the depart-ment). As the semester has progressed we had several students transferring into the program from the Colleges of Science and Engineer-ing.

We sent out the first batch of our Alumni and Interest Group surveys in Summer 2012 as part of our preparations for the next ABET visit, which is expected to take place in Fall 2014. While the Self Study is due at the end of June 2014, it is not too early to get the process underway. Since the results of these surveys are used to assess whether the program educational objectives are being met, we would therefore encourage those receiving either the paper copy of these surveys or the online link to submit their completed surveys.

We purchased a new microbalance (pic-tured below) for the Environmental Systems Engineering/Enivronmental Health and Safety Engineering Industrial Hygiene Mea-surements Laboratory. This was made possible by a generous donation from Chevron. This new state-of-the-art piece of equipment can read to 0.1 µg and is equipped with a static charge neutralization system to stabilize read-ings, giving students the capability to perform gravimetric analysis for size-selective filter samples including respirable, thoracic, and inhalable size fractions.

M. Thaddeus Ityokumbul completed his 2011/2012 Fulbright award at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria. However, Samuel Oyewole will be leaving us to pick up an appointment with the United States Chemi-cal Safety and Hazard Investigation Board in Washington D.C., effective January 2013.

The Society of Environmental Systems Engineers (SESE) continues to organize both professional and social activities for the

Left to Right: Ryan Repoff, Julianne Ganter, Lauren Leidel, and Ryan Singer.The Society of Enviromental Systems Engineers (SESE) student officers attended the “Engineering Reverse Career Fair,” an event held in September 2012 to help connect

students with companies that have internship openings.

Left to Right: ENVSE students present their capstone design project at the end of the spring 2012 semester; SESE members pick their pumpkins for the new fall semester pumpkin design contest; and the new microbalance, housed in the ENVSE/EHSE Industrial Hygiene Measurements Laboratory.

Scholarships and Awards for Mining Engineering Students

Mining engineering students John Krenzel, Angela Moyer, and Thomas Rauch were awarded scholarships from the The Gimme Foundation for this academic year. The Gimme Foundation scholar-ship initiative is designed to help offset the high costs of education and to bolster the Mining Engineering profession. In addition, Kren-zel was awarded the 2012 SME Pittsburgh Section Student Grant Award, while Rauch received the 2012 Pittsburgh Coal Mining Insti-tute of America (PCMIA) Donald S. Kingery Student Grant Award in recognition of his outstanding scholarship in minerals engineering.

Penn State Mine Rescue Team Re-Staffs

Following three years of organizing, preparing for, and competing in mine rescue and Mine Emergency Response Development (MERD) contests, the majority of the original Penn State Mine Rescue team took jobs in industry. Their jobs took them to Australia, California, Colorado, and North Carolina in coal, borates, and aggregates. The past year was spent replacing them and training new recruits for the rigors of competition. The new team members attended the Mine Training and Technology Center MERD in the spring semester, and shadowed experienced teams during the competition, thereby gaining valuable experience for future competitions.

A Busy Trip to Peru

During June 5-12, Andrew Kleit, Antonio Nieto, and Larry Gray-

son enjoyed a productive trip to Lima, Peru, in which they participat-ed in a “sustainability” conference (seminar), which was held at Pon-tificia Universidad de Catolica del Peru (PUCP). Andrew Kleit also interacted with faculty at ESAN University, a local business school, and with a government agency related to economics. Larry Grayson interacted with the Peruvian mining enforcement agency, the mining institute, and a mine safety and health institute regarding details on the status of mine safety and health in the U.S. and on U.S. enforce-ment agency structure and effectiveness. A spring 2013 student trip is being planned as a follow-up to growing relationships in Peru.

Mining Students Attend MINExpo

MINExpo, a once every four years event, was held in Las Vegas in September 2012. Twenty mining engineering students and two faculty members joined two staff members in attendance. Featuring a massive display of equipment, MINExpo had a record attendance. Students found opportunities to network with thousands of exhibitors and re-cruiters.

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by R. Larry Grayson, Professor of Energy and Mineral Engineering and George H., Jr., and Anne B. Deike Chair in Mining Engineering

Mining Engineering (MNGE)

Program Updates

John Krenzel Thomas RauchAngela Moyer

Jamal Rostami, assistant professor of energy and mineral engineering, at the 2012 MINExpo in Las Vegas.

Mining Engineering students were invited to tour a PBS Coals mining site in the fall.

Program Updates

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by Turgay Ertekin, Professor of Petroleum and Natural Gas Engineering and George E. Trimble Chair in Earth and Mineral SciencesPetroleum and Natural Gas Engineering (PNGE)

It seems just yesterday that I sent you a note using this medium of communication in the fall semester of the last academic year. And now the end of this year’s fall semester is upon us. We have had one of the most beautiful autumns until the last weekend in October, when all the beauty of fall left its place to Hurricane Sandy. On Monday, October 29, the Penn State administra-tion cancelled classes and we were asked to go to our homes as Hurricane Sandy was inching toward the New Jersey shore line.

In the end, we found that we were on the luckier side of Sandy, as we came out of the storm more or less intact. Our heartfelt thoughts go to millions of people who endured the vicious winds and flood waters that Sandy brought to their homes and work places.

In our offices, it has been a rather busy fall semester and it looks like it will get even busier. For the next one and a half years, we will be focusing extensively on our preparations for the ABET accreditation visit, which will take place for our program during the 2014 fall semester. As the focal point of an accreditation visit is the continuous assessment of the qualities of a program, we see that the assessment and account-ability movements in higher education have converged on “student learning” as the center of the educational universe. In other words, ideas about what consti-tutes a high-quality education have shifted from the traditional view of what teachers provide to a practical concern for what learners

actually learn, achieve, and become. In the traditional “teacher-centered’ model, the focus has been on inputs: the creden-tials of faculty, the topics to be presented, the sequencing of presentations, and so forth. In the “learner-centered” model, the focus is on outputs: what knowledge have students acquired and what abilities have they actually developed? Implicit in the

learner-centered model is the idea that teach-ers are facilitators of learning. It is not enough anymore to construct a syllabus and present information; the job of instructors nowadays involves creating and sustaining an effective learning environment based on a wide range of “best practices” in teaching and learn-ing. During the forthcoming accreditation visit we will need to showcase effectively a complementary, convincing methodology for monitoring, confirming, and improving our students’ learning. As it has been in the previ-ous years, we hope that you also will give us a hand in this demonstration. We hope you will participate in ABET-related surveys com-ing your way and cultivate an environment at your work place to make sure that surveys sent to your work places (most probably to your human resources areas) are completed and returned to us.

Our undergraduate enrollment increased at a very fast pace, as it stands nowadays almost at 500 (at the end of the 2012 spring semes-ter our enrollment was 360). Our graduate enrollment is steady at 80. During the last academic year we awarded 39 B.S., 18 M.S., and 6 Ph.D. degrees. As we look towards the future, there is no other way to state that the 2012-2013 academic year will be a challeng-ing one as enrollment continues to increase while the resources stay at their previous year’s levels. However, I know with confi-dence that whatever path we carve for our students’ future, it will be developed out of a nuanced thought process based in humanistic values and understanding, rational inquiry, and investigation of engineering principles. We will continue to strive to ensure that our graduates will be trained to be creative prob-lem solvers with breadth and depth, and be able to see connections across discrete ideas and engineering science fundamentals. As the number of our students increases, the number of students graduating from our program in-creases as well. There is no doubt that you are the best ambassadors of our PNGE program in your respective work places and we hope that you will do everything within your ca-pacity to welcome our graduates into the pe-troleum engineering workforce as well. They have worked very hard to obtain degrees, and they have so much energy to prove and make all of us proud of their achievements.

As always, I am proud to be part of an ex-ceptional group of faculty, staff, and students, and I remain grateful for your wonderful commitment to your alma mater.

Photos (top to bottom): In May, a group of petroleum and natural gas engineering students participated in the 2012 Shell Drilling and Production Camp in Robert, LA; Members of the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) Penn State Student Chapter visited EQT to take a tour of a drilling rig; and the SPE student chapter continued its tradition of hosting several tailgate functions for students and alumni during the 2012 Penn State football season.

Program Updates

Connection 11

of our ESP students greatly enriches online discussions and interac-tions, broadening the perspective of all and giving students the oppor-tunity to learn from one another and even professionally network.

Penn State was one of the first accredited universities to offer online education (starting in 1998) and the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences has a dedicated unit (the Dutton Institute) for the develop-ment of online learning content. The ESP Program team includes Dr. Vera Cole, program officer, full time instructors Brandi Robinson and Haley Sankey, and administrative assistant Sue Spaugh. Practitioner instructors include Barry Posner in Princeton, NJ, with expertise in energy economics, Ron Santini in Charlotte, NC, with extensive pro-fessional experience in energy generation and transmission siting, and Chris Flynn, a sustainable energy entrepreneur in Allentown, PA.

The Summer 2012 ESP inaugural graduates were Amanda Fuller of Michigan (pictured) and Todd Venetz of New York. For his cap-stone project, Todd Venetz filed a comment with the EPA regarding proposed standards of performance for greenhouse gas emissions for new electric utility generation units and delivered a presentation on the topic to other Penn State students in Costa Rica, studying renew-able energy as part of the College of EMS Global Renewable Energy Education Network (GREEN) program. Nearing the end of his stud-ies, Todd writes, “I’ve really had the most rewarding experience I could have hoped for and so much more. (…) Thanks again for everything, I really appreciate it.”

Mandy’s capstone project studied the viability and policy issues of offshore wind in the Great Lakes and included meetings with local

industry and government officials. In a parting blog post, she writes, “I don’t know if everyone has the opportunity to fall in love with what they’re studying, but they should. It’s a won-derful feeling to not only be interested in something, but to feel a passion developing for it. I’m so excited to see where my ESP degree takes me. (…) I think about people being defined by their careers and I assume that some (many?) wish that they weren’t, but I can’t wait to be identified as ‘that girl that works to change the future.’” We can’t wait either!

by Vera Cole, Program Officer, Senior Lecturer, Energy and Sustainability Policy Online Program in Energy and Sustainability Policy (ESP)

The Energy and Sustainability Policy (ESP) Bachelor of Arts de-gree is the EME department’s newest program and the first fully online undergraduate degree in the College. The ESP program opened in Fall 2010 and has rapidly grown to more than 100 active full- and part-time students, with the first graduates in Summer 2012. In Oc-tober, the program was recognized by the Sloan Consortium with the 2012 Outstanding Online Program award for demonstrating “success in providing expanded access, learning effectiveness, and high levels of student and faculty satisfaction, in a cost-effective manner.” A delight-ed team of ESP instructors and staff accepted the award at the Sloan Consortium International Conference on Online Learning in Buena Vista, FL, in October 2012.

Students in this well-rounded B.A. degree complete an internship or foreign studies experience, three semesters of a foreign language, and general education requirements along with a full curriculum of major requirements related to energy, policy, and sustainability. The degree emphasizes five competency areas: energy industry knowledge, sustainability ethic, global perspective, analytic skills, and communica-tion skills.

Like all online programs at Penn State, the ESP program is deliv-ered through Penn State’s World Campus and all courses are offered asynchronously, meaning there are no set class times. Following the Penn State academic calendar and instructor due dates for assign-ments and course participation, students work at a time and place that best suits their needs.

Reflecting the broad reach of online learning, over 90% of students in the ESP program are “adult learners,” based on a combination of age, professional experience, military service (active or veteran), and other adult roles (such as parenting). Our ESP students are located in 30 different U.S. states, plus Norway and Spain, and 20% have a military affiliation. Student ages ranges from 20 to 61, with an average age of 33.

Many of our students are currently working in fields related to Energy and Sustainability Policy, such as a wind

turbine installer in California, a natural gas pipeline permitting supervisor in

Washington D.C., an energy auditor in New Jersey, an

industrial hygienist in a mine in Nevada, and a marketing manager for an electric co-op in Oregon, to name but a few. The expe-

rience and diversity

Amanda Fuller is congratulated by Dr. Karen Pollack, World Campus director of academic affairs for undergraduate programs, at the Summer

2012 Penn State World Campus Graduation Celebration.Photo Credit: Bill Wallace, Penn State Outreach

Serguei Lvov, professor of energy and mineral engi-neering and materials sci-ence and engineering, is the faculty contact for the new minor in Electrochemical Engineering. The minor is

designed to equip students with the knowl-edge necessary to become valuable contribu-tors in addressing society’s clean energy needs and demands especially in the electrochemi-cal power generation sector as well as educa-tors, practicing engineers, and national leaders in electrochemical energy conversion and storage. The curriculum should allow students in energy-related programs such as chemical, civil, electrical, environmental, mechanical, and materials science and engineering to readily take advantage of the minor and be better prepared for careers in clean power generation and future green technologies.

William Groves, associ-ate professor of industrial health and safety, served on an expert panel tasked with conducting a follow-up review of the National Insti-tute of Safety and Health’s

Agriculture, Forestry, and Fishing (AFF) pro-gram. The panel reviewed the impact of the AFF program’s activities from 2007 – 2012. In addition, Groves served on the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences’ GeoHealth review panel and continues to serve as an ABET program evaluator for industrial hygiene. He also developed and delivered a web version of the popular Safety Science course over the summer and recently published the results of graduate student Brian Marpoe’s study examining effects of sample holders on measurements of gases and vapors.

12 www.eme.psu.edu

Larry Grayson, professor of energy and mineral engi-neering, was recently select-ed by the Society of Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration, Inc. (SME) as a Henry Krumb Lecturer, based on

his paper/presentation entitled, “Analysis of U.S. Small-Mine Compliance Feasibility with Proposed New Respirable Dust Standards and Implications for Better Dust Control Methods.” The purpose of the lecture series is “to make available to the SME membership outstand-ing speakers for the Local Section meetings.” Each lecturer is expected to make at least three presentations to SME sections during 2012-2013.

Andrew Kleit, professor of energy and environmental economics, was the recipient of the 2012 Georgescu-Roegen Prize for his article, “Can Credence Advertising Effects be Isolated? Can They Be Negative?: Evidence from Pharma-ceuticals.” The Roegen Prize is awarded each year by the Southern Economic Association (SEA) to the author of the best academic article published in the Southern Economic Journal. Kleit received the award on November 17, 2012, at the SEA Annual Conference in New Orleans, LA.

Faculty News

EME welcomes new administrative staff members

In July, Sara Peterson began her new position as EME’s Indus-try Recruiting Coordinator and Special Events Assistant. She previously served as the adminis-trative support assistant to the

Penn State Miner Training Program. In her new role, Peterson manages and coordinates the department’s Corporate Recruiting Program; assists visitors with travel logistics and coordinates interview schedules with student participants; assists with promotion and administration of pro-grams, colloquium, seminars and events; and prepares, distributes, and collects vari-ous program surveys and compiles analysis of survey results to be included in ABET reports presented to the review board.

Megan Van Orden joined EME in August as the new ad-ministrative sup-port assistant to the Penn State Miner Train-ing Program. Van Orden is responsible for performing

administrative duties for the Miner Train-ing Program, which includes: scheduling training classes, maintaining the training calendar, and coordinating instructor’s schedules and company requirements; providing monthly, quarterly, mid-year, and year-end reports to the Bureau of Deep Mine Safety and the Mine Safety and Health Administration; and assisting with the planning and coordination of several seminars throughout the year.

Randy Vander Wal, professor of energy and mineral engineering and materials science and engineering, was awarded tenure and promotion to Associate Professor of Energy and Mineral Engineering. In addition, Vander Wal and Chung-Hsuan Huang, a doctoral student in the fuel science graduate option,

were part of the NASA Alternative Aviation Fuel Experi-ment Team who recently received their second NASA Group Achievement Award for “out-standing achievement in establishing the impact of hydro-treated renewable jet fuels on commer-cial aircraft engine performance and pollutant emissions.” Tasked with testing whether a biofuel made from chicken fat can be used as a viable jet fuel alternative, the team used a NASA DC-8 to conduct several studies with the biofuel, regular jet fuel, and a 50-50 blend of biofuel and jet fuel. The successful measurement of the biofuel’s effects on aircraft performance and gaseous and particulate emissions will assist both the U.S. military and the commercial airline industry in its assessment of alternative fuels for aviation use.

This year, Anto-nio Nieto, associ-ate professor of mining engineer-ing, spearheaded Penn State efforts to develop a multidisciplinary proposal in response to a call from the U.S. Department of Energy to form a Critical Materials Research Hub. Nieto also is part of a team that received a grant from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) to begin a new research project to develop battery safety guidelines for underground coal mine communications and personnel tracking equipment. In addition, Nieto received a grant from the U.S. Department of Defense to model supply criticality of rare-earths minerals to the United States, and he has traveled to Peru and Argen-tina to give two mining lectures to Hochschild Mining.

Connection 13

EME @ Your Service

Gas Flooding Joint Industry Project Holds Seventh Annual Meetingby Shea Winton, EMS Energy Institute

The Gas Flooding Joint Industry Project held its seventh annual meeting at the EMS Energy Institute from October 11-13, 2012. The meeting was organized by the EMS Energy Institute at Penn State in collaboration with the University of Texas at Austin.

The meeting had over 25 attendees including industry representa-tives from five member companies, Shell, OMV, British Petroleum, and Maersk as well as students and faculty from Penn State and the University of Texas at Austin. It included a software demonstration, 14 technical presentations, and tours of several Penn State laborato-ries. The project presentations drew lively industry feedback and many comments on the exceptional quality of the research. The meeting also provided an opportunity to students, faculty, and industry representa-tives to discuss research goals and future work.

The Gas Flooding Joint Industry Project generates innovative research in gas flooding and closely related areas, and recruits and trains graduate students in petroleum engineering for careers in the oil industry. The project is run by Russell Johns, professor of petroleum and natural gas engineering.

The majority of funding for the program comes from industry membership and, in order to ensure the research is highly relevant, the group encourages industry affiliates to provide topics and data for the research. The group’s research falls into several key areas, including gas flooding processes such as CO2 gas flooding and rich gas flood-ing, thermodynamics and phase behavior, geo-chemistry, petrophysical properties, and numerical simulation of gas floods.

Unconventional Natural Resources Consortium Holds Inaugural Meetingby Shea Winton, EMS Energy Institute

The Uncon-ventional Natu-ral Resources Consortium (UNRC) held its first indus-trial meeting on November 19 at the EMS Energy Institute. Representa-tives from five companies, including member companies Hess and Chevron, Shell, Rex Energy, and Baker Hughes, as well as Penn State faculty and students were in attendance.

The meeting included five technical presentations, software dem-onstrations, and tours of several Penn State laboratories. The meeting also provided an opportunity to hear feedback from the companies and to discuss potential future projects.

The UNRC is co-directed by Luis Ayala, associate professor, and Russell Johns, professor, petroleum and natural gas engineering. The consortium is a research effort between industry and academia to ana-lyze natural gas and oil reservoirs and production in unconventional plays. The main objective is to provide long-term support to cutting-edge research in the area of unconventional resources exploitation and development, and disseminate research results to UNRC members.

Panel discussion looks at connection between energy, security, and stability

The Penn State International Center for the Study of Terrorism recently held a public panel discussion on the topic of “Energy, Security, and Stability” on October 8, 2012. The John and Willie Leone Family Department of Energy and Mineral Engineering (EME) was one of the co-sponsors of the event.

Seated in the Paterno Library on the Penn State University Park campus, six expert panelists from universi-ties across the nation examined how energy policy and usage affects national and global security, prosperity, and sustainability. One of those panelists was EME’s Anastasia Shcherbakova, assistant profes-sor of energy economics, risk, and policy, who is the co-director of the Energy, Security, and Stability Research Initiative at Penn State.

“The concept of energy security, itself, is extremely ill-defined,” Shcherbakova said. “If you take energy security to mean we use energy in an efficient manner, not wastefully, and take into account some of the nega-tive externalities that can occur like climate change, then to me the biggest challenge [to energy security] is the lack of incentives for us to change our con-sumption behaviors.”

Noting that energy links nations, societies, and people across the world, much of the panel discussion centered on the concept of energy as a human security issue. While citing the need to expand utilization of cleaner energy sources, panelists also agreed there are difficult economic, political, and technological challenges to transitioning to a renewable energy future. In the short term, many suggested a good first step to improving the energy landscape is to educate consumers about more efficient energy usage.

Fidel Castro-Marcano, a doctoral student in energy and mineral engineering, recently was recognized at the 29th Annual International Pittsburgh Coal Conference from October 15-18, 2012. He received the honorable mention award in the best paper category for his paper, “ReaxFF Molecular Dynamics Pyrolysis Simulations of a

Large-Scale Model of Illinois no. 6 Coal Including the Role of Or-ganic Sulfur.” Co-authors of the paper included Castro-Marcano’s faculty advisor, Jonathan Mathews, assistant professor of energy and mineral engineering, and Adri van Duin, associate professor of mechanical engineering.

Student Voice

14 www.eme.psu.edu

Amanda (“Mandy”) Fuller, working wife and mother of one, resides in Lansing, MI. As an 18-year-old, she was accepted at the University of Hawaii, where she planned to study pre-medicine. However, Mandy abandoned the plan, realizing that a future in medi-cine was not her dream, in spite of the allure of a tropical paradise.

She set her focus on a political science curriculum at Lansing Com-munity College. “My interest in social science led to a nine-month work-study opportunity in Japan. I knew no Japanese, and knew noth-ing of their culture and customs. It was a personal growth experience; I learned to embrace a global perspective.”

Upon her return from studying abroad, Mandy decided to look for possible routes to a Bachelor of Arts degree. The obvious choice was Michigan State, but “they do not cater to adult learners,” so Mandy started the search for an online program that would offer the kind of flexibility she needed “in a marketable program that would interest me.”

She decided to look at programs at Big Ten universities, and found Penn State, EMS and ESP— Energy and Sustainability Policy—de-livered online by World Campus in collaboration with the John A. Dutton e-Education Institute and the John and Willie Leone Family Department of Energy and Mineral Engineering. “Here was some-thing I knew I would actually enjoy learning about and finding a career in.”

Mandy says she has been made to feel a part of EMS through her academic advisor, Brandi Robinson and senior lecturer, Vera Cole of the John A. Dutton e-Education Institute, who have been “so helpful with feedback and validation” of her hard work.

Mandy’s online education is inspired and fortified by a “wonderful support network”, led by her husband, Ryan. On Saturday, August 11,

2012, Mandy became the very first ESP graduate at Penn State. She even made the dean’s list, managing to balance her studies with raising a family.

An online program tailored for adult learners, ESP is an interdisci-plinary program, “preparing students for careers in the evolving policy sector of the energy and sustainability fields.” Entry to the program requires completion of two years of a bachelor’s or associate’s degree. ESP graduates gain knowledge of the global energy industry and sustainability practices, using analytical and communications skills.

With her degree in hand, Mandy plans to remain in her home state of Michigan and become part of the educational momentum in envi-ronmental sustainability and renewable energy. She might decide to work with a renewable energy company, and is especially keen on the development of wind energy. “I would like to see Michigan develop this viable resource.”

Had Mandy arrived in town early enough on commencement eve, we would have loved to give her a tour of the Ryan Family Student Center—where she could have logged on in our EMS-student-only computer lab. But most likely, Mandy would have passed by the PCs, opting to spend her time less “virtually”, meeting the people in her College home.

Meet Amanda Fuller: The first graduate of the Online Energy and Sustainability Policy degree programby Martha Traverse, EMS Ryan Family Student Center

Amanda Fuller (background) enjoys balancing work and life, as evidenced by stepdaughter Kathryn’s smile.

Ebrahim Farrokh and Ehsan Alavi Gharah-bagh, doctoral students in energy and mineral en-gineering, both were awarded $2,000 scholarships for papers submitted to the 2012 North Ameri-can Tunneling (NAT) Conference. Farrokh won for his paper titled, “TBM Down Time Analysis,” while Gharahbagh won for his paper titled, “Cut-terhead Wear Study for EPB TBMs in Glacial Soils.”

In addition to receiving scholarship funding, Farrokh and Gharahbagh also were invited to present their papers at the annual NAT confer-ence, held in Indianapolis, IN, from June 24-27, 2012.

Connection 15

Professional Societies

The Penn State Student Chapter of the So-ciety of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) recently was honored with a 2012 Gold Standard Student Chapter Award. The chapter received the award on October 7, 2012, during the SPE Annual Technical Conference and Exhi-bition in San Antonio, TX.

SPE presents the Gold Standard Award annually to student chapters that complete an admirable level of society activities and programs in a single academic year. The awards are based on ten categories, including: membership activities, planning activities, educational meetings, member participa-tion in professional events, service activities, member support, fundraising, extracurricular activities, a summary of significant contribu-tions and challenges of the chapter, and a complete financial statement.

Current student chapter officers are: Everardo Tapia (President), Shane Hollerich (Vice President), Matthew Hogle (Treasurer), Leyla Ramirez (Secretary), and Patrick Baer (Event Coordinator).

SPE Student Chapter receives Gold Standard AwardA team of Penn State students once

again headed to the Society of Petroleum Engineers’ Annual Technical Conference to compete in the 11th annual Petrobowl competition. This year’s event was held on October 8, in San Antonio, TX. Penn State sent a dream team of five petroleum and natural gas engineering students to the com-petition including graduate student Michael Connolly, and undergraduate students Shane Hollerich, Foha Rafiq, Leyla Ramirez, and Victor Torreabla. The team prepared for months in advance, studying everything from reservoir engineering to rheology of drilling fluids.

The competition began on the Monday morning of the conference. An enormous room overflowed with students and support-ers from universities all around the world. It was intimidating and exciting at the same time.

Penn State’s first round clash was against Universidade Federal Fluminense from Brazil. Penn State was able to win thanks to Foha’s great knowledge of oil industry history. She had been able to list several of the largest

Live from the 2012 Petrobowl

The John and Willie Leone Family Depart-ment of Energy and Mineral Engineering is now home to the new American Association of Drilling Engineers (AADE) Penn State student chapter.

The mission of the AADE is to offer a forum for the exchange of information on drilling-related topics. Penn State is the first university to have a student section sponsored by the AADE Appalachian Chapter. “The primary reason we started the AADE student section is to expose our student members to the drilling engineering aspect of the petro-leum industry,” said Cory Nguyen, president of the AADE Penn State Student Chapter. “With rising enrollment numbers in petro-leum and natural gas engineering, we believe this student section can provide students with additional opportunities to rise to leadership roles and obtain scholarships.”

In addition to Nguyen, current officers in-clude the following petroleum and natural gas engineering undergraduate students: Andro Soliman (Vice President), Matthew Farley (Treasurer), and Hope Meyers (Secretary).

Students organize new AADE Penn State Student Chapter

by Michael Connolly, M.S. Student in Energy and Mineral Engineering

special-ordered just for me.

Q: Do you have any Penn State honors, awards or experiences that you’d like to talk about?

A: I’ve been fortunate to receive a Bunton Waller Scholarship twice, as well as the Robert Stefanko Memorial Scholarship three times. I joined the Silent Praise MIME Ministry as a freshman in 2006, and this was one of the best decisions I have ever made. In Silent Praise, we utilize physical interpretation and movement in Christian worship, reaching out to every age group. The support and friendship from this wonderful fellowship has helped me endure the lows and celebrate the highs. I have also enjoyed playing IM Girls’ Basketball for Penn State since 2007. Basketball—there’s another passion. I played in high school and love it.

Q: What are your plans after receiving your degree this fall?

A: My personal goal is to participate in outreach projects, talking to high school students in inner city schools, encouraging them to work hard and not to take no for an answer.My career goal is to work in the industry and bring about a better public perception of what the mining industry is. I am also very interested in research in mining health and safety; I would love to earn a master’s degree someday.

Q: How would you rate the advising and mentoring assistance you have received in EMS over the years?

A: That’s easy. I would rate it a ten. I have been made to feel really comfortable by all the college’s advisors and faculty mentors. I have never been discouraged from seeking my dream. I have never felt judged as inadequate.

oil spills in history, earning the team a major bonus. In the second round Penn State took on Montana Tech, but narrowly lost.

Petrobowl was a great learning experience. All team members improved their knowledge of petroleum engineering, geology, economics, and oil industry trivia. This year’s team was also able to build a bank of several thousand questions for future Penn State Petrobowl teams. Preparation has already begun for next year’s competition in New Orleans, LA. Let’s hope next year is more successful!

Penn State Petrobowl Team (left to right): Leyla Ramirez, Michael Connolly, Victor Torreabla, Foha Rafiq, and Shane Hollerich.

Kimberly Grant Profile...Continued from page 3

16 www.eme.psu.edu

John and Willie Leone Family Department of Energy and Mineral EngineeringCollege of Earth and Mineral SciencesThe Pennsylvania State University110 Hosler BuildingUniversity Park, PA 16802Phone: (814) 865-3437

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