PRESENTATION TO THE MINING AND METALLURGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA

April 4, 2014Dr. Priscilla P. Nelson

Professor and Head of the Department of Mining Engineeringpnelson@mines.edu

Phase 1 - Geology Education‣Rochester - BS; Indiana - MS

Phase 2 – An Interlude‣ Peace Corps (Ecuador, Galapagos), Alaska Pipeline

Phase 3 – Engineering Education‣U. Oklahoma - MS; Cornell U. – PhD

Phase 4 – Underground Engineering in Texas‣ Professor, The University of Texas Austin‣ Big Projects – e.g., SSC, Yucca Mountain, DUSEL

Phase 5 – National Science Foundation Phase 6 – NJITPhase 7 –Colorado School of Mines

Overview of My Background

Overview of My Research

Pre-NSF‣Underground Construction and Design‣TBM project performance‣Geo-Engineering‣Applications of Geophysics

Research Funding Agencies‣ Batelle Memorial Institute‣ Texas Department of Transportation‣ College of Engineering‣ Federal Highway Administration‣ Fort Belvoir Research Center,

Department of the Army‣ Gas Research Institute‣ Los Angeles Metropolitan Water

District‣ National Science Foundation‣ Sandia National Laboratories‣ Shell Development Co., Bellaire

Research Center‣ SSC Laboratory‣ Texas Advanced Research Program‣ Texas Bureau of Econ. Geology

‣ Texas Low-Level Radioactive Waste Disposal Authority

‣ Texas National Research Laboratory Commission

‣ Texas Water Commission‣ Trinity Engineering Testing

Corporation‣ U. S. Bureau of Mines‣ U. S. Department of Energy‣ U. S. Geological Survey‣ University of Texas Bureau of

Engineering Research‣ University Research Institute

(University of Texas Austin)‣ Waterways Experiment Station, U.S.

Army Corps of Engineers‣ Woodward Clyde Consultants

Motivations for Becoming Head of a Department

‣The desire to be the good citizen taking a turn at an unenviable task1

‣The conviction that one can do something beneficial for the department and the industry‣The lure of personal growth on meeting new

challenges

1 Irene W.D/ Hecht, March 2006, “Becoming a Department Chair: To Be or Not To Be,” Effective Practices for Academic Leaders, Stylus, Vol. 1

A Vision for Mining Engineering at CSM

My motivation –I want the public and its servants to believe that Mining Engineering is the profession of choice for those who want to be leaders in sustainable development of earth resources.

Spring 2014 Mining BS 

Total Enrollment

Non‐Resident

FemaleUS 

Ethnic Minority

Int’l Fr So Jr Sr

118 44 20 17 7 17 18 38 45

A Vision for Mining Engineering at CSM

Total ThesisNon‐Thesis

Non‐Resident

FemaleUS Ethnic Minority

Int’l

MS 18 8 10 15 0 1 12

PhD 22 22 0 11 4 0 9

A Vision for Mining Engineering at CSM

Undergraduate Curriculum‣ Permeate coursework with sustainability, life

cycle engineering and design, social license‣ Expand computer laboratory capacity and

improve technology available for instruction‣ Increase co-op and internship opportunities‣Develop student cohort exchange programs;

initial discussions with TU Delft, German schools

A Vision for Mining Engineering at CSM

‣Undergraduate Students–Kids Books about Mining and Engineering –Creative Engineering Learning Resources -www.CELR.org

–Execute plan for recruitment and diversity–Grow student involvement in our minors‧ Underground Construction & Tunneling (UC&T)‧ Explosives Engineering‧ Sustainability and Earth Resources

A Vision for Mining Engineering at CSM

Continue to support our student organizations‣ Underground Construction Association (UCA) of SME‣ Society for Mining, Metallurgy and Exploration (SME)‣ Mine Rescue Team (CSM MRT)‣ International Society of Explosives Engineers (ISEE)‣ American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE)‣ International Intercollegiate Mining Games

A Vision for Mining Engineering at CSM

Graduate Curriculum‣Summer Field Courses:–Geologic and Excavation Engineering–Subsurface Energy Systems Engineering‣ Two graduate programs for both MS and PhD –Mining Engineering–Earth Systems Engineering‣GRIP (Graduate Research Internship Program)

and the Industry Internship Collaborative

A Vision for Mining Engineering at CSM

Engine for GRIP

I will work with industry to convince them that an MS degree is valuable.

But the degree must build knowledge of interest to industry –so industry will be asked to participate in identifying the skills to be developed in the program.

Preliminary discussions indicate the following course modules would be desired:‣ Advanced technology and analysis‣ Management and societal issues‣ Risk assessment‣ Sustainability, Life Cycle Engineering and Design, Environment

Win-Win-Win Analysis for GRIP

Wins CSM Students Industry/Gov’t

More great domestic students

Problems solved

Papers written

Classes taught

Connection to Industry

CSM will invite Industry/Government organizations to join the GRIP Collaborative 

GRIPGraduate Research Internship Program

‣ Before Semester Starts

‣ 1st Fall Semester

‣ January – August

‣ 2nd Fall Semester

‣ Preliminary Industry Interviews and MSHA‣ Coursework and Final

Industry Interviews‣ Internship (with Faculty

Associate)‣ Coursework and Internship

Report Presentation

Internships could be international, and students from other countries could remain in the US or return to their country for the internship

The total GRIP degree program would be 16 months long.

Underground Construction and Tunneling Program (UC&T)‣ Started in Fall 2012, initiated by Bruce Grewcock,

Kiewit Construction ‣ Joint venture of Mining Engineering with Civil

Engineering, Geology and Geological Engineering‣ Undergraduate Program– Internship opportunities and UC&T minor‣ Graduate Program– Internships during MS and PhD degrees

A Vision for Mining Engineering at CSM

Mining Research Centers‣ Western Mining Resource Center (WMRC) – general research

through the Mining Engineering Department‣ Excavation Engineering and Earth Mechanics Institute‣ Edgar Mine and Research Center‣ Explosives Engineering Research Institute, including the

Advanced Explosives Processing Research Group (AXPRO)‣ Center for Innovation in Earth Resources Science & Engineering

(CIERSE)‣ Mine Safety And Health Research Center (to include the Mine

Safety and Health Program, MSHP)‣ Center for Underground Construction & Tunneling (UC&T)

A Vision for Mining Engineering at CSM

International Activities‣Global Mining Engineering Education

Program‣Sister School Partners in Research‣Support Development of new Mining

Engineering programs World-wide– Partnership with USGS – Afghanistan– Nazarbayev University in Kazakhstan– Morocco - Mohamed 6th University– Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile

A Vision for Mining Engineering at CSM

Overall – challenges and ideas for early action

‣Grow the opportunities to broaden research and partnerships– Convene campus faculty forums on

interdisciplinary topics (e.g., sustainability, energy, water, urban and infrastructure)

– Establish and support Research Centers– Identify new possibilities for connections –

be entrepreneurial

‣Develop GRIP

‣ People–Complete the search for two new faculty members–Bring experienced industry people into a formal

association with CSM – Professors of Practice–Develop resources to support graduate students–Meet undergraduate and graduate student

recruitment goals– Industry Advisory Boards–Create visiting faculty (sabbatical and faculty in

residence in industry) positions that will increase connectivity

Overall – challenges and ideas for early action

0.0%

5.0%

10.0%

15.0%

20.0%

25.0%

30.0%

1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014

Percentage Women Students Enrolled at CSM

Total CSM Mining

23

And on Complexity and Exploration:“The capacity to tolerate complexity and welcome contradiction, not the need for simplicity and certainty, is the attribute of an explorer.”

Heinz R. Pagels, Perfect Symmetry

We need to recruit students who expect to be entrepreneurs,  stewards  and explorers

A Vision for Mining Engineering at CSM

‣ CSM will provide a stimulating environment for students, faculty, our partners and the public.‣ CSM will be a leader in advanced education (content,

mode, assessment)‣ CSM will value multiculturalism and intellectual

diversity.‣ CSM faculty will be a recognized global leader in

innovation and discovery of knowledge.‣ CSM will be effective in engaging collaborators and

partners in the industrial and governmental sectors.