July 2008

As chair of the Department of Materials and Metallurgical Engineering, Dr. Jon Kellar (MetE 84/MS MetE 86) has a lot to smile about.

In 2005, the department developed a plan to grow student enrollment. The result is 70 undergraduate students in the department, making the School of Mines the third largest supplier of metallurgical engineering graduates in the nation.

This growth in enrollment has gone hand-in-hand with other vital initiatives, namely attracting more women to the program, offering outreach programs to interest middle and high schoolers, and offering increasingly competitive scholarships to attract academically motivated students. This growth and vitality recently caught the attention of Terry Rasmussen (MetE 1991), who first suggested to Nucor the idea of a large endowment to the School of Mines. The Met Department’s growth will now be aided even more by a recent $1 million gift from Nucor.

The endowed gift will create the Nucor Endowed Professorship for Metallurgical and Steelmaking Technologies within the Materials and Metallurgical Engineering Department. The department currently has five full-time faculty positions, and one of those faculty members, Dr. Dana Medlin, will be the first Nucor Professor for the 2008-09 academic year.

Kellar and the rest of the metallurgical engineering faculty do not view this as simply a gift, but rather as the solidification of a “true partnership” with Nucor. Nucor's donation highlights a long-term relationship between the steel company and the School of Mines. Nucor has hired the university's metallurgical engineering graduates and supported the department for years.

While many professorships focus solely on research, the Nucor Professorship is put together differently. It will have a profound impact not only on curriculum and steelmaking research, but also on awareness of the industry and increased student recruitment. The Nucor Professorship will allow the Department of Metallurgical Engineering adequate resources to continue down the successful path it has found.

“The School of Mines is known for the good quality students it produces,” Kellar stated. “And continuing to produce good students is just what we have proposed to do. With the help of this professorship, we intend to keep a steady stream of metallurgical engineers graduating every year, and this will in turn benefit our industry partners like Nucor.”

“The result will be focused programs that will generate more interest in metallurgical engineering,” added Kellar. “And that in turn will allow for even more better trained metallurgical engineering graduates who will be able to better meet the needs of the steel industry.”

Kellar explained that the need for metallurgical engineers has recently boomed. “In the 90s, many big steel companies reduced in size, there was less demand for metallurgical engineers, and so fewer and fewer students entered metallurgy programs,” he said. “However, in the last five years, the world demand for steel has skyrocketed. Now we have a limited pool of metallurgical engineers and once again a huge demand.”

As one of only seven accredited metallurgical engineering programs in the United States, the School of Mines program teaches steel making and quality improvement with hands-on training.

“Compared to materials science programs at other universities, it is clear that the School of Mines is one of a very few metallurgy programs that has maintained faculty and curriculum which prepares and promotes graduates for careers in the steel industry,” Kellar added.

Annual support from the million-dollar endowment will enhance outreach efforts including Back in Black(smithing), Women in Metallurgy, coordination of Nucor-relevant senior design projects, field trips/visits to Nucor facilities. Funds from the professorship will also be used to support graduate and undergraduate students working with the named faculty, support travel, dues, professional enrichment and other necessary research and teaching expenditures.

In turn, Kellar and the other Met faculty (Dr. Stanley Howard, Dr. William Cross (MetE 84/MS MetE 86), Dr. Dana Medlin and Dr. Michael West) have set forth some new benchmarks. Within five years, they hope to further increase the number of undergraduates in the department, and they hope to offer at least half of the students in the department a “meaningful Nucor experience” prior to graduation by way of co-op, internship, field trip, or design project.

“It will be crucial for us to show Nucor what a positive and lasting impact this professorship has made at the School of Mines,” added Kellar. “By setting forth these benchmarks and then reaching them, we are hopeful that our partnership with Nucor can grow even more in the future.”

“On behalf of the entire university, I would like to thank Nucor for its generous gift,” said School of Mines President Charles Ruch. “We are fortunate to have a visionary partner such as Nucor to help support our mission to develop engineers and scientists that help our industries evolve and our nation respond to the unprecedented challenges facing today’s world.”

"Nucor understands the critical need to continually develop new technologies that support the steel industry's next generation of improvements in productivity and environmental performance," said Dan DiMicco, Nucor's Chairman, President and CEO. "Early adoption of breakthrough technologies and development of a cutting-edge work force are critical elements that have fueled our growth over the past 40 years. We are proud to announce this investment to support tomorrow's breakthroughs."

"Nucor has been a valued partner with the School of Mines for many years," Ruch added. "Nucor appreciates our unique commitment to providing a traditional metallurgical engineering program that produces future leaders for the steel industry."

Nucor and affiliates are manufacturers of steel products, with operating facilities primarily in the U.S. and Canada. Products produced include carbon and alloy steel - in bars, beams, sheet and plate; steel joists and joist girders; steel deck; fabricated concrete reinforcing steel; cold finished steel; steel fasteners; metal building systems; light gauge steel framing; steel grating and expanded metal; and wire and wire mesh. Nucor is also North America's largest recycler.

Nucor currently employs approximately 16 School of Mines alumni, and according to Kellar, there are currently five students completing summer internships at Nucor.

A formal presentation of the $1 million contribution will be scheduled for a future date. With this gift, Nucor joins a growing list of others to be named at the Co-Chair level for the Building the Dream campaign.

A new chapter in the history of the School of Mines began on July 1, 2008, as Dr. Robert A. Wharton became the 18^th president of the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology. Wharton assumed the presidency from Dr. Charles Ruch, who retired on June 30 after five years as president.

Wharton comes to the School of Mines from Idaho State University where he served as provost and vice president of academic affairs.

"I am extremely fortunate to assume the presidency from Dr. Charles Ruch, who has provided incredibly successful leadership over the past five years," Wharton said. Wharton looks forward to collaborating with the regents, administrative colleagues, faculty, staff, Foundation trustees, alumni, community, political and business leaders, legislators and other university stakeholders to "achieve academic excellence, enrich students' lives and ensure their success, substantially grow the research enterprise, create public value, and fulfill the school's exciting 21st century vision and its mission."

Wharton’s Ph.D. in botany is from Virginia Polytechnic Institute. He also holds a master’s degree in biology and a bachelor’s degree in botany from Humboldt State University in California.

Wharton is a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, The Explorers Club, and the Royal Geographic Society. He is a recipient of the United States Antarctic Service Medal, and he has served on the National Research Council's Polar Research Board. He has been actively involved in a number of community outreach and volunteer activities including Rotary International and service on the local boards of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, the Boy Scouts of America, the Greater Pocatello Chamber of Commerce, and the Bannock Development Corp.

President Wharton is married to Carolyn R. Fassi, a native of St. Louis, Missouri. Dr. Fassi has 20 years of experience working in health care administration at the federal, state, and local levels, in private industry and in academe as a faculty member. Her doctorate in public administration is from the University of Southern California, and she holds a master in public health degree from San Jose State University.

Dr. Charles Ruch arrived at the School of Mines in 2003 and since that time, he has been particularly proud of research and graduate education efforts at the School of Mines. The school has doubled the number of doctoral programs offered, and awards for research-related grants had increased significantly under his tenure. In addition, a new business incubator on the School of Mines campus has also created important links between higher education, economic development, and the Black Hills region.

“It has been a great five years because of the people, the community, and the opportunities,” Ruch said. “I have greatly enjoyed my time on campus and the quality of people that I have been privileged to work with, and I am confident that Dr. Wharton will do the same.”

Karen Braman (assistant professor, Mathematics and Computer Science) was recently selected for the Householder Symposium, an international gathering devoted to matrix computations and linear algebra. Candidates must go through an application process in order to be considered for the conference that is held only once every three years. Braman’s work on the QR algorithm using middle deflations was selected from the highly competitive list of applications. The symposium was held in Zeuthen, Germany, during the first week in June.

Roger Johnson (professor, Mathematics and Computer Science) recently had another of his articles published. The article, “Optimale Keno-Strategien und der zentrale Grenzwertsatz” (Optimal Keno Strategies and the Central Limit Theorem), was published in the journal Stochastik in der Schule.

Jennifer Karlin (assistant professor, Industrial Engineering) and Stu Kellogg (chair and Pietz Professor, Industrial Engineering) attended the Research in Engineering Education conference in Davos, Switzerland, on July 7-10, 2008. Participation at this conference is by invitation only. Karlin and Kellogg presented work on holistic learner development and collaborated with national and international researchers in engineering education.

Stu Kellogg was also acknowledged for a recent paper presentation. The paper, titled “Utilizing an Inverted Classroom Approach to Develop Complex Thinking Skills,” was recently honored with the Best Presentation Award at the Rocky Mountain Section of the American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) annual conference at Colorado State University, Pueblo. At this meeting, Kellogg was also elected President-Elect for 2008-2009. The Rocky Mountain Section covers western South Dakota, Wyoming, Colorado, and Utah. The 2010 ASEE annual conference will be hosted by the School of Mines.

Carter Kerk (professor, Industrial Engineering) and Jennifer Karlin were both extensively cited in the April 2008 issue of Material Handling Management for ongoing work in the safety and material handling arenas. The article can be found at http://ie.sdsmt.edu/news/MatrlHndlApr08.pdf

Kyle Riley (chair, Mathematics and Computer Science) was elected to the Board of Governors of the Mathematical Association of America (MAA). Riley will be the Governor for the Rocky Mountain section of the MAA and will represent the section at the National level.

The following, taken from the MAA website http://www.maa.org, lists a few of the duties of the Governor: “An MAA Governor is the primary representative of a Section or special constituency within MAA's governing hierarchy. In this capacity, each Governor provides a voice for a Section or special constituency of MAA. Governors hold fiduciary responsibilities for MAA operations. Each year the Governors review and approve the budget, debate and approve new MAA policies and changes to existing policies, and consider proposals for Section bylaw changes. They also debate and approve changes to MAA bylaws, which are then subject to modification and approval by a publicly called meeting of the Association. Further, the Governors oversee MAA's programs, including grants, publications, prizes, and awards programs.”

Darrell Sawyer (director, Career Center) has completed the Ed D. in Educational Administration-Adult in Higher Education from the University of South Dakota. He is a member of the first West River cohort for this program. His dissertation is titled “Career Benefits of Cooperative Education and Internships: Perceptions of Graduates from a Rural Midwest Engineering and Science Institution.”

John Weiss (professor, Mathematics and Computer Science) recently presented a paper at the 23rd International Conference on Computers and Their Applications (CATA-2008). His presentation involved research that resulted from his involvement in the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) competition. His paper, “Hierarchical Template Matching For Real-Time Symbol Detection,” was selected for the best paper award submitted to the conference.

The Western South Dakota Hydrology Conference was held on April 17, 2008, at the Rushmore Plaza Civic Center. The conference is held annually and has grown tremendously since its inception several years ago. This year, more than 340 persons attended.

The conference was co-sponsored by the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, the U.S. Geological Survey, the South Dakota Department of Environment and Natural Resources, the South Dakota Engineering Society, and the West Dakota Water Development District. Keynote speakers were Dr. John H. Marburger, III, the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy for President Bush, and Dr. Jose Alonso, Director of the Sanford Laboratory at Homestake.

Several School of Mines faculty members and students presented papers at the conference. They included: Arden Davis, Mickelson Professor, Geology and Geological Engineering; Thomas Fontaine, professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering; Scott Kenner, professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering; Alvis Lisenbee, professor, Geology and Geological Engineering; Todd Menkhaus, assistant professor, Chemical and Biological Engineering; James Munro, professor emeritus, Chemical Engineering; Perry H. Rahn, professor emeritus, Geology and Geological Engineering; Gurdeep Rastogi, research scientist, Chemical and Biological Engineering; Rajesh Sani, assistant professor, Chemical and Biological Engineering; Foster Sawyer, instructor, Geology and Geological Engineering; Larry Stetler, associate professor, Geology and Geological Engineering; James Stone, assistant professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering; and P.V. Sundareshwar, assistant professor, Atmospheric Sciences.

The afternoon of Monday, June 2, 2008, proved to be one of few without rain in an otherwise washout of a week and provided a great setting for golfers to get back into the swing of the workweek at the fourth annual School of Mines & Community Golf Tournament held to benefit scholarships at the School of Mines.

A record-setting 26 teams (104 golfers) comprised of both alumni and community supporters established a new level of participation at the tourney as they gathered at Arrowhead County Club in Rapid City to participate in the modified scramble. Representatives of several student teams were also present along with their vehicles and were scattered throughout the course visiting with golfers along the way.

At an evening banquet following the tournament, golfers enjoyed a buffet dinner while prizes were awarded for top finishers in three different flights. Although no one walked away with any of the hole-in-one prizes (which included a Harley Davidson motorcycle, a spa, a seven-day cruise, a set of Callaway irons, an Arrowhead Pro Shop gift certificate, and a year’s tuition and fees at the School of Mines), pin prizes and raffle drawings helped many golfers, no matter of their golf skills, walk away as winners. In addition, three lucky golfers split $1,000 as winners of the putting challenge. Putting challenge winners were Harry Orville, Joe Rowland, and Jack Lynass.

The real winners, however, were the students at the School of Mines. Proceeds from the tournament totaled an estimated $17,000 and will benefit both academic and athletic scholarships.

Rod Pappel (ME 77), president of the SDSM&T Foundation, stated, “We are overwhelmed by the tremendous response, both in the number of players and in the community sponsorships. This support will make a difference in the lives of many students.”

Sponsors include Gold: Black Hills Corporation; Harold and Laura Orville; and SDSM&T’s President’s Office; Silver: Aramark; Black Hills Area Community Foundation; Lynn, Jackson, Shultz & Lebrun, P.C.; Paul Smith; U.S. Bank; and Tom and Sharon Warner; Bronze: Brink Constructors, Inc.; Halberstadt’s Men’s Clothiers; Hardrock Marketing, LLC; Hills Materials Company; Ketel Thorstenson, LLP; Bob and Becky Miesen; Rapid City Journal; Rogers & Miller Wealth Consultants@UBS; Rosenbaum’s Signs; Dave Schmidt Insurance Agency, Inc.; SymCom Inc.; and Western Dakota Insurors; Prizes: AAA South Dakota; Berendse & Sons Paint Company; Black Hills Gold by Coleman; Canyon Lake Resort; Scott Carlson State Farm Insurance; Casey Peterson & Associates, Ltd.; Eagle Sales of the Black Hills; Elks Golf Course; First Gold Hotel & Gaming; Fountain Springs Golf Course; Hardrock Club; Hart Ranch Golf Course; Meadowbrook Golf Course; Ryan Messick; Michael’s Mens Wear; Montana Dakota Utilities; Radisson Hotel; Rapid City Area Chamber of Commerce; SDSM&T Bookstore.

Winning teams were: Division I: 1^st Gross: Eric Farrar, Rod Cowling, Gene Reiling, and Tom Farrar; 1^st Net: Tom Mahon, Robert Morcom, Hugh Welsh, and Chris Heiser; 2^nd Net: Lynn Kading, Brogan Pappel, Kevin Phillips, and Josh Pappel; Division II: 1^st Gross: Tom Morrison, Tom Rudebusch, Ryan Cadwallader, and Steve Johnson; 1^st Net: Lonny Messick, Rick Wass, Eric Glenn, and Jerry Dahlgren; 2^nd Net: Wes Mendenhall, Quentin Patterson, Robert Klug, and Ed Corwin; Division III: 1^st Gross: Duane Brink, Randy Brink, Jay Brink, and Doug Brink; 1^st Net: Kathy Cline; Laura Orville; Pat Steinman, and Bettie Erickson; 2^nd Net: Barb Felderman, Vicky Steelman, Lisa Steever, and Val Olney.

The School of Mines campus campaign has become as much of a spring tradition as budding trees and Rapid City April snowstorms. This year was no different as the campus campaign, which calls upon faculty and staff to contribute to Tech Challenge Scholarships and other campus needs, was a huge success.

At the beginning of the campaign, the goal was 50% faculty and staff participation. At the end of the campaign, that 50% goal was not only met, but surpassed with 53% of the campus participating. Since then, even more faculty and staff have signed on with a total of 55% participating during this fiscal year.

The campaign was kicked off by a campus-wide email from President Charles Ruch who reminded faculty and staff, “Our campus campaign is a way for each of us to show our support of the School of Mines by making a financial commitment to the university through the Foundation.”

To help entice individuals to participate in the campus campaign, the SDSM&T Foundation offered a variety of prizes that had been donated by local businesses. Every person who contributed had his or her name in a drawing for a variety of prizes including car washes, movie passes, gift certificates for restaurants, and even cash. Prize sponsors included Applebee’s Neighborhood Bar and Grill, Scott Carlson State Farm Agency, Elks Theatre, Firehouse Brewing Company, Graffitti’s Car Wash, Ruby Tuesday, and Tech Bookstore.

As an extra reward for the efforts of faculty and staff, a celebration was held on April 16, 2008, in the School of Mines Faculty Lounge. The entertainment was provided by Elvis tribute artist and School of Mines employee Dan Hodack (senior secretary, Admissions) who performed many favorite Elvis songs including Viva Las Vegas, Stuck on You, and Little Sister.

The Tech Challenge, a scholarship program initiated in 2002 to recruit and retain the very best students at South Dakota Tech, is currently a two-year scholarship offered to incoming freshmen based on ACT and class rank. The goal is to offer four-year scholarship support to incoming freshmen.

Sandia Corp. President Addresses Graduates

The South Dakota School of Mines and Technology held its 157^th commencement on May 10, 2008, at the Rushmore Plaza Civic Center Arena.

More than 200 graduates received associate’s, bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degrees. In addition, 25 alumni from the class of 1958 attended the ceremony and received certificates commemorating their graduation, and Jerry Brown (CE 65/MS CE 70) received the Guy E. March Medal (see related stories).

Firas Khoury (EE 08) and Wes Snaza (ME 08) represented the senior class as student speakers, and Dr. Thomas O. Hunter, president of Sandia Corporation and director of Sandia National Laboratories, delivered the commencement address.

Firas Khoury, originally from Nazareth, Israel, received a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering.

He immigrated in December of 1999 and joined the United States Air Force in May of 2000. While serving in the Air Force, Khoury was honored by achieving the Air Force Commendation Medal and the Air Force Achievement Medal. In 2005, he also assisted his family in launching Khoury’s Mediterranean Cuisine in Rapid City.

While attending the School of Mines, Khoury was involved in International Student Ministry, Eta Kappa Nu Association, and Tau Beta Pi Honor Society. In addition, he was awarded a 2007 Summer Undergraduate Internship funded by the National Science Foundation through the South Dakota Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR). His extraordinary work ethics and dedication resulted in the writing of a paper, “Ultra-Wideband (UWB) Hairpin-Comb Filters with Broad Stopband Performances,” which was accepted and presented in the 2008 IEEE Radio and Wireless Symposium in Orlando, Florida.

Khoury received several honors and awards during his time at the School of Mines including the Outstanding Electrical Engineering Senior in 2008, Tau Beta Pi Scholarship, Robert and Corinne Ferris Scholarship, Maurice L. Cleland Scholarship, Peter Stephans Scholarship, and placed on the Dean’s List.

In 2006, Khoury switched to serving the United States Navy and has been accepted into the Navy’s Nuclear Propulsion Officer Program. He will be heading to Newport, Rhode Island, for the Navy Officer Candidate School. He will marry Nicole Feaver in November, and then they will travel to Charleston, South Carolina, for Nuclear Power School.

Wes Snaza, raised on a dairy farm near Webster, South Dakota, earned his bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering.

While attending the School of Mines, Snaza has participated in multiple student activities outside the classroom including Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE), Formula SAE (FSAE), Center of Excellence for Advanced Manufacturing and Production (CAMP), Connolly Hall resident assistant, Mechanical Engineering Student Advisory Board, Student Ambassador, Student Orientation Leader, Phi Eta Sigma Honor Society, and Tau Beta Pi Honor Society.

Snaza served as treasurer for SAE and held multiple leadership positions within FSAE including sponsorship coordinator, project manager, and engineering lead of the sixth place 2007 team. He was honored as an outstanding student organization member and inducted into the Student Leadership Hall of Fame for his work as a team member of FSAE and mentoring within CAMP.

Snaza has work experience as an engineering intern with Caterpillar Inc. and as a manufacturing specialist with the Tech Development Lab. He has accepted employment with Terex Utilities in Watertown, South Dakota, as a design engineer.

Dr. Thomas O. Hunter currently serves as president of Sandia Corporation, a Lockheed Martin Company, and director of Sandia National Laboratories. Sandia Corporation manages Sandia National Laboratories, with principal sites in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and Livermore, California, for the United States Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration. Hunter joined Sandia in 1967 and became president in April 2005. His responsibilities include managing the Laboratories’ $2.2 billion annual budget and approximately 8,400 employees.

Before assuming his role as president, Hunter served as senior vice president for defense programs at the Laboratories. From October 1995 to March 1999, Hunter served as vice president of Sandia’s California Laboratory. Earlier in his Sandia career, he was director of the Energy and Environment Program Center, where he coordinated Sandia’s activities in energy development and environmental quality and emphasized international energy and environmental development and supporting information systems. Hunter led Sandia and the United States Department of Energy laboratory programs to establish cooperative research and development programs in the former Soviet Union to support nuclear proliferation.

Hunter has also been Sandia’s director of Nuclear Waste Management and Transportation, manager of the Yucca Mountain Project, and leader of the R&D program for the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant. His responsibilities have included developing advanced technology for underground nuclear weapons testing, reactor safety programs, and fusion engineering.

Hunter is a member of a number of professional and educational boards, and he has served as a guest lecturer at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology on nuclear waste management and as an adjunct professor at the University of New Mexico. He is the author of numerous technical papers and presentations, and he is a recipient of the 2007 New Mexico Distinguished Public Service Award.

Hunter earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Florida, master’s degrees from the University of New Mexico and University of Wisconsin, and a Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin. He has been recognized as a distinguished alumnus by both the University of Florida and the University of Wisconsin.

This year’s recipient of the Guy E. March Silver Medal was Jerrold L. Brown (CE 65/MS CE 70). The March Medal, established in 1975, is presented annually at spring commencement to a SDSM&T graduate in recognition of his or her outstanding service to students, faculty, staff, and alumni.

Hailing from Huron, South Dakota, Jerrold L. Brown enrolled at the School of Mines in the fall of 1961. After graduating in 1965 with a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering, Brown was commissioned as second lieutenant in the United States Army Corps of Engineers. In 1966, he entered the United States Army where he graduated from Army Paratrooper School at Fort Benning, Georgia. Brown served at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, and went to South Vietnam in 1967. He served with the 87^th Engineer Battalion (Construction) as a platoon leader and company commander. He was awarded the Bronze Star, the Vietnamese Service Ribbon, and the Vietnam Campaign Ribbon.

In the fall of 1968, Brown entered graduate school and earned a master’s degree in civil engineering in 1970. He began working for Birdsall Sand & Gravel Co. in Rapid City in September 1969. In 1981 he became president and chief executive officer of the company. Brown retired as vice president and general manager for Pete Lien & Sons. A registered professional engineer in South Dakota, Brown won the 2001 South Dakota Engineering Society’s Engineer of the Year Award.

Brown is past president and board member of the South Dakota Ready-Mixed Concrete Association and the Western South Dakota Traffic Bureau. He served as a board member, executive vice president, and president of the SDSM&T Alumni Association; president of the Triangle Fraternity Alumni Association; and was named one of the School of Mines’ Centennial 100 in 1985. He also served as treasurer and board member of the Rapid City YMCA.

Brown has remained in close contact with the School of Mines, especially through the Civil Engineering Department, and has provided technical assistance, financial assistance, and concreting materials for numerous research, department, and student projects. Recently, the Black Hills Branch of ASCE recognized him as an ASCE Life Member. Brown also continues to be an active participant with the Alumni Association through board meetings, as a past president, and by attending annual events.

As many of the previous Guy E. March Medal recipients, Brown remembers both Guy and Gail March fondly. He spent many memorable times with them at campus events through the Alumni Association Board and with countless student activities. Brown’s lifelong commitment to the School of Mines’ students, faculty, staff, and alumni is an exemplary embodiment of Guy March and the legacy he established.

A half century after graduation from the School of Mines, 35 members of the Class of 1958 returned to campus in May to celebrate their 50-year class reunion and to participate in three days of activities hosted by the Alumni Association, the Foundation, and the campus community. Festivities included a Thursday-evening welcome social followed by a reunion breakfast, campus update and tours, reunion lunch, and evening banquet on Friday. On Saturday, some of the members of the Class of 1958 also attended SDSM&T’s 157th commencement ceremony as honored guests and received 50-Year Graduate Certificates.

The 1958 alumni in attendance included: Jim Adams (ChemE) Kerrville, TX; Alva (Tad) Addy (ME) Spearfish, SD; Don Almen (GenE) Albany, OR; Dick Berg (CE) Littleton, CO; Darral Brooks (CE) Philip, SD; John Burggraff (ME) Vashon, WA; Bob Davee (ChemE) Florence, OR; Jim Emch (GenE) Redmond, WA; Jim Erickson (CE) Palo Alto, CA; George Garlick (EE) Richland, WA; Melvin Glerup (GeolE) Highlands Ranch, CO; Dick Iltis (GenE) Salem, OR; Jim Joyce (EE) Custer, SD; Bob Kelley (CE) Rapid City, SD; Roger Kiel (GenE) Sedona, AZ; Everett Kjerulff (EE) Redmond, WA; Fred Klawiter (ChemE) Buchanan, MI; Larry Kloiber (CE) (U of M) Minneapolis, MN; Les Larson (CE) Rapid City, SD; Errol Matzke (Math) West Hartford, CT; Wes Mendenhall (CE) Rapid City, SD; Harold Nelson (GenE) Gilbert, AZ; Neil Nerison (ME) Sioux Falls, SD; Lanny Outlaw (GenE) Hill City, SD; Gene Poch (CE) Cheyenne, WY; Lloyd Potter (GeolE) Pierre, SD; Tom Ranney (ME) Spearfish, SD; Bill Reinsmith (ME) West Hartford, CT; Gil Rennhack (MinE) Camden, SC; Dave Seefeldt (GeolE) Rapid City, SD; Ernie Sundstrom (ME) Traverse City, MI; Dick Todd (ME) Rapid City, SD; Stuart Ulfers (EE) Annandale, MN; Jan Waage (ME) Norway; Richard Warder (ME) Memphis, TN; and Wayne Wilcox (GenE) Arlington, VA.

Eleven South Dakota School of Mines and Technology students have been named Tau Beta Pi Scholars for the 2008-2009 academic year. Each student will receive a $2,000 scholarship.

The students are Benjamin Bangasser (CBE, New Hope, Minnesota); Andrew Brosnahan (ME, Lead); Cody Fredricksen (CBE, Rock Springs, Wyoming); Tom Fryslie (EE, Rapid City); Joshua Hammell (ME, Evansville, Wyoming); Shane Heier (EE, Sioux Falls); Amery Kuhl (ME, Worthington, Minnesota); Lisa Rebenitsch (CSci, Bismarck, North Dakota); Alexander Schmidt (EE, Rapid City); Kajda Stevens (CBE, Benson, Minnesota); and Brady Wiesner (CE, Watertown).

In addition, one student, Travis Walker (CBE, Winner), has been named as a Tau Beta Pi Fellow for 2008-2009 and will receive $10,000. Walker will begin classes for his Ph.D. at Stanford in the fall.

“This is an outstanding achievement for these students and for our university,” School of Mines President Dr. Charles Ruch said.

Larry Simonson (EE 69/assistant dean, College of Engineering) is the School of Mines Tau Beta Pi advisor, and he is also serving a four-year term as president of Tau Beta Pi.

Simonson stated that for the 2008-09 academic year, there were 234 Tau Beta Chapters nationwide, and there were 145 Tau Beta Pi Scholarships available. “Eleven Tau Beta Pi Scholars came from the School of Mines – when you look at the statistics, this is an incredible number,” said Simonson. “This is just another indication that our students are truly outstanding when competing on a national level.”

All Tau Beta Pi Scholarships are awarded on the competitive criteria of high scholarship, campus leadership and service, and promise of future contributions to the engineering profession. All scholars are members of Tau Beta Pi, the engineering honor society.

Tau Beta Pi is the only engineering honor society representing the entire engineering profession. It is the nation's second-oldest honor society, founded at Lehigh University in 1885 to recognize students of distinguished scholarship and exemplary character. There are now collegiate chapters at 234 U.S. colleges and universities, active alumnus chapters in 16 districts across the country, and a total initiated membership of 498,771.

SDSM&T’s 57^th Annual Honors Convocation and Luncheon was held on April 1, 2008, in the Surbeck Student Center Ballroom. The convocation is held annually to recognize the outstanding achievements of SDSM&T’s students, colleagues, and friends.

This year, 123 students, faculty, staff, and friends were honored for their academic and leadership achievements as well as their contributions to the campus and the community.

The Mines Award for Outstanding Public Service was given to Stacy Phelps (ME 96).

Phelps graduated from the School of Mines in 1996 with a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering, and he earned a master’s degree in computer educational technology from Dakota State University in 2003. He has been on the faculty of Oglala Lakota College since 1996 where he currently serves as the chair of the Math and Science Department, and he is also the program coordinator for the South Dakota GEAR UP Program that operates on the School of Mines campus for six weeks each summer and is in its 16^th year.

Phelps has received or managed over $25 million in grants during his career. He has helped develop an education consortium of more than twenty-six K-12 American Indian-serving schools and Tribal colleges in South Dakota, North Dakota, and Nebraska that focuses on creating better educational environments for American Indian students.

Phelps is a driving force among the nation’s Tribal Colleges in comprehensive efforts aimed at increasing the number of American Indians participating in science, technology, engineering, and math areas. In 2003, the School of Mines Alumni Association also honored Phelps as an Outstanding Recent Graduate.

The Mines Awards for Outstanding Teaching were presented to: Rod Anderson, who teaches chemistry, biology, and human physiology at Bennett County High School in Martin; Mike Baker, who teaches geometry, math analysis, and pre-calculus at Akron-Westfield High School in Akron, Iowa; David Blank, who teaches computer courses at Wabasso Public School in Wabasso, Minnesota; Lyle Harris, who teaches physical science, biology, chemistry, anatomy, and physics at Rapid City Christian in Rapid City; Jensi Kellogg Andrus, who teaches freshman and advanced placement biology at Watertown High School in Watertown and anatomy at Lake Area Technical Institute; Mary Jensen, who teaches Physics at Stevens High School in Rapid City; Kim Meerdink, who teaches chemistry and physics at Akron-Westfield High School in Akron, Iowa; and Dale Nelson, who teaches high school and fifth grade band at Hills High School in Luvurne, Minnesota.

Benard Ennenga was born and raised in Rapid City, South Dakota. After serving in the U.S. Navy during World War II, he attended SDSM&T and received a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering in 1949. Ben and his wife, Susan, moved to Bozeman, Montana, where he received his master’s degree in chemical engineering. They moved to Casper, Wyoming, where he began his long career with Amoco Oil Company. He retired from Amoco in 1985 and passed away in October 1997.

The Ennengas established the Benard A. Ennenga Faculty Award to recognize excellence in teaching and motivating students. This year’s recipient was Dr. Scott Kenner (CE 77), professor and chair, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering.

Kenner is best described as a professor who leads by example in the classroom and in the field. His ability to communicate and motivate students to apply the principals of engineering and science is an inspiration to all. The professionalism he exemplifies is one that many of his students and colleagues look up to.

As an advisor, Kenner respects his students and pushes them to explore new ideas. He motivates students to go past their comfort zone and think outside of the box. A weekly “project meeting” is only one way Kenner insists on being a major part of a student’s development as a researcher and engineer. The dedication and enthusiasm he has for his research projects is especially contagious.

The Dick Kitchen Memorial Award was established by Gail H. March and Bruce R. Johnsen in honor Dick Kitchen. Johnsen is a 1959 civil engineering graduate of SDSM&T. A remarkable number of students received moral support, friendship, and encouragement from Dick Kitchen who served as public relations director at Tech from 1954 through 1961.

The award was established to recognize a non-faculty staff member at SDSM&T who has demonstrated excellence by encouraging students to complete their education at SDSM&T. This year’s recipient was Ellen Haffner, secretary, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering.

Haffner has been instrumental in assisting students that come through her department. She not only helps them with normal issues such as scheduling and paperwork, but she also takes time to organize fun activities for students like Halloween snack events and more. Her smiling face and bright attitude help students feel important and comfortable.

Her dedication to the university and her special caring for students epitomizes the qualities and values represented in this award. Haffner is truly a friend to all students at the School of Mines and is a worthy recipient of the Dick Kitchen Memorial Award.

Virginia Simpson was a Rapid City resident, a long-time supporter of Tech, and an active member of the community. In addition to her community involvement, she volunteered for the SDSM&T Foundation, serving eight years as a trustee and four years as a member of the board. Simpson passed away in 2002.

The Virginia Simpson Award was established by Simpson to help support and encourage new or continued involvement of SDSM&T faculty or staff in the Rapid City community through participation in community activities, social services, or volunteer services. This year’s recipient was Vi Stoltz, senior secretary in the Office of Academic Affairs.

During her 20 years at the School of Mines, Stoltz has almost single-handedly coordinated the events for the School of Mines annual celebration of National Engineer’s Week. This year, more than 1,300 students from regional middle and high school students came to campus to participate in events. Stoltz’s role as coordinator has been crucial to the continued success of this event and the impact it has on the university.

As a member of the Board of Directors for the Faculty/Staff Lounge, Stoltz’s tireless efforts have kept the lounge operating. She has invited a number of organizations, including the Women in Science and Engineering Program and the Norbeck Society, to use the lounge, bringing members of the community together on campus.

The Jim and Connie Green CAMP Faculty award was established by Jim (ME 73) and Connie Green in order to recognize a faculty member’s support of student projects involved in the Center of Excellence for Advanced Manufacturing and Production (CAMP).

In Jim’s 30-year-plus career at Caterpillar, he has maintained a close association with the School of Mines, even championing funding for the Caterpillar Student Excellence Center, an addition to the Mechanical Engineering Building to provide lab space for student projects.

This award provides support to a School of Mines faculty advisor of any major student project that is competing at the national level and involves mechanical engineering students. This year’s recipient is Dr. Dan Dolan, professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering.

Dr. Dan Dolan is co-director and founder of CAMP at the School of Mines. His teaching style and interaction with the students has brought national recognition to the School of Mines through CAMP with the prestigious Boeing Outstanding Higher Educational award. Dolan’s success in promoting project-based, team-oriented learning in the classroom and laboratory has been an inspiration to his colleagues across campus. He gives tirelessly of his time to students and faculty alike who are engaged in CAMP projects.

The Presidential Award for Outstanding Professor was established to recognize a fulltime faculty member who has demonstrated a sustained record of outstanding overall accomplishments at SDSM&T. This year’s recipient was Dr. Wayne Krause (ME 69).

Krause began his academic career at the School of Mines in 1970. In the nearly 35 years since, he has demonstrated a strong and sustained commitment to his students, his discipline, his university, and his community.

During his tenure as chair of the Mechanical Engineering Department, Krause was instrumental in establishing the new Industrial Engineering Program within the department. His work with Dan Dolan and the late William Hughes set forth a new path for the department towards an emphasis on manufacturing.

Over his academic career in the Mechanical Engineering Department, Krause has taught courses in all three disciplinary stems including thermal science, controls, and mechanics. In fact, Krause has taught more interdisciplinary courses in the department than any other faculty, present or past, with the possible exception of the late professor William Groves. His broad engineering knowledge and his ability to step up and teach courses over such a broad spectrum is quite remarkable and puts him into a special class of faculty.

His ability and performance would be admirable based on these stated merits alone, but he also has the admiration of his students and his colleagues and continues to receive among the highest student opinion surveys in the department. His students have gone on to become principal engineers in industry and several are academic leaders at prestigious universities.

Krause’s demonstrated and sustained service to this institution has been evident throughout his career at the School of Mines.

Rollin Wagner’s (MetE 58) artwork was recently featured at the School of Mines Apex Gallery. The exhibit, Landscape Inspired Geometric Abstractions: An Exhibition of Collage and Constructions, was open from May 14 until June 25, 2008.

Wagner’s work is derived primarily from pencil and watercolor studies done at locations in the Black Hills. The wood reliefs reflect the vertical solitude of pine and aspen stands by arranging monochromatic rectangular elements to establish subtle patterns of light and shadow. The reliefs are constructed from common wood lath that was cut, stained, and mounted on hardboard panels.

The paper collages convey a sense of place and season while intuitively exploring formal relationships between visual art elements such as color, value and division of space. The collages are made from acrylic stained Japanese paper adhered to gessoed hardboard.

Wagner, who now lives and works in Spearfish, graduated from the School of Mines with a bachelor’s degree in metallurgical engineering in 1958. His engineering career began in Detroit where he worked at Chrysler Corporation’s Missile Division. He then joined NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, where he served as Chief of the Metallurgical Analysis Section. He completed his professional career at 3M Company in St. Paul, Minnesota, where he supervised mechanical and chemical manufacturing process research groups. He retired from 3M as a laboratory operations manager.

Throughout his adult life, Wagner has pursued an avocation in visual art making. He earned a bachelor of fine arts degree in studio art from the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis.

The summer honors program, previously known as SKILL and NASA Honors, is back on the School of Mines campus for the 16^th consecutive summer. The program, now known as the South Dakota GEAR UP Honors Program, is bigger than ever before and extends from June 1 through July 11.

The purpose of the GEAR UP program is to prepare Native American students to be successful in the college setting, and it boasts some very impressive statistics. Of those students who graduate from the program, virtually 100% also graduate from high school, 85% attend college, and 7% enter the military.

School of Mines alum Stacy Phelps (ME 96) is serving as program coordinator and has been involved in this program since its inception. Phelps was awarded the Mines Award for Outstanding Public Service in 2008 and was honored as an Outstanding Recent Graduate in 2003. This year, the program attracted over 220 freshmen through seniors and several college students who are living in the residence halls, eating meals at the Surbeck Student Center, and attending classes on campus.

Approximately two-thirds of the students are female, about 85% are Native Americans, and most would be first-generation college students. In addition, there were 25 staff members, many of whom are graduates of the program.

The curriculum for the six-week program includes math, science (earth science, biology, chemistry or physics), English, computers, and life skills along with some special initiatives including a science fair, academic Olympics, SEMAA (Science, Engineering, Mathematics, and Aerospace Academy), diabetes prevention, health and financial literacy, and a daily career seminar. The curriculum is further enriched with field trips, recreation and sports, college visitation, and cultural activities.

Much of the funding for the program comes from a federal GEAR UP grant through the State of South Dakota Department of Education, and it is operated in partnership with the Oceti Sakowin Education Consortium and 24 partner schools across South Dakota. Students, who represent all nine tribes in South Dakota, must apply to enter the program, and they are selected based on academic achievement and teacher recommendations. A middle school component allowed sixth through eighth graders and their parents to visit for a few days to tour campus and learn about the available programs.

In addition to hosting the program on campus, the School of Mines interacts with the GEAR UP program in other ways as well. Faculty, staff, researchers, and administrators offer a daily seminar on career exploration, mini-courses on a wide variety of topics are taught to interested students with a hands-on, engaging approach, and tours of the many labs across the campus are provided.

Phelps stated, “Our goal is to help the students and their families prepare for and understand what post-secondary opportunities are available. For students who wish to pursue engineering and science-based careers, the School of Mines offers excellent faculty, facilities, and a quality educational experience.”

Last summer, Connie Giroux (AA GenStud 01, BS Chem 02, MS TM 07) completed a prestigious internship at the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, California. Now, Giroux has completed her master’s degree and is weighing her options with the possibility of returning to California to work at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.

Giroux’s internship was in the Mission Assurance Office at JPL. The work she conducted included assessing the identified risks for the Mars Science Laboratory Project and the Aquarius Project as well as reviewing the risk management plans for each of these projects. Giroux also reviewed the risk management plans for the EMOS Project and attended risk management meetings for all three projects.

The goal of the internship was to help assess the effectiveness of the risk management process in understanding and mitigating problems, concerns, and risks. Comparison of the observed effective measures will be used to develop recommendations for uniform implementation standards for risk management across all of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory processes.

According to Giroux, during the time of her internship, she was a graduate student working on completing the master’s program in technology management. “My area of focus with this degree was in occupational safety and safety management, and I was able to use the work completed at JPL to obtain experience in a field that was related to my field of study as well as for my technology management project requirement,” she added.

Giroux’s internship was made possible through the supportive measures of the South Dakota Space Grant Consortium, EPSCoR, and JPL. “This internship at JPL was a very positive and educational experience, and I am very grateful to have been given this opportunity,” said Giroux.

“Connie was always an awesome student to work with, and we are all so proud of her achievements,” stated Carter Kerk, professor, Industrial Engineering, who served as Giroux’s graduate advisor. “In addition, her ongoing accomplishments make her a great role model for other Native American students. Connie has shown by working on a Mars Rover that even the sky is no limit.” Giroux is an enrolled member of the Rosebud Sioux Tribe.

Ben Bangasser, a senior in the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, recently won the Harry West Student Paper Award Competition for 2008. This award, presented by the Fuels and Petrochemicals Division of American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE), is awarded annually to the student who submits the best paper on any subject relevant to fuels, petrochemicals, or safety. The award is given in memory of the many technical and professional contributions of the late Dr. Harry West.

For winning the award, Bangasser received a plaque, an honorarium of $1,000, and expenses to cover air flight and overnight accommodations to attend the Fuels and Petrochemicals Division Awards Luncheon on April 7, 2008, at the AIChE Spring National Meeting in New Orleans where he received the award.

Bangasser’s winning paper is entitled “Reversible Hydrogen Storage Properties of Titanium Catalyzed Lithium Borohydride and Aluminum.”

CULTURAL EXPO 2008 -- Celebrating Our Cultural and International Diversity, held at the School of Mines Surbeck Center Ballroom, was hosted by groups from the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, National American University, and the community on March 27 and 29, 2008.

This annual multicultural festival celebrates the rich cultural diversity that exists in the Black Hills Community and allows students and community members the opportunity to share their cultures. National American University and the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, along with a number of community groups, work jointly to encourage multicultural activities which promote friendship and cultural exchange between people of different countries and cultures.

Cultural groups from the community were encouraged to participate in this annual event, sponsored by international students, faculty, staff, the Student Association at the School of Mines, National American University, International Students Inc., the Ivanhoe International Center, South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, Coca Cola, the Great Wall Restaurant, and Black Hills Corporation.

The first day of the Expo, Thursday, March 27, was geared toward area schools and included educational exercises for the students. Then on Saturday, March 29, the public was invited to attend the Expo. Cultural displays from around the world and the United States were exhibited both days. On Saturday, those at the Expo could sample foods from other cultures and were also treated to cultural entertainment, music, dancing, and singing.

Suzi Aadland, director of the Ivanhoe Center, stated that the Expo has grown in popularity each year since its beginnings, which date at least back to the 1970s and possibly earlier. Aadland is not certain exactly when it started, but she has heard from alumni that they were having similar events in the 1970s. If anyone knows of celebrations going farther back, Aadland would be happy to hear more about them. Aadland is trying to gather pictures from previous years as well.

“Each year we try to add something new, and this year we had a slide show that included pictures from the last couple of years,” Aadland stated. “We would love to add pictures going much further back in time.

“The School of Mines has a strong tradition of celebrating and exploring different cultures, and the Expo is a great way to share this tradition with the community,” Aadland added. “It’s very exciting to see increased involvement and attendance each year.”

Booths for the 2008 Cultural Expo included the Scottish-Irish Society, Mongolia, Norway, Chile/Engineers & Scientists Abroad, Germany, China, Ellsworth AFB, India, Middle Eastern Countries, Latin America, Japan, and Germans of Russian Heritage. There were also booths for crafts and balloon characters.

For more information or to share information about past year’s Expos, contact Suzi Aadland at the Ivanhoe International Center at (605) 394-6884 or ivanhoe@sdsmt.edu.

South Dakota School of Mines and Technology women’s basketball standout Melanie Vedvei was recently awarded the 2008 Dr. LeRoy Walker Champions of Character Award for NAIA Region III.

This award is named after Dr. Walker, president emeritus of the United States Olympic Committee who served as president through the 1996 Atlanta Summer Games. Dr. Walker is a graduate of Benedict College (S.C.) and is a former president of the NAIA.

“It’s a really big honor,” Vedvei said of receiving the award. “It speaks not only what you can do on the court, but off it as well.”

The award, considered one of the most prestigious awards in the NAIA, was created as part of the NAIA’s association with Citizenship Through Sports Alliance (CTSA). The award honors an NAIA student-athlete who excels in athletics and academics and is committed to the Champions of Character program’s five core values of respect, responsibility, integrity, servant leadership, and sportsmanship.

“Melanie typifies this award in every facet of it,” said Lady Hardrocker basketball head coach Barb Felderman. “The integrity, the servant leadership of her team, the respect she gives her teammates and opponents, she is responsible for everything she does. And her true sportsmanship showed through after she had her unfortunate accident.”

Vedvei went down with a season ending knee injury in early January. She tried to come back at the end of the season, but the injury was too severe. Despite missing a third of her final season, Vedvei still managed to break the NAIA careers steals record, only to have her record of 420 broken by another athlete later in the season. She was also just four assists away from holding the school career assists record as well.

Vedvei, a native of Lake Preston, South Dakota, still earned a long list of accolades starting with a second straight selection to the NAIA Div. II All American First Team. She also earned NAIA Scholar Athlete honors, was a DAC first team selection, and received DAC scholar honors as well.

“Melanie is a wonderful person and I am blessed to have been able to coach her,” Felderman added.

The industrial engineering major also holds a large number of the School of Mines women’s basketball records. She is the second all time leading scorer with 1,972 points. She also has every steals record that the Lady Hardrockers have --- career steals (420), steals in a season (124), and steals in a game (11). She also holds the record for most career free throws made at 555 as well as owning the most field goals attempted in a game at 36.

Vedvei finished the year with 399 points, 121 total rebounds, 110 assists, and 87 steals.

Dr. James D. Feiszli, professor, Humanities Department/director, Music Department, spent several months in Germany this spring and summer as part of a symposium celebrating the 500^th anniversary of the commissioning of the Choralis Constantinus, music composed for one of the finest choirs in early Renaissance Germany, the Konstanz Domkantorei, by one of the premier composers of the time, Heinrich Isaac (1450-1517). Feiszli has a long-standing relationship with the Konstanz Münster because the subject of his dissertation was the development of a methodology for preparing the music for performance by modern choirs. He prepared most of the music for several different ensembles performing over the weekend and also presented workshops and lectures at the symposium and surrounding universities. Feiszli’s own group, Dakota Voices, joined him in May to perform at the concluding concert.

Feiszli stated, “The evening of the concert, we walked out from the sacristy of the Konstanz Münster and looked at the entire cathedral completely packed - not just in the pews, but sitting on the floor and standing in the aisles. The concert had been linked to an annual local benefit event, titled Jazz Downtown, which raises money for Konstanz area hospice activities. According to concert organizers, there were over 1,700 tickets sold.”

“The concert was something absolutely fantastic and unreal,” continued Feiszli. “We began by performing the alleluia-sequence pair for Christmas as Isaac intended – with organ, played by Münsterchordirektor Markus Utz, alternating with choral sections. This was followed by a famous jazz artist, Bernd Konrad, playing three solos, one accompanied by vocal improvisation by our bass, Chris Bannwarth. Then we sang the Isaac Ave Maria unaccompanied. The final number - sequence for Pentecost, Sancti Spiritus - was a collaboration between Markus, Bernd, and Dakota Voices. We sang the choral sections, Markus and Bernd did the chant improvisations between the choral sections, and the entire ensemble joined together on three of the sections.”

“Sancti Spiritus lasted over 30 minutes in length, as the improvisations grew in elaboration. We repeated the last section a total of eight times, with the sax and organ improvising with us,” added Feiszli. “It was an excellent example of how the music was done during Isaac’s time, updated to using modern instruments and styles. And, of course, it is probably precisely this kind of performance that caused the Council of Trent in the late 1500s to abolish sequences from the liturgy. The musicians kept turning church services into concerts!”

The School of Mines will host various professional programs on campus throughout the remainder of the year.

Scheduled in August are several GIS (Geographic Information Systems) workshops. Participants in Introduction to ArcGIS I will learn to visualize and analyze map information for better decision making and to produce quality digital maps. Building upon this course, Introduction to ArcGIS II will take a more integrated look at geoprocessing and introduces many advanced applications including landscape/resource analysis, interpolation techniques, watershed modeling, and image handling. Working with Geodatabases will cover the characteristics of the geodatabase data model and introduces some of its special features and functions used to create spatial data and maintain its integrity. These workshops will be offered again in December and January.

Global Environmental Climate Change Lunch-N-Learn is slated for Thursday, August 21. This session will discuss climate change and what it means for us in the Black Hills including how we handle water, atmospheric pollution, and land use. Participants will enjoy lunch, listen to the presentation, and have the opportunity to network. This is the third lunch-n-learn held on campus so far this year with more coming in the fall.

The 3^rd Annual Rocky Mountain Unconventional Gas Conference is scheduled for October 14-17. This conference will address coalbed methane, shale gas reservoirs, and unconventional shallow gases. In addition to the regular conference, there will be two additional short courses offered: 1) Appraising and Developing Coalbed and Shale Gas Reservoirs (Oct. 14 & 15); and 2) Putting It All Together - Optimizing Fracture Design (Oct. 15)

For more information on these programs, please visit the Educational Programs Web site at http://sdmines.sdsmt.edu/learn/professional or call (605) 394-2693. If you have ideas for additional conferences, please call Nancy Anderson-Smith at (605) 394-2692.

Dr. V. Ramakrishnan, distinguished professor emeritus, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, has spent the past year traveling, lecturing, and presenting the findings of his research. Among the highlights of the past year, however, is the time he spent in India.

Rama was honored with the “Dr. V. Ramakrishnan Endowment Lecture” sponsored by the Institute of Engineers (India) and the PSG College of Technology, Coimbatore, where Rama worked before coming to the United States. Over 300 engineers and professors attended the lecture series, and Dr. Richard Gowen (past president, SDSM&T) gave the inaugural lecture on “Global Environment.”

While in India, Rama also presented a variety of presentations and lectures. He presented an invited keynote paper at the International Workshop on Concrete Fiber Composites, Special Concretes and Structures in Kakinada, India, and he participated as a keynote speaker in another international workshop on special concrete for construction in Hyderabad, India.

In addition, during Rama’s visit to India, Ambuja Cement Company, the Indian Concrete Institute, and the Institute of Engineers (India) arranged public lectures in the major Indian cities of Mumbai, Nagpur, and Ahmedabad. Rama’s lecture entitled “Concrete Talk” focused on his research at the School of Mines with the emphasis on the new materials developed such as Basalt Fiber and Rod Reinforced Concrete, Bacteria Concrete, and Structural Synthetic Fiber Reinforced Concrete.

Rama also received invitations from numerous Indian universities to give special lectures for the faculty and students. Because of time constraints, Rama could only accept six invitations to speak in the cities of Ahmedabad, Visakhapattinam, Nagpur, and Coimbatore. Most of the lectures he gave were titled “The Joy of Being a Structural Engineer.”

In addition to his travels to India, Dr. Rama spent much time during the past year traveling in the United States and internationally. Last spring, Rama participated in three international conferences held in Warsaw, Poland, during which he presented papers based on the research done at the Rama Materials Laboratory at the School of Mines. Last fall, Rama was one of three invited keynote speakers at the Fifth International Conference in Recent Advances in Concrete Technology held in Washington D.C. Rama was also an invited keynote speaker at a very well attended Fourth International Structural Engineering and Construction Conference in Melbourne, Australia. In addition, Rama presented several lectures and seminars in Honolulu, Hawaii, this spring.

In addition to his travels, Dr. Rama has been busy on the School of Mines campus where he participated in research, served as major professor for a master’s student, and was a member of the graduate committee for five students. He also currently continues to help a Norwegian-based company set up a pilot plant on the School of Mines campus to produce basalt fibers and rods for use in concrete, reinforced, and pre-stressed concretes. He hopes the plant will be in production this fall.

Members of Delta Sigma Phi fraternity took part in an end-of-the-year fundraising event, the Cowboy Party, to raise $500 for the Rapid City Club for Boys.

“Delta Sigma Phi is proud of its commitment to the community with over a thousand combined hours of community service this past school year,” said Jason Wilner, Delta Sigma Phi member.

The Delta Sigma Phi fraternity, located at 24 East Kansas City Street, is the largest Greek organization on the campus of the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology. This brotherhood has over 50 members that are pursuing a variety of majors as well as extracurricular activities such as the Hardrocker Football Team, Leadership Development Team, Student Association, Paintball Club, Golf Team, College Republicans, Students Against Drunk Drivers, Track Team, various CAMP teams, and intramurals to name a few.

The Gamma Upsilon chapter of Delta Sigma Phi fraternity lets students form an everlasting brotherhood while providing an atmosphere that allows for development of professional skills and personal responsibility. Delta Sigma Phi enhances the members’ educational experience while preparing men to become leaders of tomorrow. For more information, view the Gamma Upsilon chapter webpage at http://delta-sig.sdsmt.edu/.

William Arbegast (director, Advanced Materials Processing and Joining Laboratory/instructor, Materials and Metallurgical Engineering) and Michael West (assistant professor, Materials and Metallurgical Engineering) received an additional $6,000 from the National Science Foundation for their project entitled “Friction Stir Processing Industry/University Cooperative Research Center.”

Sookie Bang (professor, Chemical and Biological Engineering) and Sangchul Bang (professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering) received an additional $12,250 from the National Science Foundation for their project entitled “Microbial Dust Suppression.”

William Capehart (associate professor, Institute of Atmospheric Sciences) received an additional $46,000 from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration for his project entitled “Evaluating the Effects of Institutional Change on Regional Hydrometeorology: Assessing the Vulnerability of the Eurasian Semi-arid Grain Belt.”

Arden Davis (Mickelson Professor, Geology and Geological Engineering), David Dixon (chair/professor, Chemical and Biological Engineering), and M.R. Hansen (professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering) received $12,467 from South Dakota State University for their project entitled “Thermal Stability of Limestone Waste for Recycling after Arsenic Removal from Drinking Water.”

Edward Duke (manager of analytical services, Engineering and Mining Experiment Station/
professor, Geology and Geological Engineering), Pallaoor Sundareshwar (assistant professor,
Atmospheric Sciences), Maribeth Price (chair/associate professor, Geology and Geological Engineering), and Donna Kliche (research scientist II/computer programmer, Institute of Atmospheric Sciences) received an additional $177,000 from National Aeronautics and Space Administration for their project entitled “South Dakota Space Grant Consortium.”

Jon Kellar (chair/professor, Materials and Metallurgical Engineering) and Keith W. Whites (professor/Steven P. Miller Chair, Electrical and Computer Engineering) received an additional $463,582 from South Dakota State University for their project entitled “The 2010 Initiative: Science-Based Leadership for South Dakota.”

Melvin Klasi (associate professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering) received $29,081 from the Federal Highway Administration – South Dakota Department of Transportation for his project entitled “South Dakota Local Transportation Assistance Program 2008.”

Charles Kliche and Zbigniew Hladysz (professors, Mining Engineering and Management) received $57,275 from the U.S. Department of Labor – Mine Safety and Health Administration for their project entitled “Mine Health and Safety Training.”

James Martin (professor/paleontology program coordinator/curator of vertebrate paleontology,
Geology and Geological Engineering) received $2,000 from the U.S. Department of Interior – Bureau of Land Management for his project entitled “Curation of Fossils Collected from Fossil Lake (CCS project).”

Martin also received $45,946 from the United States Department of Interior – National Park Service –Badlands National Park for his project entitled “Provide Quality Paleontological Educational Experience at Pig Dig for 2008 Field Season and 2008/2009 Academic Year.”

Todd Menkhaus (assistant professor, Chemical and Biological Engineering) received an additional $25,000 from the National Science Foundation for his project entitled “SDSM&T RET Site: Inspiring Educators in Rural America through Research.”

Andre Petukhov (chair/professor, Physics) received an additional $15,000 from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln for his project entitled “Spintronic Devices Enabled by Semiconducting Boron Carbide.”

Gautam Pillay (professor, Chemical and Biological Engineering/vice president, Research Affairs) and Sherry Farwell received an additional $42,743 from the U.S. Department of Defense – Army Research Laboratory for their project entitled “Advanced Materials and Processes for Future Combat Systems.”

Gautam Pillay and Umesh Korde (associate professor, Mechanical Engineering) received an additional $305,000 from the United States Department of Defense – Air Force Research Laboratory for their project entitled “Lightweight and Novel Structures for Space.”

Lance Roberts (assistant professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering) received $5,000 from FMG Engineering, Inc. for his project entitled “Development of a Reliability-Based Design Algorithm for Deep Foundation Systems.”

James Sears (director, Additive Manufacturing Laboratory) received $849,673 from the U.S. Department of Defense – U.S. Department of Army-U.S. Army Medical Research Acquisition Activity for his project entitled “Bio-Medical Materials Initiative (BMI).”

Larry Stetler (associate professor, Geology and Geological Engineering) and Arden Davis received $75,000 from the National Science Foundation for their project entitled “SGER: Characterization of the Precambrian Aquifer at the Homestake DUSEL.”

James Stone (assistant professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering) received an additional $6,000 from the National Science Foundation for his project entitled “Degradation of Antimicrobial Agents Tylosin and Chlorotetracycline During Swine Waste Treatment.”

James Stone, Larry Stetler, and Pallaoor Sundareshwar received $238,742 from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency – South Dakota Department of Environment and Natural Resources for their project entitled “Statewide Mercury TMDL Assessment Project.”

From Richard J. Becker (EE 59) of Gerald, Missouri: I believe that I know at least one of the four men standing in front of the airplane. The second from the left is Bert Thomson (GeolE 59). He was a member of the Hardrocker Flying Club for several years.

From Keith Carriere (ME 57) of Manchester, Connecticut: As editor of the 1957 Engineer, I recognized the Mystery History airplane photo in the Foundation Update as being of the Hardrocker Flying Club of 1957 (see pages 90 & 91 of the 1957 yearbook).

From Bill Coester (EE 60) of Milbank, South Dakota: The Mystery History picture you have in the FOUNDATION UPDATE for April, 2008 is a picture of the first airplane the Hardrocker Flying Club owned and operated. I am in the picture at the left and believe the guy standing next to me is a flight instructor who was also a student (name unknown) and I think Connie Fuchs is the man on the right, but I’m not sure. I am wearing a light cotton jacket with a patch on the back saying ‘HARDROCKER FLYING CLUB” and most of the members in 1956 had these jackets. I think the three of use were the initial officers of the club and the flight instructor that most of the students used was included. I flew with a deputy sheriff who was also a flight instructor named Art Grane. My instructional flights were usually around 7:00 a.m. when the wind was down and the air smooth!

I was a “charter member” of the club which was started in 1956 when 45 students got together and paid $25.00 each to finance the club. I don’t remember who the first president was, (probably Connie Fuchs) but I think I was the second or third. I believe I was the first to obtain my private pilot’s license through the use of the club airplane, although I took my test and received my license in Aberdeen during the summer of 1957, flying a Cessna 140.

The first airplane, the 1947 J-3 Piper Cub shown, N3624K I think, had a 75 horsepower Continental engine, and was purchased for $625.00 and we flew the “hell” out of it. What a great airplane!! We charged $3.50 per hour WET (with gas). I think the treasurer at the time was Bob Peterson and I think he may be the guy with glasses but again I’m not sure. The treasurer had trouble dividing $3.50 by 60 minutes so we raised the price to $3.60 per hour. I remember someone was practicing “slips” one day and put one of the landing gear in the cockpit and the plane was laid up for a short period of time while it was repaired.

While I was president of the club we held a fundraiser raffling of a TV set and some other items and had accumulated enough cash in the club from memberships at $25.00 each and rental of flying time to members that we were able to purchase a Cessna 140 from Belle Fourche airport, (we paid something like $2,000 for it and I think we sold the Cub for about $1,500), and to build a hangar bit enough for two airplanes. We rented the other side of the hangar to someone who had a PT-19 open cockpit trainer. I think we rented the Cessna 140 for $4.50 per hour wet but again I’m not sure. I think Dave Waters headed the fundraiser and did an excellent job.

I don’t remember if it was the fall of 1958 or 1959 that I went to the Rapid City Municipal Airport and attempted to fly the club J-3 to see the Deadwood Fire like the day before or the day of school starting. After almost an hour flight I had almost reached Rapid City, only a few miles from the airport and had to turn around and when I landed I had no ground speed because the wind was in excess of 40 mph at the airport. Men came running out from the hangar and held the plane down so the wind would not blow it away while taxi-ing to the hangar.

I had two harrowing experiences with the Piper Cub shown. The first was running into the prop wash of a B-36 more than a half hour after it passed near the Rapid City Municipal Airport and my instructor and I got thrown around quite a bit. The second was a cross country trip to Lemmon, South Dakota to hunt antelope. On the return trip I noticed my shoe was wet with gasoline and I was not sure how fast it was leaking from the fuel tank. I crossed directly over the airbase and landed safely at the Rapid City Municipal Airport where I received a good chewing for flying over the airbase from an CAA (then, FAA now) safety agent who was on the field.

When the club started we flew out of Haley Airport which I think now is located well within the city limits and has a school in the middle of it. The main runway was downhill, or uphill depending on the wind, and the runways were marked with real old fashioned bushel baskets. I soloed from Haley airport and at that time it was a real experience to land on asphalt so we seldom went to the Municipal Airport, and usually when we did we landed beside the runway in the grass because it was easier to control the airplane.

At the time I also belonged to the Ham Radio Club on campus and became acquainted with one of the men that operated the simulator for the tankers used to refuel the brand new B-52’s at Ellsworth as well as the B-52 simulator. I was able to “fly” the KC-135 simulator for a short time through this connection one day and that was really a thrill. I think the KC-135 is the same as a Boeing 707.

That’s probably more than you wanted to know but these are some of the things I remember about the flying club. BILL, E.E. ‘60

From Phil Fenner (EE 58) of Kent, Washington: These guys were part of the Hardrocker Flying Club in 1957-58 school year and are the following from left to right: William Coester, Bert Thomsen, Fred Ehrman, and Conrad Fuchs. The club started in 1956 and I am not sure of its longevity or status as I graduated in 1958.

Irwin “Butch” Hasenwinkle (EE 61) of Jackson, Michigan: The Mystery History photo appearing in the April Foundation Update was published in the 1958 yearbook. The names are W. Coester, B. Thomas, F. Ehrman, and C. Fuchs.

From John McCorkle (ME 59) of Dubuque, Iowa: I recognize the second man from the left in the picture … He is Bert Thompson (Geol 59). I am not sure of the names of the other three. We were the first members of the Hardrocker Flying Club, which was really instigated by Connie Fuchs (ME 59) (I think he may be the one to the far right).

The plane is a Piper J-3 Tandem-seat Stick Steer plane. I was just about ready to solo when I had to quit because we were expecting our third baby (all born during my four years at SDSM&T), and I could not afford the $6/hour instruction time. The majority of our class was veterans, so many were married and having children. There was even an organization for the wives, called Campus Wives, who got recognized on Graduation Day. Those were the days!!

From Harlan J. Miller (GeolE 62) of Boulder City, Nevada: The picture was taken in front of a J-3 Piper Cub belonging to the Hardrock Flying Club in 1958. The members shown are from the left: William Coester, Bert Thomsen, Fred Ehrman, and Conrad Fuchs.

From George O’Clock (BS EE 62/MS EE 67/Ph.D. EE 79) of Mankato, Minnesota: The "four young men" shown in the Mystery History photo in the latest issue of the SDSM&T Foundation Update are (left to right): W. (Bill) Coester, B. (Bert) Thomsen, F. (Fred) Ehrman and C. (Conrad) Fuchs. This was one of the photos on the two-page Hardrocker Flying Club section in the 1958 Engineer. The club owned a J-3 Piper Cub and did most of the maintenance work on the plane themselves. The plane was hangared at Halley Airport.

Some years later, the Hardrocker Flying Club purchased a Cessna 140 and hangared it out at Rapid City Regional Airport. The third time I flew the 140 was memorable. Coming into the airport, I experienced severe wind shear (fairly common out there). The landing was more of a controlled crash. Well, maybe we can throw out the word "controlled." As a result, the airplane was a bit "bent." Repairing it took all of my savings.

From Mel Steiger (ME 61) of Salt Lake City, Utah: The tall man on the left was Bill. I think his last name was Forrester. I flew with Bill in the 59-61 era. Don't recognize the other three.

From Bert Thomsen (GeolE 59) of Scottsdale, Arizona: Just received the April 2008 Foundation Update and was surprised to see my picture in the "Mystery History" photograph. I do not remember the name of the gentleman on the left, but the next three are myself (Bert Thomsen), Harold Ehrman, and Conrad Fuchs. We were part of the original Hardrocker Flying Club and that is probably the original aircraft. I suspect the picture was taken in 1958. I'm sure that you will hear from some others on this.

Does anyone know the identity of these four individuals or remember the occasion that caused them to gather on a football field?

We would love to hear from you. If you have the answer, please send it along with any other information you would like to share, and we will print some or all of the replies (depending on space) in the next issue.

Do you have your own mystery history photo of SDSM&T alumni that would be perfect for our next issue? If so, send the photo (via mail or email) along with a note identifying everyone in the photo to the address below. We will pick the best photos and run them in future Foundation Updates.

SDSM&T Foundation, Mystery History, 501 East Saint Joseph Street, Rapid City, SD 57701 or email Sandra.Carlson@sdsmt.edu

The School of Mines Leadership Development Team created the Hall of Fame to raise awareness about the importance of student leadership and to recognize the valuable contributions student leaders make. The Hall of Fame recognizes students based on their contributions to the campus community. The award recognizes students who have made a difference rather than those who can list the most leadership positions on their resumes.

Any full-time School of Mines student in good academic and disciplinary standing is eligible for induction to the Leadership Hall of Fame. An anonymous committee of students, faculty, and staff reviews applications. In addition to receiving a personal award, each inductee’s photograph will be included in a composite frame displayed in the Surbeck Student Center, creating a literal “Hall of Fame.”

The following South Dakota School of Mines and Technology students were inducted into the university's Leadership Hall of Fame during a ceremony held in April 2008.

Karl Barfuss is a senior industrial engineering student from Winner. Barfuss has been involved in various organizations including Delta Sigma Phi as a member and president; Leadership Development Team; M-Week committee; and College Republicans.

Kaycee Carson is a senior math student from Bountiful, Utah. Carson has been a member of the Leadership Development Team and Alpha Delta Pi Sorority where she has served in an executive board position and recruitment vice president for two years. Carson has also been involved in Circle K International where she served as president. She has been a member of TAPS, served as an orientation leader for two years, and has been an avid supporter of school tradition during M-Week.

Jason Fields is a senior mechanical engineering student from Milbank. Fields has been involved in a number of organizations including Baja SAE as a member and team captain; Leadership Development Team as a member and co-chair; Society of Automotive Engineers as a member and vice-president; Intervarsity Christian Fellowship; and Mechanical Engineering Student Advisory Board. Fields also served as a resident assistant and as student chair for the Center of Excellence for Advanced Manufacturing and Production (CAMP).

Jade Herman is a senior interdisciplinary sciences major from Mission who plans to attend law school after graduating. Herman has participated in many organizations including the American Indian Science & Engineering Society, serving as president, vice president, and secretary; Alpha Delta Pi Sorority, serving as corresponding/recording secretary, alumnae relations chair, and director of social enrichment; Student Ambassadors, serving as vice president; Student Alumni Connection; Circle K; Hot Rockers Dance Team; and the Lady Hardrocker Golf Team.

Mark Sauder is a graduate mechanical engineering student from Rapid City. Sauder graduated from SDSM&T in 2005 with a bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering before going to work for ATK Space Systems Utah. He returned to SDSM&T in the fall of 2005 to pursue his master’s degree in mechanical engineering. Sauder has been involved in CAMP and has served as graduate student advisor to the Formula SAE, SAE Baja, SAE Aero Design, HPV, Alternative Fuel Snowmobile, and Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) Teams. Sauder was chief engineer of the UAV Team during the 2006-2007 academic year and chief pilot from 2004 to 2007. Sauder served as the Composites and Polymer Engineering (CAPE) Laboratory manager and specialist in 2006 and 2007. He is now working in Utah as a test engineer.

Fanariot Sefa is a senior chemical engineering major from Gjakova, Kosova. While pursuing his undergraduate degree, Sefa has been active in several organizations including the AeroDesign Team; American Institute of Chemical Engineering; Tau Beta Pi Engineering Honor Society; and Phi Eta Sigma National Honor Society. Sefa was also involved as a peer advisor, resident assistant, and as an orientation leader. In addition, he has served as an international representative for the Student Association, a co-leader for the Center of Excellence for Advance Manufacturing and Production (CAMP), and twice as president for the Cultural Expo Committee.

Wes Snaza is a senior mechanical engineering student from Webster. Snaza has been active in a number of organizations including serving as the lead engineer as well as the project manager of Formula SAE; treasurer of the Society of Automotive Engineers; student ambassador; and orientation leader. He also served as a resident assistant. Snaza has been inducted as member of the Tau Beta Pi Engineering Honor Society, Phi Eta Sigma National Honor Society, and the Order of the Engineer.

Melanie Vedvei is a senior industrial engineering student from Lake Preston. Vedvei has been involved on the Hardrocker Women’s Basketball; Phi Eta Sigma; Alpha Pi Mu; and the Institute of Industrial Engineers. She also served as vice president of the Tau Beta Pi Engineering Honor Society. Vedvei was recently awarded the 2008 Dr. LeRoy Walker Champions of Character Award for NAIA Region III. The award, considered one of the most prestigious awards in the NAIA, honors a student-athlete who excels in athletics and academics and is committed to the Champions of Character program’s five core values.

John (MinE 77) and Jeane (CE 77) Hull recently established the John & Jeane Hull Professorship to assist the Mining Engineering and Management (MEM) Department at the School of Mines. The Hulls created this professorship to support the MEM Department so it can continue to attract outstanding faculty and students. The first Hull Professor, Dr. Charles Kliche (MinE 74/MS MinE 80), has been named for the 2008-09 academic year.

“Our decision to fund the John & Jeane Hull Professorship at the School of Mines came after many conversations with Shashi Kanth (MinE 93/director, MEM) and Brad Johnson (EE 92/vice president of development, SDSM&T Foundation),” said the Hulls. “SDSM&T is a strong contributor to the mining industry so we decided that the Department of Mining Engineering and Management needed to have its first mining professorship. The school and the mining industry have played such an important role in both our lives we felt it is time to show our support in a more meaningful way.”

John and Jeane grew up South Dakota, Jeane from Deadwood and John from Pierre. They graduated from SDSM&T on Friday, May 13, 1977, and they were married two days later. The Hulls have been in the mining industry for 30 years, moving in and out of the metals and coal sectors. They spent the earlier part of their careers in the copper industry and then moved into the coal industry during the 1980s.

In 1991, Mobil decided to exit the coal industry, and so Jeane took a role in their plastic division near Philadelphia. However, the Hulls missed the West and the mining industry, so in 1994, they began working for Kennecott Utah Copper in Salt Lake City. For the first time in their careers, John and Jeane worked for the same company so it was exciting for them to be on the same side.

In 1997, the Hulls transferred back to Gillette, Wyoming, and helped with the integration of the two mines where they had been former competitors. Jeane’s career became more focused on the operational side of the business and John on the commercial side. In 2000, Jeane was appointed mine manager for Spring Creek Coal. Fellow SDSM&T graduate and then president of the local SME chapter, Ken Miller (CE 75), did some research and concluded that Jeane was the first female mine manager in the United States’ traditionally male-dominated mining industry. Since then, Jeane has been mine manager of Antelope Coal and vice president of engineering and human resources for Kennecott Energy (now Rio Tinto Energy America).

In 2005, Jeane was promoted to vice president of operations for Kennecott Utah Copper where she had responsibility for all mining, milling, smelting, and refining operations. In 2006, Jeane was appointed to the position of chief operating officer for Kennecott Utah Copper. John worked in the business development area from 1997 until 2002 and then worked in sales and marketing from 2003 until 2006. In 2007, John and Jeane left Rio Tinto to start a new career with Peabody Energy in St. Louis. This was a big move for them as they each had over 25 years of service with Rio related companies. Jeane started as senior vice president of Engineering, Environment and Project Management, and John was director of Sales and Marketing. Recently Jeane has been appointed the group executive for Peabody’s Powder River Basin mines, and John is the vice president of Transportation.

“The mining industry has allowed both of us to pursue rewarding job opportunities for the past 30 years,” said John. “Both Jeane and I received our MBAs from Nova University, and we have had opportunities to support other schools and organizations, but deep in our hearts we always knew we wanted to give back to the School of Mines in a meaningful way. We are fortunate to be in a position to give back to our alma mater.”

“We believe that SDSM&T has and will continue to provide unlimited opportunities for South Dakota students whether those opportunities are in the state or outside,” added John. “The good news is SDSM&T has proven itself around the world as a premier school.”

John was appointed to the School of Mines Mining Advisory Board in 2005. According to the Hulls, during the 1990s, the mining industry was in a “survival” mode as companies and schools were struggling to survive. Mining engineering departments around the country and the world were in dire straights and many closed.

“During this time, you could count on one hand the number of students enrolled in SDSM&T’s Mining Department,” said John. “Since then, thanks to a group of SDSM&T alumni working in mining related industries and to all the hard work from within the Mining Department and the administration, the program is alive and well. In 2008 the program has approximately 80 students enrolled.”

“The Department of Mining Engineering and Management has operated with just two professors, Ziggy Hladyz and Chuck Kliche, for many years, and with swelling enrollment, the department needed additional help,” said Jeane. “We believe this professorship will not only help current professors, but will also help attract new professors and graduate students to the department. We want the School of Mines to continue its 100-year-long tradition of providing the mining industry with the best mining engineers.”

The Hulls call out to other mining alumni as well. “We would like to encourage anyone else who has benefited from the mining industry and the School of Mines to think about giving back to the department,” they added, “so we can keep the mining in South Dakota School of Mines.”

Tamera J. Nelson (MetE 86) recently established the Ralph Hurlbert Scholarship in honor of her high school chemistry and physics teacher, Ralph Hurlbert.

The Ralph Hurlbert Scholarship will be awarded to a female metallurgical engineering student at the School of Mines. The goal of the Ralph Hurlbert Scholarship is to increase the number of female metallurgical engineering graduates.

Ralph Hurlbert was born and raised at Raymond, South Dakota, where he lived on the farm his grandfather built up in 1919. He graduated from South Dakota State University in 1967 with a degree in wildlife management. After farming with his father for two years, he agreed to teach high school science in Doland, South Dakota, when they could not find a teacher. His wife was teaching at Doland at that same time.

After teaching for 11 years at Doland, Hurlbert transferred to Clark, South Dakota, where he taught chemistry, physics, and biology for another 21 years. He retired in 2001 and lives on a farm at Raymond where he enjoys a wide variety of hobbies and activities.

Hurlbert first met Tami (Huisenga) Nelson when she was a student in his chemistry class in Clark. Nelson was a junior taking the class with a group of seniors. “Tami later confided in me that she felt rather intimidated by the upperclassmen,” said Hurlbert, “but she proved there was no need for that feeling.”

Nelson was scheduled to take physics from Hurlbert her senior year, but there were too few students signed up. Not to be deterred, Nelson actively recruited a few of her classmates so there would be enough students to constitute a class. Hurlbert also recalled having the opportunity to successfully recommend Nelson for the National Science Camp in West Virginia, a major highlight of having her as a student.

“Tami has kept in contact with us through the years, and we have greatly enjoyed being kept up-to-date on all that she has accomplished,” added Hurlbert.

Tami Nelson was raised in Clark, South Dakota, and earned her bachelor’s degree in metallurgical engineering from the School of Mines in 1986. After graduation, she joined Caterpillar Inc. in June 1986 and has remained there for over 22 years.

During her time at Caterpillar, Nelson has held a variety of positions. She recently finished an overseas assignment as operations manager in Xuzhou, China, and her current position has taken her to Burnie, Tasmania, where she serves as the managing director for Underground Machine Design and Manufacturing.

Nelson has been a longtime supporter of the School of Mines and the SDSM&T Foundation. She served as a trustee for the SDSM&T Foundation from 1995-2007, and she was named an Outstanding Recent Graduate in 1997. During the School of Mines’ first capital campaign, VISION 2000, Nelson established the Larry E. Huisenga Endowment and became a campaign leader at the Cabinet Level. She is also a member of the SDSM&T Foundation’s Heritage Society.

“I wanted to establish this scholarship to honor Ralph Hurlbert,” said Nelson. “He was one of those memorable teachers who really made a difference in my life with his support, motivation, and encouragement.”

“The best part of establishing this scholarship,” added Nelson, “is knowing that it will be in place today, tomorrow, and for perpetuity, positively impacting the lives of future generations of School of Mines students.”

With the establishment of the Ralph Hurlbert Scholarship, Nelson will be a leader in the Building the Dream Campaign.

Loreli Reuter established the William (EE 56) and Loreli Reuter Scholarship in memory of Bill’s passing on November 10, 2005. This scholarship is awarded to any level electrical or computer engineering students at the School of Mines.

William (Bill) L. Reuter was born July 21, 1934, at Hartford, South Dakota, to William and Frieda (Lueth) Reuter. He graduated from Hartford High School in 1952. Bill earned both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in electrical engineering from the School of Mines in 1956 and 1958 respectively. He then earned his doctoral degree from Iowa State University in 1967. On August 23, 1959, he married Loreli James of Hills, Minnesota.

Reuter taught at SDSM&T from 1960 to 1972. From 1972 to 1979, he was manager of research and development at Dunham Associates. He was employed by Pete Lien & Sons as chief engineer from 1979 to 1981, as Quarry Division manager from 1981 to 1982, and vice president of operations from 1982 to 1996. Bill also had numerous inventions and patents.

After retirement, he enjoyed traveling, reading, and the computer. Bill was very proud of the South Dakota companies he co-founded in Rapid City including RESPEC, Rapidata, and SymCom. While teaching at the School of Mines, he wrote a textbook with professor Cy Cox. Bill belonged to the Rotary Club, served on the Rapid City Board of Education, and was on the Hardrock Club Executive Committee and SDSM&T Alumni Reunion Chairman. Because of his many accomplishments, he was honored by SDSM&T as a recipient of the Distinguished Alumni Award in 1999. Education was always very important to him. He thought that the future needed the wisdom that came from learning, and he supported many efforts giving young people a good chance to develop into useful, happy people.

Loreli Reuter received a bachelor’s degree in English/Speech Drama in 1958 from Augusta College in Sioux Falls. She spent four years as a full-time teacher and over twenty years as a substitute teacher. She continues to substitute teach.