SDSMT Research Report 08 by South Dakota Mines

University Cabinet President

SDSM&T Foundation

Robert A. Wharton, Ph.D.

L.R. “Rod” Pappel, President

Assistant to the President

College of Science and Letters

Carol A. Jensen

Dr. Duane C. Hrncir, Dean

Academic Affairs

Graduate Education

Dr. Karen L. Whitehead, Provost and Vice President Interim Dean, College of Engineering

Dr. John H. Helsdon, Dean

Dr. Kathryn E. Alley, Associate Vice President

Mitch M. Miller, Director

Business and Administration

Faculty Senate

Timothy G. Henderson, Vice President

Dr. David A. Boyles, Chair

Research Affairs

Career Service Employees

Dale N. “Butch” Skillman, Interim Vice President

Richard J. MacDonald, Chair

Facilities Services

Student Affairs

Exempt Employees

Dr. Patricia G. Mahon, Vice President and Dean of Students

Kelli R. Shuman, Chair

University and Public Relations

Student Association

Julie A. Smoragiewicz, Vice President

Marcus J. Bartlett, President

SDSM&T Alumni Association Tim Vottero, Director

Campus Profile

Degree Options

South Dakota School of Mines and Technology has been a national leader in preparing world-class engineers and scientists since 1885. Our graduates design, construct, and operate the most modern technology to meet complex challenges such as global warming, health care delivery, energy resource development, mineral extraction and processing, environmental quality, futuristic transportation, and national defense. Our alumni are held in the highest regard by their fellow leaders in industry, consulting, government, health, research, and education.

Bachelor of Science Degrees

The School of Mines continuously adapts to meet the needs of engineering and science. Rugged individuals and pioneers in engineering and science founded the School of Mines’ intellectual environment more than a century ago. Our faculty, staff, students, and alumni carry on that tradition today.

Geological Engineering

The School of Mines is a state supported university that provides graduate and undergraduate degrees in science and engineering. The School of Mines is an AQIP institution, accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and committed to quality and continuous improvement.

2008-2009 Enrollment

Chemical Engineering Chemistry Civil Engineering Computer Engineering Computer Science Electrical Engineering Environmental Engineering Geology Industrial Engineering and Management Interdisciplinary Sciences Mathematics Mechanical Engineering Metallurgical Engineering Mining Engineering Physics

2,061 students from 40 states and 29 countries

Master of Science Degrees

Costs and Fees

Biomedical Engineering

A School of Mines education has never been more affordable. 2008-2009 annual undergraduate costs for tuition, fees, books, room, and board total approximately $13,170 per year for South Dakota residents and $14,490 for non-residents.

Research

Researchers conduct state-of-the-art research that benefits the state, the region, and the nation through advances in technology and economic development. In Fiscal Year 2008, researchers received more than $10.1 million in funding for 90 projects. Funding agencies included the National Science Foundation, the State of South Dakota, NASA, the Department of Education, Army Research Laboratory, and many more.

Faculty

The School of Mines employs 135 full-time faculty members, more than 74 percent of whom hold doctorate or other appropriate terminal degrees.

Honors and Awards

• One of America’s Best College Buys for the 11th consecutive year • One of approximately 200 Colleges of Distinction

Placement

Starting salary offers to our graduates average more than $56,000. More than 99 percent of 2006-2007 graduates have found jobs in their career fields or continued into graduate or professional programs within one year of graduation.

Atmospheric Sciences Chemical Engineering Civil Engineering Computer Science Electrical Engineering Geology and Geological Engineering Materials Engineering and Science Mechanical Engineering Paleontology Technology Management

Doctor of Philosophy Degrees Atmospheric and Environmental Sciences Biomedical Engineering Chemical and Biological Engineering Geology and Geological Engineering Materials Engineering and Science Nanoscience and Nanoengineering

South Dakota School of Mines and Technology does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, military status, gender, religion, age, sexual orientation, political preference, or disability in employment or the provision of service. 4,000 copies of this publication were printed by SDSM&T at a cost of $1.65 each.

Features Welcome.......................................................................................................... 1 I/UCRC Center for Bioenergy Research and Development..................... 4 DUSEL Begins to Take Shape....................................................................... 6 Research Funding........................................................................................... 8 Back in Black................................................................................................. 10 Impact of Faculty in New Ph.D. Programs............................................... 11 Open for Business........................................................................................ 12 Polycarbonate Blends for Transparent Armor.......................................... 13 Biomedical Materials Research................................................................... 14 Women Faculty in Science and Engineering Institutions....................... 15 Campus Briefs............................................................................................... 16 Research Notes.............................................................................................. 19

Production Staff Executive Editors Dale N. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Butchâ&#x20AC;? Skillman Julie A. Smoragiewicz

Editor Mitchell S. Vander Vorst

Writers Breanna V. Bishop Georgeann C. Cordes L. Eric James II

Graphic Design and Layout BBM Studios A division of Robert Sharp & Associates

Welcome adfad adfadfa

Welcome to the 2008-2009

In a concurrent role as director of the Office of Technology Transfer,

edition of the South Dakota

I had largely experienced only the end- or by-product of research:

School of Mines and Technology

patents, and disclosures. Commercialization continues to expand

Research Report. This annual

in importance as it relates to research, not only here at the School

publication details just a few of

of Mines, but also within the State of South Dakota, as well as

the many scientific innovations

across the United States. The classical goal of research has been the

and breakthroughs the School of

creation of new knowledge; the trend across the U.S. and around

Mines is leading today.

the globe is to also focus on the creation of applied knowledge in the form of new patents and processes that are the result of our

At the School of Mines, we recently welcomed a new president,

research enterprise.

Robert A. Wharton, Ph.D., who has an extensive background in university research, having served as vice president for research for

This year also saw the creation of the second Industry/University

Idaho State University and the Desert Research Institute. This year

Applied Research Center (I/UCRC) on campus via an award

has also seen the departure of our vice president of research, Dr.

from the National Science Foundation. Along with our I/UCRC

Gautam Pillay, who has taken a similar position at Rowan University

on friction stir processing, we are now home to the only I/UCRC

in New Jersey. During this intervening period, I have been asked to

on biofuels, converting organics into other types of organics, such

serve as interim vice president for research by President Wharton.

as the conversion of corn to ethanol. This highlights another key trend in research – the inclusion of industry partners as they will

In this role, my perception of the remarkable faculty and researchers

ultimately be the market for applied research developed within the

working here at the School of Mines has been reinforced. A good

academic communities.

indication of this level of excellence is the successful proposal rate here at the School of Mines - in FY 2008, 45 percent of our

This edition of the Research Report highlights these two key aspects

proposals were funded. You can clearly see the stellar caliber of our

of research here at the School of Mines: first and foremost, the

faculty and researchers.

faculty is engaging in research and several of these projects have resulted in the creation of research centers here at the School of

Forty-six faculty members received awards this past fiscal year,

Mines; second, the university has an increased awareness of the

most receiving multiple awards; another strong indicator of the

importance of the commercialization of research.

importance of research on our campus. There are currently 135 faculty members at the School of Mines, which means about 34

Thank you all for helping to make the School of Mines an innovative

percent of our faculty members are engaged in various areas of

leader in the education of future engineers and scientists.

research. This commitment to innovation flavors the environment of the university, as well as the experience of our students as they matriculate through the various degrees on campus.

Dale N. “Butch” Skillman Interim Vice President for Research Director, Office of Technology Transfer

Mission, Vision, and Goal The South Dakota School of Mines and Technology serves the people of South Dakota as their technological university. Its mission is to provide a wellrounded education that prepares students for leadership roles in engineering and science; to advance the state of knowledge and application of this knowledge through research and scholarship; and to benefit the state, regions, and nation through collaborative efforts in education and economic development. The School of Mines is dedicated to being a leader in 21st century education that reflects a belief in the role of engineers and scientists as crucial to the advancement of society. Our vision is to be recognized as a premiere technological university in the United States. Most immediately, our goal is to be recognized as the university-of-choice for engineering and science within South Dakota and among our peer group of specialized engineering and science universities.

Research Centers Additive Manufacturing Laboratory Advanced Materials Processing (AMP) and Joining Lab I/UCRC Black Hills Natural Sciences Field Station Center for Accelerated Applications at the Nanoscale (CAAN) Center for Bioenergy Research and Development - NSF I/UCRC Center for Bioprocessing Research and Development (CBRD) Center of Excellence for Advanced Manufacturing and Production (CAMP) Composite and Polymer Engineering Laboratory (CAPE) Computational Mechanics Laboratory Direct Write Laboratory Engineering and Mining Experiment Station (EMES) Institute of Atmospheric Sciences (IAS) Museum of Geology South Dakota Space Grant Consortium Supersonic Wind Tunnel

I/UCRC Center for Bioenergy Research and Development The South Dakota School of Mines and Technology is the site

This idea of proposing a bioenergy research center has been brewing

of the National Science Foundation’s (NSF) newest Industry/

for at least two years, long before the spike of energy prices and

University Cooperative Research Center (I/UCRC) in the area of

the government determined the importance of alternative energy

bioenergy. The new I/UCRC, the Center for Bioenergy Research

production. It was in the back of Dr. Abata’s mind when he became

and Development, will receive substantial funding at the multi-

dean of engineering in 2006.

million dollar level from both the National Science Foundation and sponsoring industries.

“I knew our bioprocessing interest and capabilities were very strong,” he said. “We began communicating with other interested universities,

“The selection of the School of Mines as the site of a second

and received a very enthusiastic response. We met in Minneapolis

I/UCRC is a testament to our reputation as an outstanding research

with potential site directors and then launched a massive effort to

institution,” School of Mines President Robert A. Wharton, Ph.D.,

recruit industry partners and submit the NSF application.”

said. “We look forward to working with our partners to advance bioenergy research.”

Members of the consortium include South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, Kansas State University, North Carolina State

Dr. David Dixon, professor and chair, chemical and biological

University, South Dakota State University, State University of New

engineering, will serve as site director. Dr. Duane Abata will serve

York Stony Brook, and the University of Hawaii.

as I/UCRC coordinator. These universities have already shown a strong commitment to, and “Energy is recognized as a national problem and concern.

understanding of, the great need for bioenergy research, investing

Renewable energy will play an important role in fulfilling our

a combined total of more than $100 million prior to the creation

national energy portfolio and relieving our reliance on foreign

of the Center. The universities benefit from this opportunity

oil,” Dixon said. “Our new research center will examine ways to

to partner with other leading institutions to conduct industry

find, improve, and commercialize bio/renewable energy routes

relevant research, and receive seed funding and recognition as a

and systems. We hope to see process and economic improvements

National Science Foundation (NSF) research center with access

to existing bioenergy systems like the corn ethanol industry. We

to professional resources and guidance aimed towards enhancing

also expect to see research emerge from the center that leads to

global competitiveness.

innovation in the cellulosic fuel area, which has an even greater potential to positively impact our nation’s energy needs.”

Each university pledges, as part of the membership agreement, to bring five industry or governmental partners on-board, which

The School of Mines will be the host institution for the center,

yields a strong industry commitment of more than 30 members.

which will be a consortium of universities, industrial partners, and

The membership fee for industries is $50,000 per year. While that is

governmental agencies.

a substantial commitment, it is a mere fraction of what the industry partners would pay to do independent research. It allows them

“This is such a great opportunity for the School of Mines to establish

to leverage their research and development funds while gaining

national and international visibility in the bioenergy research arena.

access to multi-university centers renowned for their innovative

We are the only bioenergy center funded by the NSF in the country,”

research capabilities.

Abata said. “This is also a wonderful opportunity for our students to participate in cutting-edge, ground-breaking bioenergy research.”

University researchers benefit from collaborative efforts with their counterparts at the other institutions, increasing productivity by avoiding duplication of work. They also do not need to compete against each other for the same niche research funding. This gains them the advantage of exposure to real world industry research needs. Industrial partners are able to benefit from the talents and resources of the universities, directing research toward topics which may otherwise not be investigated. They are permitted to jointly discuss pre-competitive work without direct violation of anti-trust laws. This partnership also proves to be an excellent recruiting tool, building the future for the company and providing job opportunities for graduates. The School of Mines is one of only eight universities to host two or more I/UCRC’s and has already seen considerable benefits from its Friction Stir Processing I/UCRC, which was established in 2004. It has given many students the opportunity to participate and be funded in their research efforts. “We bring the undergraduates in early, get them excited, and engage them in research. In the beginning they may not completely understand everything they are asked to do in the lab, but coupling this experience with their academic courses, what they see in the classroom becomes more tangible - they have seen how it is applied,” William Arbegast, director, Center for Friction Stir Processing, said. “It is also quite an honor to be chosen to be the host university for our second NSF I/UCRC.”

Dusel Deepens its Presence “Beginnings are delicate times,” said well-known science fiction

Design plans are underway for a large lab to support research

author Frank Herbert. This indeed holds true for the Deep

work on high-energy particle physics. This research follows and

Underground Science and Engineering Laboratory (DUSEL),

expands upon the work conducted between 1965 and 2002 by

located at the former Homestake Mine in Lead, South Dakota.

Nobel Prize winner Dr. Ray Davis. His research helped to establish

This past year has proven to be filled with many delicate times

that there may be three different types of dark matter particles.

and new beginnings.

Plans are also under development for a neutrino beam receptor to connect the Fermilab outside of Chicago with DUSEL. This would

As the South Dakota Science and Technology Authority (SDSTA)

allow observations of neutrinos as they pass through rock at the

continues to pump water from the former mine, it has become dry

earth’s core. We are currently exploring other facilities to utilize

to approximately 4,550 feet below the surface. The two main entry

for observing the extremeophile bacteria and other forms of life

shafts have been refurbished and overhauled and are also now in

that inhabit harsh environments similar to that of the underground

use. The contract for the geotechnical characterization of the lab

shafts and drifts of DUSEL.

space has been awarded, the request for proposal for the evaluation of the surface facilities is currently being issued; both will be

This year, we were also excited to learn of the Department of

overseen by the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology

Energy’s interest in the DUSEL project. To date, the funding for

under a subaward from the University of California Berkley.

DUSEL has largely come from a coalition composed of the State of South Dakota, an endowment by the Sanford Foundation, and

Along with the design and evaluation details, larger questions

funding from the National Science Foundation (NSF). Current

about the impact of DUSEL on the educational community in

commitments from these three sources amount to approximately

South Dakota, as well as across the U.S., have also begun. A

$518 million dollars. If the Department of Energy joins the research

small symposium of South Dakota post-secondary educators and

endeavor, this may expand to nearly $1 billion dollars or more.

University of California Berkley staff met on the campus of the School of Mines to discuss the educational outreach opportunities

But perhaps the most interesting, is the most expansive

being created by the DUSEL projects. As one participant stated, “A

beginning of all: DUSEL will create a multitude of opportunities

large majority of the technology and science being discussed here is

for new ground-breaking work on the forefront of scientific

like science fiction to most of our students.” During the course of the

exploration, leading us closer and closer to understanding the

meeting, this sentiment was echoed several times. At the meeting’s

universe around us and our place within it. The excitement can

conclusion, a group was formed to start a web-based educational

be felt throughout the scientific community in regards to the

outreach program for a “virtual DUSEL”. This web-based program

proliferation of an ever-growing circle of disciplines, including

would include the multiple levels of the mine for users to explore; it

physics, geology, and microbiology.

will be continuously updated to reflect the growing and expanding technology and lab facilities at DUSEL – sparking interest among all levels of students from pre-kindergarteners to adults.

The South Dakota School of Mines and Technology recently hosted a university round table discussion on DUSEL research, collaboration and education in conjunction with representatives from the University of California Berkeley, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, South Dakota EPSCOR, South Dakota Science and Technology Authority, Sanford Underground Science and Engineering Laboratory and a number of South Dakota colleges and universities. The event culminated with a discussion of alternative energy and environmental studies, led by Dr. Steven Chu, director of the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and professor of physics and molecular and cellular biology of University of California, Berkeley. Dr. Chuâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s study of fundamental phenomena and in measuring important physical quantities with unprecedented precision led to the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1997. Photo l-r: Dr. Kevin Lesko, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and DUSEL co-PI; Dr. Stephen Chu; President Robert A. Wharton; and Dr. Bill Roggenthen, School of Mines and DUSEL co-PI.

Research Funding Research Award Highlights 2008

National Science Foundation The 2010 Initiative: Science-Based Leadership for South Dakota

$1,140,830

Air Force Research Laboratory Lightweight and novel structures for space

$305,000

National Renewable Energy Laboratory Development of super-resolution optical microscopy techniques

$300,000

United States Department of Agriculture Simultaneous enhancement of solid-liquid clarification and reduction from biomass slurries

$199,786

Boeing Friction stir joining of polyphenylsuphone (PPSU)

$32,500

South Dakota Board of Regents Center for Bioprocessing Research and Development

$500,000

National Science Foundation Blacksmithing metallurgy: a multifaceted curriculum and laboratory plan

$150,000

West River Foundation for Economic and Community Growth Genesis of Innovation for South Dakota

$40,000

Ciris Energy, Inc. Detection and characterization of methanogenic populations from coal seams

$150,000

United States Department of Defense Bio-Medical Materials Initiative (BMI)

$849,673

Award Information

Total Awards Receieved FY 00 and FY 08 Project Funding

$15 M

....................................................................................... ....................................................................................... ....................................................................................... .......................................................................................

$ 10,150,289

$10 M

............................................................... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$6,045,524 $5 M

$0 M

....................................................................................... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2000 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2008 ...............................

Awards have increased 68 percent

External Source of FY 08 Project Funding Source National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

Amount $2,553,843

National Science Foundation (NSF)

$2,299,209

U.S. Department of Defense (DOD)

$1,972,918

U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)

$461,875

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

$238,742

U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI)

$200,470

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)

$199,786

U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT)

$93,439

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

$75,000

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)

$60,000

U.S. Department of Labor (DOL)

$58,414

U.S. Geological Survey (USGS)

$39,195

Federal Total

$8,252,891

South Dakota Agency

$1,364,695

Private

$239,927

Other

$292,766

Grand Total

$10,150,289

.....

Private 2.4%

.......

State 13.4%

NASA 25.2%

.......

..........

Other 2.9%

.......

Other Federal 3.2%

(DOT, HHS, HUD, DOL, USGS).

......

DOE 4.5% . . . . . . .

............

DOD 19.4%

...............

USDA 2% . . . . . . . DOI 2% . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . EPA 2.3% . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . NSF 22.7%

.......

Proposals Funded

46 researchers from 21 different units had proposals funded. Proposals Submitted Proposals Funded Funding Rate

199 90 45 Percent

Back In Black Thanks to a grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF), Dr. Dana Medlin and colleagues are Back in Black. Medlin, Nucor Professor, materials and metallurgical engineering, is the principal investigator on the project, which is a course, curriculum, and laboratory improvement project that focuses on integrating the art and science of blacksmithing into the engineering curriculum. Medlin is joined on the project by Dr. Jon Kellar, chair and Douglas Fuerstenau Professor, materials and metallurgical engineering; Dr. Stuart Kellogg, chair and Pietz Professor, industrial engineering and engineering management; James Rattling Leaf of Sinte Gleska University, Dr. Michael West, assistant professor, materials and metallurgical engineering, and Deborah Mitchell, associate professor, humanities, and director of the APEX Gallery. The project took root several years ago when materials and metallurgical engineering faculty encountered high school students that had developed an interest in blacksmithing. These students were unique in that they were interested in both the hands-on aspect of the craft, and the engineering behind it. These encounters triggered discussions among the faculty as to how they could use blacksmithing as a tool to garner student interest and understanding in metallurgical engineering, physical science, as well as engineering as a whole. To test this idea, in 2005, Medlin and Kellar approached the John Deere Foundation with a proposal to purchase basic blacksmithing equipment. They chose the John Deere Foundation based on the company’s metalworking core principles and because the original John Deere was himself a blacksmith. The proposal was supported, and in 2006, they put their theory to the test.

In the summer of 2006, they worked with a number of summer camp students on metalworking, and the results were so encouraging that the concept was introduced to more than 200 School of Mines students in an ‘Introduction to Engineering’ course. The interest garnered from these students led to the creation of an extracurricular program called the weekly ‘Hammer-In’. The Hammer-In is an open forge time every Friday afternoon that attracts an average of 15-20 students each week. The interest shown by students was not the only positive – Medlin noticed in course discussions that students with hands-on experience with blacksmithing techniques had a better grasp of many Metallurgical Engineering concepts. “We wanted to use blacksmithing as a gateway to improve the undergraduate student understanding and application of fundamental structure/property relationships relevant to all materials,” Medlin said. “Blacksmithing will give students more of a hands-on approach to learning these concepts early in their academic careers and hopefully better comprehension and application of these concepts in the more advanced metallurgical engineering courses.” Last fall, Medlin and his colleagues took these findings and created a curriculum and laboratory proposal to the National Science Foundation. The proposal was funded – the ultimate goal of the Back in Black program is to use blacksmithing as a gateway to improve student understanding and application of fundamental structure/property relationships relevant to all materials. Sophomore through senior laboratories are currently being redesigned to include metalworking components with the belief that by integrating the hands-on aspects of blacksmithing into the curriculum will lead to improved student understanding.

Impact of Faculty in New Ph.D. Programs In a move to advance university-based research that leads to more economic development for the state, the South Dakota Board of Regents established six new doctoral-level programs in the science and medical fields, including three at the School of Mines: biomedical engineering, chemical and biological engineering, as well as nanoscience and nanoengineering. The new Ph.D. programs are the latest in a planned strategy to increase South Dakota’s profile in research and development. Increasing university research and translating it into marketable ideas and products, are central points in Another important aspect of the project is outreach. The outreach portion of the projects was implemented with the goal of increasing participation in engineering by females and minority students. Outreach activities focus on high school students and involve on-site visits by student ambassadors and faculty. What makes the visits unique is, with the donation of a trailer by alumnus Craig Willan, they can bring a portable blacksmithing operation directly to the students. These hands-on demonstrations not only introduce students to blacksmithing techniques, they give them an understanding of the scientific principles behind metalworking. “We found that most middle school, high school, and even undergraduate students are not familiar with metallurgical engineering until their second or third year of college. Usually, this is too late to successfully recruit new students into the program,” Medlin said. “Using blacksmithing as an outreach tool captures students’ attention, even at the middle school level, and gives them a memorable hands-on blacksmithing experience that also introduces them to the basic concepts of metallurgical engineering.” These hands-on demonstrations will also occur with middle- and high-school students that are on the School of Mines campus for activities and summer camps, such as the Youth Engineering Adventure, Science Technology Engineering Preview Summer Camp for Girls, and Engineers Week activities.

Governor Rounds’ 2010 economic development initiative. The faculty members hired as part of these Ph.D. programs have been actively involved in eliciting federal grants and support as well as creating industry and community partnerships.

Biomedical Engineering Dr. Mano Thubrikar, professor of mechanical engineering

Chemical and Biological Engineering Dr. Kenneth Benjamin, assistant professor of chemical and biological engineering Dr. Rajesh Shende, assistant professor of chemical and biological engineering

Nanotechnology and Nonengineering Dr. Scott P. Ahrenkiel, assistant professor of physics Dr. Steve Smith, associate professor of physics

The power of blacksmithing allows the students to take something old and create something new. Back in Black uses this idea to transform traditional engineering into something exciting and dynamic, and shows the students that they can shape their education as readily as the metal they are working with.

Open for Business The Office of Technology Transfer (OTT) at the South Dakota

The OTT utilized $168,300 in congressional funding through the

School of Mines and Technology is open for business and ready to

Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) secured

help you evaluate the commercial potential of your ideas, as well as

by Senator Tim Johnson and administered by the Rapid City

answer questions about the patent process.

Area Economic Development Partnership. The OTT has utilized a portion of the award to reallocate, remodel, and refurnish

Director Dale N. ‘Butch’ Skillman is an inventor and has been

space in the Electrical Engineering/Physics building. The site has

through the process with his own ideas. Skillman wears three

a reception area and secure office. There is also a media and IP

hats as the School of Mines’ designated Intellectual Property

research room and an innovation training lab where Skillman

(IP) person, director of the OTT, and interim vice president for

envisions networking with a team of seasoned professionals to

research. The role of the OTT is to support West River Board of

evaluate ideas and assess their commercial potential.

Regents Institutions and local community members in matters of Intellectual Property and Innovation.

Skillman is passionate about technology transfer and inventing. He feels that the OTT director position must serve the faculty, staff,

Technology transfer, the process of evaluating, protecting, and

and student communities in IP related matters. Skillman looks

commercializing scientific research, is not a new concept. The

forward to making the technology transfer process as smooth as

creation of the OTT, however, illustrates the level of dedication that

possible for all. He is creating an environment where students will

the School of Mines is now focusing on the endeavor. The School

be involved as intern evaluators and inventors, participating in

of Mines is making positive steps to not only evaluate and protect

competitions and innovation challenges.

intellectual property, but also to help commercialize it as well. The School of Mines is not alone in this endeavor to stimulate economic growth. In 2006, the Rapid City Economic Development Foundation, with grants from the state, the city, and Black Hills Vision, opened the Black Hills Business Development Center, also known as the ‘Business Incubator’ on campus. The facility houses city, state, and federal economic development offices and offers space and start-up services to technology-based companies. The Incubator has leased approximately half of its 40,000 square-foot space to technology-based businesses in different stages of development. The South Dakota Board of Regents (BOR), in response to Governor Mike Rounds’ 2010 Initiative, changed their IP Policy in 2004 to hopefully increase the number of ideas disclosed by BOR employees. In essence, this policy increased the inventor’s royalty entitlement to 50 percent. “The South Dakota BOR has one of the most equitable policies in the country for sharing royalties with their faculty and staff inventors,” said Skillman.

Polycarbonate Blends for Transparent Armor Dr. David Boyles, professor,

The project is titled “Design and Synthesis of Fully Miscible

chemistry, has been awarded

Polycarbonate Blends for Transparent Armor Applications,” and

a $525,000 grant by the Army

according to Boyles, it builds upon a decade of innovative polymer

Research

synthesis and computational modeling which has culminated in

Office.

This

three-

year award, funded through the

patents and disclosures by Boyles and his research group.

Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR),

Many polymeric blends are only partially miscible, which means

began in summer 2008.

they only blend at certain concentrations, and their phase separation introduces opacity into the materials. The research

The Department of Defense (DoD) has awarded $15.7 million to 24

Boyles is conducting focuses on the characterization and study of

academic institutions in 18 states to perform research in science and

a specific family of novel polycarbonate blends with demonstrated

engineering, under the fiscal 2008 Defense Experimental Program to

true miscibility at all concentrations which form clear and tough

Stimulate Competitive Research (DEPSCoR).

materials.

“This award marks the fourth DEPSCoR award that South Dakota

The proposed research explores the connection between the

has received in the last four years, making the state one of the most

remarkable physical properties of bisphenol-A-polycarbonate (BPA-

successful in the DEPSCoR competition during this time period,”

PC) and its unique (e.g., unusually tight) entanglement network.

James A. Rice, Director, South Dakota EPSCoR Program, said.

Though more than 5 billion pounds of BPA-PC will be produced world-wide in 2007, a fundamental understanding of the role of its chemical structure leading to its excellent mechanical strength, ductility, and toughness is still lacking. This research will explore the hypothesis that BPA-PC’s properties are due to a remarkable ease of entanglement, and that the chain entanglement spacing is in turn directly related to the monomer aspect-ratio. “These blends were discovered at the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology and are of interest in providing improved processing and property enhancements for soldier protection and enhanced survivability of current and future ground and air combat vehicles,” Boyles said. “Forming tough, transparent amorphous glasses they can therefore be directly incorporated into current army protection systems such as transparent armor for face shields, goggles, vehicle vision blocks, blast shields, and aircraft canopies.”

Biomedical Materials Research Dr. James Sears, director, Additive Manufacturing Laboratory,

be of most benefit to amputees. Prostheses used by amputees are

has been awarded $1 million for his â&#x20AC;&#x153;Biomedical Materials

traditionally held in place either by suction or by being strapped to

Initiativeâ&#x20AC;?(BMI). The grant is being funded through the United

the stump of the missing limb or digit. They have been problematic

States Army Medical Command, Fort Detrick, Maryland; and

in the past because movement of the limb causes rubbing and

will be focused on surface modifications of prosthetic devices to

pressure sores.

accelerate osteointegration. Intraosseous Transcutaneous Amputation Prosthesis (ITAP) Osteointegration is the structural linkage made at the contact point

devices, developed by scientists in the United Kingdom, are metal

where human bone and the surface of a synthetic, often titanium-

implants inserted through the skin and into the center of the bone

based, implant meet. The healing time it takes for the implant to

of the remaining stump of the appendage. Prostheses are then

be load bearing is often lengthy for patients. Although the research

easily attached to the protruding part of the metal implant. We

will be approached from an engineering perspective, the ultimate

are in the preliminary stages of testing, having only been used for

goal is to accelerate this healing time.

patients who had lost fingers or thumbs, but the results have been very encouraging. The unique design includes a structure under

Sears and his team of two graduate students, with support from

the skin, modeled after deer antler morphology, which allows the

Dr. Dana Medlin, Nucor Professor, materials and metallurgical

dermal tissues to attach into the metal, preventing the skin from

Engineering, will concentrate their efforts on modifying the surface

ripping away, minimizing the risk of infection.

of metal implants. They will be testing the effects that various metal textures, applied to the prosthetic surface, have on proliferation

In order for these devices to work on larger limbs, strong

of bone tissue. The surfaces will be seeded with osteoblasts, bone

osteointegration is vital. If the metal becomes securely integrated

forming cells, incubated and tested to see if there is an increase

into the bone, it will provide for a more comfortable and securely

in growth. Dr. Daniel Neufeld, professor, cellular and molecular

attached prosthesis.

biology, University of South Dakota, School of Medicine, will be subcontracted to perform some testing work.

This grant will also be used to purchase equipment which will bring new capabilities to the biomedical engineering program.

Improved osteointegration will be beneficial to patients facing joint replacement surgeries, but Sears envisions his research to

Women Faculty in Academic Science and Engineering Institutions The South Dakota School of Mines and Technology has been awarded a National Science Foundation (NSF) ADVANCE ITStart Grant. According to the NSF, these awards support research to understand the status of women faculty in academic science and engineering at institutions seeking institutional transformation. Dr. Sid Goss, professor, social sciences, will serve as principal investigator on the project, with Dr. Jennifer Karlin, assistant professor, industrial engineering and Dr. Andrea Surovek, associate professor, civil and environmental engineering, serving as co-principal investigators. The primary goal of the School of Mines award is to determine the social, environmental, and attitudinal factors affecting the recruitment, retention, and advancement of women faculty in engineering and science at the School of Mines and other institutions of higher learning in South Dakota. From this data, they plan to develop strategies to increase the number of women recruited and retained at South Dakota institutions in science and engineering fields. The overarching goal is to parlay this funding into an NSF ADVANCE Institutional Transformation grant that will allow the implementation of the developed strategies. There are a number of reasons for working to increase the representation of women faculty in science and engineering. The Nation is seeing a continually widening gap between the number of science and engineering graduates and the number needed in the workforce. The solution to this problem requires not only enlisting more students in these fields, but also increasing the number of traditionally underrepresented students, thus providing a larger pool from which we can recruit. There are a large number of talented female high school students, but the face of science and engineering academics is predominantly male. The percentage of female faculty in these areas is still lower than the percentage of women students or professionals in these fields. By better representing the workplace, and by providing more role models in diverse areas and at multiple levels of academic responsibility, there is a better opportunity to increase the number of science and engineering students and professionals simply by increasing the number of women who enter these fields of study.

Office of Sponsored Programs Welcomes New Director L. Eric James has joined the School of Mines as the Director of the Office of Sponsored Programs. James received a bachelor’s degree from Ursinus College, a master’s of science, health policy, and public management from the University of Southern Maine, and a juris doctorate from the University of Maine School of Law. James has been working in grants and sponsored programs since completing his education in public management in 1997. His last position was with the University of Southern Maine Muskie School of Public Service overseeing a research institute with an annual sponsored program of $21 million. He has an extensive background in organizational design and management, sustainability, and is also well known in Maine for his skill as a mediator. As director he has been working on improving communication and support between the research community and the Office of Sponsored Programs, analyzing and revising the tools used as part of the research proposal process, and has begun work examining the research organizational structure at the School of Mines.

Campus Briefs Professor Awarded Patents

Dr. Vojislav Kalanovic, professor, mechanical engineering, has been officially been awarded Patent No. 7,241,200 by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. The patent makes a fundamental contribution to the field of modular robotics, as used in Kalanovic’s previously patented Flexible Robotic Environment® (FRE) system. The newly patented control approach may be used for control of processing machines for use in various different applications, such as material removal and part shaping, polishing of parts, welding, glue dispensing, laser jet cutting, assembly, palletizing, laser deposition, pick/place and the like. Kalanovich has also been awarded Patent No. 7,300,333. This patent addresses specific control solutions related to the VDK 1000, a robotic jewelry polishing system invented by Kalanovic. For example, patented control is specifically linked to the gantry and gimbal unit motors, the gripper unit actuator, and actuators associated with a series of work stations for carrying out processing operations such as lapping, polishing, and grinding. This controller also accommodates a user-input device that provides optional operator control of the movement and processing for system training purposes.

C-Lock Technology Inc. Partners with IBM

C-Lock Technology Inc. has partnered with IBM Business Partner Enterprise Information Management, Inc. and Evergreen Energy Inc. to develop a greenhouse gas meter called GreenCert, which can calculate carbon reductions across multiple industries and devices. GreenCert provides an automated software tool to gauge and document greenhouse gas management efforts and can transform this data into Certified Carbon Emissions Reduction Credits (CCERC). GreenCert offers a standard, repeatable methodology for efficiently collecting and manipulating large volumes of information and calculating and documenting emissions reductions. Powering GreenCert is an engine designed by C-Lock Technology Inc. – based on patent-pending process technology – designed to ingest many kinds of data available from a wide variety of sensors and tools, and use them to quantify the greenhouse gases emitted and changes in emissions. Dr. Patrick Zimmerman, former director of the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology’s Institute of Atmospheric Science (IAS) and inventor of the technology, serves as director of technology for C-Lock Technology Inc. Zimmerman is owner and inventor of C-Lock Inc., which has licensed its process on a worldwide basis to C-Lock Technology Inc.

Campus Briefs Professor Receives Grant to Conduct Carbon Fiber Study

Dr. Hao Fong, associate professor, chemistry, has been awarded $750,000 by the National Aeronautics Space Administration (NASA). The award, funded through the Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR), will be funded for three years. The project entitled “Continuous Nano-Scaled Carbon Fibers with Superior Mechanical Strength and their Innovative Composites for Aeronautics and Space Applications” will not only significantly improve the scientific understanding of electrospinning and nanofibers but also create a new synthetic route for the development of extremely high performance carbon fibers and their composites. Co-P.I.s for the project are Dr. Shawn Decker, director, Center for Accelerated Applications at the Nanoscale, and Dr. Myung-Keun Yoon, assistant professor, mechanical engineering.

Professor Receives International Recognition

During a special international conference in Chernogolovka, Moscow Region, Dr. Jan Puszynski, professor, chemical and biological engineering, was honored by the Russian Academy of Sciences and the International Association of Self-Propagating High-Temperature Synthesis for his contribution to science and education. Dr. Puszynski has published more than 140 papers on the subject of combustion synthesis of advanced ceramics and reaction engineering aspects of nanoenergetic materials.

Professor Named to South Dakota Hall of Fame

Dr. James Martin, professor, geology and geological engineering, was one of 13 individuals chosen to be inducted into the 2008 South Dakota Hall of Fame. South Dakota is one of the richest fossil areas in the world. Martin and his students have made significant discoveries of marine reptiles from the banks of the Missouri River to the Wyoming border. Martin has been honored by the National Science Foundation, the Discovery Channel, and numerous other organizations. Martin also serves as Paleontology Program Coordinator and Curator of Vertebrate Paleontology at the School of Mines. He was officially inducted and honored at ceremonies held Sept. 19-20, 2008.

Professor Named ASM Fellow

Dr. Dana Medlin, Nucor Professor, materials and metallurgical engineering, has been named an American Society for Metals (ASM) Fellow. Medlin was chosen by the Society for his outstanding contributions to innovative design and development of medical devices, dedication to the development and education of future medical device professionals, and prolonged outstanding service to ASM.

Professor Named Journal Editor

Dr. Roger Johnson, professor, mathematics and computer science, has been appointed editor of the journal, Teaching Statistics. The journal serves biology, business studies, economics, geography, mathematics, sciences, and social sciences teachers by showing how statistical ideas can assist in their work and how to use statistics in their teaching. It is also directed towards those who teach statistics as a separate subject and to those who teach statistics in conjunction with mathematics courses. The emphasis of the articles is on teaching and the classroom. The home of the journal is the Royal Statistical Society Centre for Statistical Education at Nottingham Trent University in the United Kingdom.

Professor Named to ABET, Inc. Board of Directors

Dr. Arden Davis, Mickelson Professor, geology and geological engineering, has been appointed to the ABET, Inc. Board of Directors. Davis has previously served ABET as a commissioner on the Engineering Accreditation Commission and team chair for accreditation visits. ABET, Inc., formerly the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology, is the recognized accreditor for college and university programs in applied science, computing, engineering, and technology. There are more than 2,700 programs accredited at over 550 colleges and universities in the United States.

Paper Takes International Journal Cover

A paper co-authored by Dr. Charles Kliche, professor, mining engineering and management, and Bill Clements, co-owner of Century Blasting Services, LLC, has received the cover of the Journal of Explosives Engineering. The paper, “Removal of the Top of an Aged Water Supply Reservoir Using Explosives,” details the removal of the top of an old water supply reservoir tank for the City of Lead.

Professor Publishes New Fossil Book

Dr. James Martin, professor, geology and geological engineering, and executive curator, Museum of Geology, has edited the “The Geology and Paleontology of the Late Cretaceous Marine Deposits of the Dakotas,” published by the Geological Society of America. The volume, co-edited by David C. Parris, Curator of Natural History at the New Jersey State Museum, is a major contribution to the knowledge of marine rocks and fossils from the end of the Age of Dinosaurs in South Dakota.

Campus Briefs Professor Selected for Symposium

Dr. Karen Braman, assistant professor, mathematics and computer science, has been 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 and the conference is held once every three years. Braman’s work on the QR algorithm using middle deflations was selected from the highly competitive list of applications.

Professor Recognized at Conference

Dr. John Weiss, professor, mathematics and computer science, recently presented a paper at the 23rd International Conference on Computers and Their Applications (CATA-2008), held April 9-11, 2008 in Cancun, Mexico. His presentation involved research that resulted from his involvement in the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) competition. The paper, “Hierarchical Template Matching For Real-Time Symbol Detection”, was selected for the Best Paper submitted to the conference award.

School of Mines Successful in EPSCoR Competition

The project “Lattice-Mismatched III-V Epilayers for High-Efficiency Photovoltaics” has been chosen as one of 12 projects selected for funding by the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) in fiscal year 2008. The project, led by principal investigator Dr. Scott Ahrenkiel, professor, nanoscience and nanoengineering, will study the management of defects in lattice-mismatched materials. According to Ahrenkiel, the project will seek to develop greater control of defect generation in multilayer thin-film materials used for the direct conversion of sunlight into electrical energy. The School of Mines was the only South Dakota institution to receive an award.

Space Grant Consortium Receives Grant

The South Dakota Space Grant Consortium will receive an additional $177,000 to support a new research and education partnership involving the School of Mines, Oglala Lakota College, and Dakota State University. NASA’s Consortium Development Competition was open to the 17 Non-Designated Consortia, representing states that currently receive the lowest levels of NASA research and development funding. NASA selected five proposals for funding including the SDSGC project. The SDSGC project is “A Proposal to Increase Minority Participation in Higher Education in STEM Disciplines Responsive to NASA needs – A Multi-Institution Effort.” The program will directly coordinate with programs currently conducted at the School of Mines that provide research and educational experiences to American Indian high school and college students in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) disciplines and with programs at Dakota State University (DSU) that promote increased participation of women in STEM disciplines.

Professor Named MAA Governor

Dr. Kyle Riley, chair, mathematics and computer science, has been elected to the Board of Governors of the Mathematical Association of America (MMA). Dr. Riley will serve as governor for the Rocky Mountain section of the MAA and will represent the section at the national level. The Mathematical Association of America is the largest professional society that focuses on mathematics accessible at the undergraduate level.

Professors Featured in Article

Dr. Carter Kerk, professor, industrial engineering and engineering management, and Dr. Jennifer Karlin, assistant professor, industrial engineering and engineering management, have been cited in the latest issue of Material Handling Management in the article “Meeting at the Crossroads: Man/ Machine Intersection”. The article, which discusses the need for employee input on creating an ergonomically sound workplace, can be viewed at http://ie.sdsmt.edu/news/MatrlHndlApr08.pdf.

Professor Elected to ASEE Post

Dr. Stuart Kellogg, chair and Pietz Professor, industrial engineering and engineering management, has been selected as presidentelect of the Rocky Mountain Section of the American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) for 2009-2010. The Rocky Mountain Section covers West River, Wyoming, Colorado and Utah. The 2010 annual conference will be hosted at the School of Mines. Also, at the ASEE Rocky Mountain Section annual conference Dr. Kellogg’s paper presentation, “Utilizing an Inverted Classroom Approach to Develop Complex Thinking Skills,” was honored with the Best Presentation Award.

Professor Named to ASEE Post

Dr. Jennifer Karlin, assistant professor, industrial engineering and engineering management, has been elected to the Engineering Research Methods (ERM) national board of directors for the American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE). ERM is one of the largest and most active divisions within ASEE.

Search Initiated for New Vice President of Research

A search committee has been created at the School of Mines to initiate the search process for the new vice president for research after the departure of Dr. Gautam Pillay. For more information, visit http://yourfuture.sdbor.edu.

Research Notes Dr. Scott Ahrenkiel, assistant professor, nanoscience and nanoengineering, received $23,361 from the South Dakota Board of Regents for the project, “Growth Kinetics During Recrystallization of Amorphous Silicon.” William Arbegast, director, advanced materials processing and joining laboratory (AMP), and instructor, materials and metallurgical engineering, and Dr. Anil Patnaik, former assistant professor, civil and environmental engineering, received $26,000 in additional funding from the National Science Foundation for the project, “Friction Stir Processing Industry/University Cooperative Research Center.” Arbegast; Dr. Robb Winter, professor,

chemical

and

biological engineering; and Dr. Dan Dolan, professor, mechanical

engineering

and director, Center of Excellence for Advanced Manufacturing and Production, received $32,500 from Boeing for the project, “Boeing FSJ (PW-2007-0780): Friction Stir Joining of Polyphenylsulphone (PPSU).” Arbegast and Dr. Michael West, assistant professor,

materials

and

metallurgical

engineering, received $6,000 in additional funding from the National Science Foundation for the project, “Friction Stir Processing Industry/ University Cooperative Research Center.” Arbegast; West; and Dr. Antonette Logar, professor, mathematics and computer science, received $70,000 in additional funding from the National Science Foundation for the project, “Friction Stir Processing Industry / University Cooperative Research Center.” Arbegast also received $96,250 in additional funding from the Friction Stir Processing Industry/University Cooperative Research Center Memberships for the project, “Intelligent Process Control System Algorithms for Aluminum and Steel Friction Stir Welding,”

and $96,250 from the Friction Stir Processing Industry/University Cooperative Research Center Memberships for the project, “Design, Analysis, and Performance of “’Built-Up’ Aluminum Friction Stir Welded (FSW) and Friction Stir Spot Welded (FSSW) Structures.” Dr. Sookie Bang, professor, chemical and biological engineering, and Dr. Sangchul Bang, professor, civil and environmental engineering, received $62,812 from the National Science Foundation for the project, “Microbial Dust Suppression.” Dr. Sookie Bang also received $500,000 from the South Dakota Board of Regents for the project, “Center for Bioprocessing Research and Development.” Dr. William Capehart, associate professor, atmospheric

sciences

and

Institute

Atmospheric Sciences, received $46,000 in additional funding from NASA for the project, “Evaluating the Effects of Institutional Change on Regional Hydrometeorology: Assessing the Vulnerability of the Eurasian Semi-arid Grain Belt.” Dr. Arden Davis, Mickelson Professor, geology and geological engineering; Dr. David Dixon, professor and chair, chemical and biological engineering; and Dr. M.R. Hansen, professor, civil and environmental engineering, received $11,873 from the United States Geological Survey for the project, “Leaching Tests for Encapsulation of Waste after Arsenic Removal from Drinking Water.” Dr. Davis, Dr. Dixon, and Dr. Hansen also received $12,467 from South Dakota State University for the project, “Thermal Stability of Limestone Waste for Recycling after Arsenic Removal from Drinking Water.” Dr. Davis also received $5,000 in additional funding from the U.S. Department of Interior – Bureau of Land Management for the project, “Conduct Studies of Inactive/Abandoned Mine Sites on BLM Lands and to Monitor Inactive/Abandoned Mines Sites.”

Research Notes Dr. Shawn Decker, director, Center for Accelerated Applications at the Nanoscale, received $585,000 in additional funding from the South Dakota Board of Regents for the project, “Center for Accelerated Applications at the Nanoscale.” Dr. Andrew Detwiler, professor, Institute of Atmospheric Sciences, received $87,912 in additional funding from the National Science Foundation for the project, “Intergovernmental Personnel Act Associate Program Manager Assignment to National Science Foundation.” Dr. David Dixon, chair and professor, chemical and biological engineering, received $10,000 from the National Science Foundation for the project, “Center for Biofuel Research and Development.” Dr. Daniel Dolan, professor, mechanical engineering, and co-director, Center of Excellence for Advanced Manufacturing and Production; Dr. John Weiss, professor, mathematics and computer science; Dr. Michael Batchelder, professor, electrical and computer engineering, and co-director, Center of Excellence for Advanced Manufacturing and Production; Dr. Brian Hemmelman, professor and chair, electrical and computer engineering; and Elaine Linde, instructor, electrical and computer engineering, received $200,000 in additional funding from the U.S. Department of Defense – Armament Research, Development and Engineering Center – Army Research Laboratory for the project, “Ultrawide Band Sensing for UGV.” Dr. Edward Duke, manager of analytical services, engineering and mining experiment station, and professor, geology and geological engineering; Dr. Hao Fong, assistant professor, chemistry; Dr. Shawn Decker, director, Center for Accelerated Applications at the Nanoscale; and Dr. Myung-Keun Yoon, assistant professor, mechanical engineering, received $750,000 from NASA for the project, “Continuous Nano-Scaled Carbon Fibers with Superior Mechanical Strength and Their Innovative Composites for Aeronautics and Space Applications.”

Dr. Duke; Dr. Pallaoor Sundareshwar, assistant professor, atmospheric sciences; Dr. Maribeth Price, chair and associate professor, geology and geological engineering; and Dr. Donna Kliche, research scientist III, Institute of Atmospheric Sciences, received $177,000 in additional funding from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration for the project, “South Dakota Space Grant Consortium.” Dr. Duke and Dr. William Capehart, associate professor, Institute of Atmospheric Sciences, received $737,843 from NASA (EPSCoR) for the project, “Land Cover Dynamics, Regional Hydrometeorology, and the Vulnerability of Rain-Fed Agriculture to Climate Change Under Scenarios of Extensive Cultivation of Biofuel Feedstocks.” Dr. Duke also received $410,000 in additional funding from NASA for the project, “National Space Grant College and Fellowship Program;” $28,000 in additional funding from NASA for the project, “Exploration Systems Mission Directorate Higher Education 2007;” and $375,000 in additional funding from NASA for the project, “South Dakota NASA EPSCOR Research Infrastructure Development Program.” Richard Farley, research scientist IV, Institute of Atmospheric Sciences, and Dr. Pallaoor Sundareshwar, assistant professor, atmospheric sciences department, received $44,398 in additional funding from the Western Research Alliance Foundation for the project, “Great Plains Center for Atmosphere and Human Health.” Dr. Patrick Gilcrease, assistant professor, chemical and biological engineering, received $150,000 from Ciris Energy, Inc. for the project, “Detection and Characterization of Methanogenic Populations from Coal Seams.”

Research Notes Dr. M.R. Hansen, professor, civil and environmental engineering, received $7,890 from the South Dakota Department of Military and Veterans Affairs - South Dakota Army National Guard for the project, “Pervious Concrete Development, PH 1.” Dr. John Helsdon, dean, graduate education, received $40,500 from the National Science Foundation for the project, “Graduate Research Fellowship Program.”

Dr. Charles Kliche, professor, mining engineering and management, and Dr. Zbigniew Hladysz, professor, mining engineering and management, received $57,275 from the U.S. Department of Labor- Mine Safety and Health Administration for, “Mine Health and Safety Training.” Dr. Alvis Lisenbee, professor emeritus, geology and geological engineering, and Dr. Arden Davis, Mickelson Professor, geology and geological engineering, received $15,878 from

Dr. Stan Howard, professor, materials and metallurgical engineering, received $5,000 from the South Dakota Board of Regents for the project, “Recycling of Enriched GE from the Detector Production Circuit.”

Dr. Jon Kellar, chair and Douglas Fuerstenau Professor, materials and metallurgical engineering, and Dr. Keith Whites, professor and Steven P. Miller, chair, electrical and computer engineering, received $1,140,830 in additional funding from the National Science Foundation for the project, “The 2010 Initiative: Science-Based Leadership for South Dakota.” Dr. Carter Kerk, professor, industrial engineering, received $1,139 from the National Institute for Occupational Health and Safety for the project, “Heartland Center for Occupational Health and Safety.” Dr. Melvin Klasi, associate professor, civil and environmental engineering, received $29,081 from the Federal Highway Administration – South Dakota Department of Transportation for the project, “South Dakota Local Transportation Assistance Program 2008.”

the West Dakota Water Development District for the project, “Aquifer Mapping (1:24,000) of the north half of the Hill City Quadrangle, South Dakota.” Dr. Patricia Mahon, dean of students and vice president for student affairs, received $49,805 from the Department of Public Safety for the project, “CCPC’s High Risk Driving Education Program.” Dr. Mahon also received $12,500 from Black Hills Special Services for the project, “Tobacco Prevention.” Ronald Marshall, technical assistance provider, civil and environmental engineering, received $14,553 from South Dakota State University for the project, “Local Rural Road Safety Audit and Safety Tool Box.” Dr. James Martin, professor, geological and geological engineering, and curator, vertebrate paleontology, received $25,000 from the U.S. Department of Interior – Bureau of Land Management for the project, “Curation of Oregon Horse Fossil.”

Research Notes Dr. Martin also received $45,946 from the U.S. Department of Interior- National Park Service - Badlands National Park for the project, “Provide Quality Paleontological Educational Experience at Pig Dig for the 2008 Field Season and 2008/2009 Academic Year”; $12,600 from the U.S. Department of Interior – Bureau of Reclamation for the project, “Paleontological Survey, Angostura Reservoir, Fall River County, South Dakota”; $76,580 from the United States Department of Interior – National Park Service - Badlands National Park for the project, “Curatorial Backlog of Museum Specimens, Badlands National Park”; $19,594 from the National Park Service – Badlands National Park for the project, “Curatorial Backlog of Museum Specimens, Badlands National Park”; and $2,000 from the U.S. Department of the Interior – Bureau of Land Management for the project, “Curation of Fossils Collected from Fossil Lake (CCS project).” Dr. Todd Menkhaus, assistant professor, chemical and biological engineering, and Dr. Patrick Gilcrease, professor, chemical and biological engineering, received $199,786 from the United States Department of Agriculture for the project, “Simultaneous Enhancement of Solid-Liquid Clarification and Reduction of Fermentation Inhibitory Compounds from Biomass Slurries.” Dr. Menkhaus also received $25,000 in additional funding from the National Science Foundation for the project, “SDSM&T RET Site: Inspiring Educations in Rural America through Research.” Jolie McCoy, director of counseling/student ADA services, received $75,000 from the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services for the project, “School of Mines Campus Suicide Prevention Program (CSPP).” Dr. Dana Medlin, associate professor, materials and metallurgical engineering; Dr. Jon Kellar, chair and Douglas Fuerstenau Professor, materials and metallurgical engineering; Dr. Michael West, assistant professor, materials and metallurgical engineering; and Dr. Stuart Kellogg, chair and Pietz Professor, industrial engineering and engineering management, received $150,000 from the National Science Foundation for project, “Blacksmithing Metallurgy: A Multifaceted Curriculum and Laboratory Plan.”

Dr. Medlin and Dr. Kellar also received $15,000 from Radiance Technologies for the project, “Advanced Electronic Rosebud Integration (AERI) Research and Development Program.” Dr. Medlin also received $5,000 from the South Dakota Board of Regents for the project, “Development of Ultra-Pure Copper for the Underground Germanium Detectors. Dr. Andre Petukhov, chair and professor, physics, received $30,000 from NASA for the project, “Studies of Spin-Charge Conversion in SI : LI Quantum Computing System.” Dr. Petukhov also received $30,000 from the University of Nebraska – Lincoln for the project, “Spintronic Devices Enabled by Semiconducting Boron Carbide.” Dr. Gautam Pillay, former vice president, research; Dr. Mark Hjelmfelt, chair and professor, atmospheric sciences; and Dr. William

Capehart,

atmospheric sciences,

associate

professor,

received $460,502 in

additional funding from the United States Department of Defense – Armament Research, Development, and Engineering Center (ARDEC) for the project, “Advanced Atmospheric Sciences Technology and Applications to Support NAMK and NAGIK Projects.” Dr. Pillay and Dr. Haiping Hong, research scientist III, materials and metallurgical engineering, received $100,000 in additional funding from the United States Department of Defense – Army Research Laboratory for the project, “Advanced Materials and Processes for Future Combat Systems.” Dr. Pillay and Dr. Sherry Farwell, former research scientist IV, Institute of Atmospheric Sciences, received $42,743 in additional funding from the U.S. Department of Defense Army Research Laboratory for the project, “Advanced Materials and Processes for Future Combat Systems.”

Research Notes Dr. Pillay and Dr. Umesh Korde, professor, mechanical

Dr. Sani also received $95,682 from the United States Department

engineering, received $305,000 in additional funding from the U.S.

of Energy for the project, “Biogeochemical Mechanisms of

Department of Defense – Air Force Research Laboratory for the

Nanocrystalline Uraninite Oxidation by Fe(III)-(hydr)oxides,”

project, “Lightweight and Novel Structures for Space.”

and $5,000 from the South Dakota Board of Regents for the project, “Generating Preliminary Microbial Data on Homestake

Dr. Jan Puszynski, professor, chemical and biological engineering,

Gold Mine to Support NSF S4, S5, and Faculty Early Career

and Dr. Rajesh Shende, assistant professor, chemical and biological

Development Proposals.”

engineering, received $299,948 from the National Science Foundation for the project, “Novel Redox Materials for Hydrogen

Dr.

James

Sears,

Generation by High Temperature Water Splitting.”

manufacturing laboratory, received $849,673

director,

additive

from the U.S. Department of Defense- U.S. Dr. Lance Roberts, assistant professor, civil and

Department of Army- U.S. Army Medical

environmental engineering, received $10,000

Research

from the Judy Company, Inc. for the project,

project, “Bio-Medical Materials Initiative

“Optimizing Soldier Piles for Excavation

(BMI).” Dr. Sears also received $23,000 from Carpenter Powder

Shoring.” Dr. Roberts also received $20,944

Products for the project, “Development of Functionally Graded

from the South Dakota Board of Regents for the

Materials for Manufacturing Tools and Dies and Industrial

project “Reliability-Based Design Methodologies for Foundation

Acquisition

Activity

for

the

Processing Equipment.”

Systems in Transportation Infrastructure” and $5,283 from FMG Engineering, Inc. for the project, “Development of a Reliability-

Dale Skillman, interim vice president for

Based Design Algorithm for Deep Foundation Systems.”

research, and director, Office of Technology Transfer, received $40,000 in additional funding

Dr. William Roggenthen, professor, geology

from the West River Foundation for Economic

and geological engineering, received $138,054

and Community Development for the project,

from the National Science Foundation for the

“Genesis of Innovation for South Dakota.”

project, “Collaborative Research: Towards the

Skillman also received $20,000 from the West River Foundation

Transparent Earth.”

for Economic and Community Development for the project, “Genesis of Innovation for South Dakota / Technology Transfer

Dr. Rajesh Sani, assistant professor, chemical and biological

and Entrepreneur Center Project.”

engineering; Dr. Sookie Bang, professor, chemical and biological engineering; and Dr. David Dixon, chair and professor, chemical

Dr.

Steve

Smith,

and biological engineering, received $14,855 from South Dakota

nanoengineering, received $300,000 from the United States

State University for the project, “Permeable Reactive Bio-Barriers

Department of Energy (subaward from National Renewable Energy

for Uranium Removal: Role of Iron Minerals on Uranium Fate

Laboratory) for the project, “Development of Super Resolution

and Transport.”

Optical Microscopy Techniques for Visualization of Plant Cellular

associate

professor,

nanoscience

and

and Cellulose Enzyme Activity.”

Research Notes adfadfa

Dr. Larry Stetler, associate professor, geology

Dr. Michael Terry, assistant professor, geology and geological

and geological engineering, and Dr. Arden

engineering, received $42,144 from the Capella Resources Ltd.

Davis, Mickelson Professor, geology and

Nevada Exploration Office for the project, “Structural Analysis of

geological engineering received $75,000 from

the Tinton Project Area and the Age of Gold Mobilization in the

the National Science Foundation/SGER for the

Homestake Deposit, Northern Black Hills of South Dakota.”

project, “Characterization of the Precambrian Dr. Karen Updegraff, research scientist I, Institute of Atmospheric

Aquifer at the Homestake DUSEL.”

Sciences, received $43,193 in additional funding from Montana Dr. James Stone, associate professor, civil

State University for the project, “Big Sky Regional Carbon

and environmental engineering, received

Sequestration Partnership – Phase II”

$6,000 in additional funding from the National Science Foundation for the project,

Dr. Jianbin Wei, assistant professor, mathematics and

“Degradation

Antimicrobial

Agents

computer science, received $150,000 from the National Science

Tylosin

Chlorotetracycline

during

Foundation for the project, “CSR-PDOS: Non-Intrusive

and

Swine Waste Treatment.”

Monitoring and Management of End-to-End Performance for Secured Internet Service.”

Dr. Stone, Dr. Larry Stetler, associate professor, geology and geological engineering; and Dr. P.V. Sundareshwar, assistant professor, atmospheric sciences, received $238,742 from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency- South Dakota Department of Environmental and Natural Resources for the project, “Statewide Mercury TMDL Assessment Project.” Dr. P.V. Sundareshwar, assistant professor, atmospheric sciences, received $75,000 from the National Science Foundation for the project, “SGER: An Opportunity to Study the Impact of Nutrient Pulsing in an Oligotrophic Forest Stream in South Dakota.” Dr. Sundareshwar also received $13,750 from the United States Department of Interior – United States Geological Survey for the project, “31P NMR Analyses in Prairie Pothole Wetlands Across a Land Use Gradient.”

Dr. Robb Winter, professor, chemical and biological engineering, received $171,555 in additional funding from the National Science Foundation for the project, “Intergovernmental Personnel Act Program Manager Assignment to National Science Foundation.” Dr. Zhengtao Zhu, assistant professor, chemistry, received $40,000 from the American Chemical Society for the project, “Charge Transfer and Charge Transport in Nanofibers of Conjugated Polymer and ZnO Nanoparticles.”

University Cabinet President

SDSM&T Foundation

Robert A. Wharton, Ph.D.

L.R. “Rod” Pappel, President

Assistant to the President

College of Science and Letters

Carol A. Jensen

Dr. Duane C. Hrncir, Dean

Academic Affairs

Graduate Education

Dr. Karen L. Whitehead, Provost and Vice President Interim Dean, College of Engineering

Dr. John H. Helsdon, Dean

Dr. Kathryn E. Alley, Associate Vice President

Mitch M. Miller, Director

Business and Administration

Faculty Senate

Timothy G. Henderson, Vice President

Dr. David A. Boyles, Chair

Research Affairs

Career Service Employees

Dale N. “Butch” Skillman, Interim Vice President

Richard J. MacDonald, Chair

Facilities Services

Student Affairs

Exempt Employees

Dr. Patricia G. Mahon, Vice President and Dean of Students

Kelli R. Shuman, Chair

University and Public Relations

Student Association

Julie A. Smoragiewicz, Vice President

Marcus J. Bartlett, President

SDSM&T Alumni Association Tim Vottero, Director

Campus Profile

Degree Options

Bachelor of Science Degrees

Geological Engineering

2008-2009 Enrollment

2,061 students from 40 states and 29 countries

Master of Science Degrees

Costs and Fees

Biomedical Engineering

Research

Faculty

The School of Mines employs 135 full-time faculty members, more than 74 percent of whom hold doctorate or other appropriate terminal degrees.

Honors and Awards

• One of America’s Best College Buys for the 11th consecutive year • One of approximately 200 Colleges of Distinction

Placement