This year, the Geological and Mining Engineering and Sciences Department proudly participated in the 2026 SME Annual Conference & Expo in Salt Lake City, as faculty and students engaged with mining professionals, researchers, and industry leaders from across the country for a week of learning, collaboration, and networking.
With degrees in hand and a major milestone achieved, our GMES Spring & Summer 2026 graduates came together at the Rock House / Mine Shaft in Houghton to celebrate their transition into the Michigan Technological University alumni community!
GMES is proud to announce and celebrate the accomplishments of our Spring & Summer 2026 graduates. These dedicated students have conducted research, completed rigorous coursework, and made meaningful contributions to our academic community. Their hard work and perseverance have prepared them to take the next step as professionals and researchers in the fields of geosciences, mining, and engineering. Please join us in congratulating the following graduate students:
The Department of Geological and Mining Engineering and Sciences (GMES) is proud to recognize Bryce Baar as the 2026 GMES Department Scholar!
Michigan Tech’s student team from the Department of Geological and Mining Engineering and Sciences (GMES), known as School of Minds, has advanced to the top six teams nationally in Phase 2 of the Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration (SME)/National Stone, Sand, and Gravel Association (NSSGA) Student Design Competition. This achievement places the team among a select group of top-performing programs across the country in a highly competitive national field.
Celebrating Our Fall 2025 MS & PhD Graduates
GMES is proud to announce and celebrate the accomplishments of our Fall 2025 graduates. These dedicated students have conducted research, completed rigorous coursework, and made meaningful contributions to our academic community. Their hard work and perseverance have prepared them to take the next step as professionals and researchers in the fields of geosciences, mining, and engineering. Please join us in congratulating the following graduate students:
Sananda Ray, PhD, Geophysics
Rolla Asiedu, MS Geology
Elijah Dosapati, MS Mining Engineering
Seth Farmer, MS Geology
Kudakwashe (Kuda) T. Mutanga, MS Mining Engineering
Akintunde (Stephen) Samakinde, MS Geological Engineering
We are incredibly proud of each of these graduates and look forward to seeing the impact they will make in their careers and beyond. Congratulations to the graduate student class of 2025!
Congratulations to Our Fall 2025 Bachelor of Science Graduates!
GMES is proud to celebrate the achievements of our Fall 2025 Bachelor of Science graduates—students who have built the skills and knowledge to become the next generation of geoscientists and engineers. Please join us in congratulating:
Matthew Keebaugh, BS Mining Engineering
Luke Mariuzza, BS Geological Engineering
Carl Rich, BS Geology
Kiera Watson, BS Geology
Honoring our award and scholarship recipients:
Graduate Certificate in Geoinformatics
Outstanding Scholarship Award
Outstanding Teaching Assistant Award
Finishing Fellowship Recipients
The Department of Geological and Mining Engineering and Sciences (GMES) at Michigan Technological University is always looking for opportunities to expand our education and research into new, forward-looking areas. Drone-based geophysics is one such area—an emerging field that is rapidly transforming how we investigate and understand the subsurface.
Drone-based geophysics offers remarkable potential for geoscience and engineering practice. By
combining unmanned aerial systems with advanced geophysical sensors, we can safely and efficiently
collect high-resolution data in challenging or previously inaccessible environments. These capabilities
are reshaping mineral exploration, environmental assessment, hazard mapping, and infrastructure
monitoring.
To provide our students with this increasingly sought-after skill set — valued across industry, government agencies, and research organizations — we have launched the development of a new drone-based geophysics curriculum. To support this initiative, the department has acquired a high-capacity Aurelia X6 Pro V2 drone paired with a Geometrics MagArrow II magnetometer, one of the most advanced airborne magnetic systems available. This effort is currently led by Professor Aleksey Smirnov, chair of GMES, together with MS student Samuel Jensen. Both have recently completed comprehensive training and earned professional unmanned aerial vehicle pilot licenses, ensuring safe and compliant deployment of these systems in research and instructional settings.
Our vision is to develop a suite of drone-based geophysics courses covering not only airborne data acquisition but also advanced data processing and visualization. Students will use the state-of-the-art Seequent Oasis Montaj geophysical software — recently acquired to support the Applied Geophysics program — to work with real flight datasets, learn industry-standard workflows, and build strong practical expertise.
Our future research directions include a wide range of potential applications, such as high-resolution magnetic mapping of Precambrian rocks in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, critical minerals and geological hydrogen exploration, surveys of mine tailings and legacy mining landscapes for environmental and safety assessments, geologic mapping of fault zones and structural features, and magnetic mapping for archaeological investigations.
We are also actively seeking collaborations with other departments and research centers at Michigan Tech, as well as partners outside the university, to broaden the impact and interdisciplinary reach of this developing program.
Looking ahead, we plan to expand our toolkit with additional drone-compatible geophysical methods, including electromagnetics and ground-penetrating radar, further enhancing opportunities for education and research.
We are excited about the hands-on learning and research possibilities that drone-based geophysics will offer, and we hope that this work will inspire more students to join GMES and contribute to the continued success of the department. Stay tuned for updates…
Michigan Technological University’s Department of Geological and Mining Engineering and Sciences
(GMES) has received a generous donation from PE Limited, a global leader in petroleum engineering
software. The $6,564,992.28 contribution consists of ten licenses for the state-of-the-art MOVE suite
and ten licenses for the IPM suite of products. This innovative software will be critical in advancing
education and academic research by enabling cutting-edge structural modeling and minimizing risk in
geological models.
“This generous donation from PE Limited is a game-changer for our department,” said Dr. Aleksey
Smirnov.
GMES will install the MOVE and IPM software in a computer lab and integrate it into the curriculum,
transforming structural geology education for undergraduate and graduate students. Courses like
GE3050 Structural Geology, a requirement for GMES undergraduates, GE4610 Formation Evaluation and
Petroleum Engineering, and graduate-level classes will leverage this powerful tool to enhance learning
outcomes. Furthermore, MOVE will play a vital role in academic, non-commercial research on tectonics
and structural geology, including mapping Michigan’s iconic Keweenaw Fault and other complex systems
in the Upper Peninsula. The IMP Suite will support our ongoing and future research activities in the
areas of critical mineral extraction, subsurface fluid-flow modeling, and geomechanics.
Dr. Aleksey Smirnov, Chair of the GMES Department, believes in the donation’s transformative impact.
“This generous donation from PE Limited is a game-changer for our department,” said Dr. Aleksey
Smirnov. It empowers our students and researchers to work with industry-leading tools, elevating their
education and research to the next level.”
Since its founding in 1990, PE Limited has been developing software solutions for the oil and gas
industry. PE Limited supports accredited universities offering advanced geology and petroleum
engineering programs through its educational licensing program, fostering the next generation of
industry innovators.
Learn more about the MOVE and IPM suite of products and its role in shaping geologic modeling
excellence.
GMES is pleased to share that Priyanka Dhamala, a master’s student majoring in geology, has received the Outstanding Graduate Student Teaching Award, recognizing her excellent teaching performance with the GE3850 Geohydrology labs, where she served as the Teaching Advisor. She joined Michigan Tech from Lamkichuha, Nepal, in the fall of 2024. Advised by Dr. Greg Waite, Priyanka is on track to graduate this spring 2026.
Priyanka has been praised for her clear communication, patience, and ability to break down complex hydrogeologic concepts in ways that support student success. Her commitment to creating a positive, engaging learning environment has had a meaningful impact on the course and the students she mentors.
“The most rewarding part of serving as a TA was seeing my students connect geological
concepts to real-world examples and watching their curiosity grow. Their questions often taught
me new ways of thinking, too. Teaching has strengthened my confidence, deepened my interest
in academia, and reminded me how much I enjoy being in the classroom, teaching, and
mentoring. One quote I really connect with is, “If you’re the smartest one in the room, you’re in
the wrong room,” by Richard Tirendi. I approached every class with that mindset. Ready to learn
and grow alongside my students.” – Priyanka
This award highlights not only Priyanka’s dedication to teaching but also her strong leadership within the department. GMES congratulates Priyanka on this well-deserved achievement and thanks her for her outstanding contributions to our academic community.
“My advice for future TAs or teaching advisors is to go with an open mind, be welcoming, and
remember that students learn at different paces. Try to see things from their perspective, be
approachable, and create a space where questions feel safe. Sometimes extra effort makes all
the difference.” – Priyanka
The Department of Geological and Mining Engineering and Sciences at Michigan Technological
University is pleased to welcome Dr. Yanrui (Daisy) Ning as the newest member of our faculty in
Geological Engineering. Dr. Ning brings extensive experience and technical expertise that will
strengthen the department’s teaching and research portfolio in subsurface energy systems and
resource engineering.
Dr. Ning earned her Ph.D. in Petroleum Engineering from the Colorado School of Mines in 2017,
where she also served as a Research Assistant Professor in the Department of Geophysics. Her
research focuses on carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS), enhanced geothermal
systems, subsurface hydrogen storage, and critical minerals. She applies an integrated approach
that combines multiphase flow modeling, geomechanics, advanced computational simulation,
machine learning, and distributed fiber-optic sensing to advance the understanding and
sustainable management of subsurface energy systems.
In her new role at Michigan Tech, Dr. Ning will contribute to both teaching and research in
support of the Geological Engineering program. Her expertise in subsurface energy systems
directly supports the national priorities of strengthening U.S. energy security, expanding
domestic resource production, and ensuring a stable supply of critical minerals. She is also
advancing emerging fields such as geological hydrogen exploration and carbon management,
which align with the nation’s goals of responsible resource development and technological
innovation in the energy sector.
“Dr. Ning’s expertise in subsurface energy systems and her multidisciplinary approach
will enhance our capabilities in critical areas such as carbon storage, geothermal
energy, critical minerals, and geological hydrogen,” said Aleksey Smirnov, Chair of the
Department of Geological and Mining Engineering and Sciences. “We are excited to
have her on board as we continue to grow our Geological Engineering program and
expand our impact on the sustainable development of Earth’s resources.”
Please join us in welcoming Dr. Daisy Ning to Michigan Tech and the GMES community.