SOUTH DAKOTA SCHOOL OF MINES & TECHNOLOGY FOUNDATIONUpdate November 2014 A Quarterly Publication for Alumni & Friends Energy Resources Initiative The South Dakota School of Mines & Technology has launched an interdisciplinary energy initiative to advance Inside knowledge and better serve the upstream and downstream oil and gas This industry. With robust programs in geology and Issue geological engineering, civil and environmental engineering, chemical Foundation engineering, mining Annual engineering, mechanical Report engineering and materials and metallurgical Alumni engineering, SDSM&T Association is well positioned to geomechanical and Industry demands can be workforce,” Hrncir said in Contributors meet emerging needs hydrological properties, met now with students his testimony. and catalyze economic mineralogy, and who are well prepared to One example of this Around and development related to composition of shale and go directly into industry. collaboration is the recent About energy production. other fine-grained rocks. Duane Hrncir, development of a minor “The energy industry The School of Mines’ former provost and vice in petroleum systems. Grubby is rapidly growing in our geological engineering president for academic This minor was created for sale region,” said President graduates have a 100 affairs, testified about the to be interdisciplinary to Heather Wilson. “Many of percent placement rate university’s expanding provide students from our graduates are already and are offered the highest energy efforts. many degree programs the hired into the industry, average starting salary— “The energy industry opportunity to gain skills and we are well positioned nearly $71,000 annually. It has changed significantly needed by the petroleum to expand both teaching also helps that SDSM&T over the past 30 years. industry. The minor and research in this field.” is equidistant from the Advances in exploration began enrolling students In early 2014, Williston Basin in North and production are opening this fall and is expected SDSM&T launched the Dakota, the Powder River new areas of the country to be a popular choice Shale Research Initiative Basin in Wyoming and the as important sources to for students wanting to to assess the feasibility Denver Basin in Colorado. meet the country’s energy pursue careers in energy of beginning the nation’s The energy resource needs. Coupled with our resources. We will also first underground shale initiative has two parts. long history in energy be offering a Graduate research laboratory. The One is to advance resources, our geographic Certificate in Petroleum Shale Research Initiative, knowledge, which is location is attracting Systems. SDSM&T in partnership with where the research, and a growing number of graduate students and RESPEC Consulting & particularly the shale industries to partner with outside professionals can Services and with support research, comes in, and the university to ensure enroll in the 12-credit from the Department of the other is to prepare that our graduates meet the program of graduate-level Energy and State of South students for employment current and future needs course work. Dakota, is investigating in the energy industry. of the energy resource The Mines Annual Fund Three organizations that every student receives scholarships, department number of years (one to are now fundraising as one an innovative, high-quality support, and student nine) since graduation. through the Mines Annual education. activities. The Hardrock Although the state of Fund—previously known The SDSM&T Club’s mission is to be the South Dakota provides some as the Mines Legacy Fund. Foundation, Alumni main fundraising entity of the base funding that The Mines Legacy Fund Association, and Hardrock for the SDSM&T athletic SDSM&T needs to operate, was initiated just a few years Club have partnered to department whose goal is it is the annual support from ago as the primary vehicle become the university’s to provide the maximum donors that helps SDSM&T 57701 to solicit unrestricted funds fundraiser. All three of athletic scholarship support departments and programs Non-Profit Permit #541 Permit Rapid City, SD on an annual/ongoing the organizations support allowed to all varsity athletes. not just meet expectations, U.S. Postage Paid U.S. Postage basis. With the new name, SDSM&T. The Alumni To recognize donors but exceed them. Donors the Mines Annual Fund Association’s mission is to for their significant to the Mines Annual Fund will continue to support promote communication contributions to the endorse the mission of the the entire mission of the and interaction among Mines Annual Fund, the university. The Foundation, university. It is the annual alumni, students, faculty and President’s Circle was the Alumni Association, giving fund to secure administrators of SDSM&T established. President’s and the Hardrock Club are unrestricted support for and to maintain an alumni Circle Membership is offered working together through the greatest needs of the network and support to those donating $1,000 the annual fund to support university. The Mines services for graduates and or more with members SDSM&T as it educates Annual Fund endorses the friends. The Foundation receiving invitations to world-class engineers and university’s mission and exists to develop and manage special events. Five-year scientists today and in the 2022 strategic plan and private resources to support members are recognized on future. Please consider a provides a means to achieve the mission and priorities of a commemorative plaque gift to the Mines Annual them. It supports the SDSM&T, to support the outside of the university Fund, thereby enabling the Foundation’s commitment needs of students, faculty president’s office. Younger university to recruit, retain, to secure resources for and staff and to contribute alumni can become members and educate some of the scholarships, faculty and to institutional excellence. with a discounted donation brightest students. We are research and provides the Support is provided in of $100 to $900 annually, thankful for your support! necessary funds to ensure numerous ways including corresponding with the Mineral Industries Initiative The South Dakota School the highest possible of Mines is one of five US quality. universities still offering the The university’s combination of undergraduate vision is to majors in geology, geological transform the engineering, metallurgical Mineral Industries engineering, and mining building and create engineering. The three a future-focused majors are housed within the facility with a multi- Mineral Industries building. disciplinary and This facility has never seen open atmosphere; a major renovation, and the upgrade classrooms current 1960s-era layout of and laboratories classrooms, laboratories, with state-of-the- student work areas, and offices art instructional is functionally outdated, equipment; and dampening efforts to advance create whole- work spaces where students The Board of Regents knowledge and provide science process and flexible and faculty can gather for approved the development of and engineering education of laboratories and compelling study, team-based learning, a preliminary design for the and research/design work. Mineral Industries building in In transforming the Mineral June 2014. Total project costs Industries facility, it will create have been estimated to be in a more open layout, with the range of 14 to 17 million floors organized by function dollars. The renovation will rather than by discipline. take a phased approach and Open work areas, along the outcome, tentatively slated with connected laboratories for completion in 2018, will be and other innovation spaces a uniquely-designed space to will encourage collaboration enhance educational, design, among faculty and facilitate and research collaborations hands-on learning experiences between the academic and interdisciplinary design departments and industry. projects of students. The Kuliks support SDSM&T Joseph and Josephine Kulik his friends made Bombing Range at Fort Bliss. have been generous friends to the their own toys In 1970, Joe was transferred university throughout many years. and scooters from to Tulsa to map the Appalachian Their ambition has always been orange crates and and Anadarko Basins and was to help attract some of the best skates, and played given an opportunity to live and and brightest students to Mines to stick-ball, tag, work in Denver for Tenneco in pursue an education and encourage hide-and-seek, 1972. At the beginning of the them to become responsible and dodge ball, and oil boom in 1975, he joined Koch productive graduates in American snowball games. Explorations. In 1978, with the society. Joe’s creativity and oil boom in full swing, Joe was “Once you graduate from business insight asked to become an area geologist the School of Mines you tend to enabled him to covering the Williston Basin in compare yourself to other students convert toy cap North and South Dakota with from other universities and you pistols into zip Inexco. Their company with 216 feel they come up lacking. I felt my guns that fired employees enjoyed much success, degree at Mines was so much more .22 caliber shells and as a result, Joe received valuable because of the time I put which he sold for extraordinary benefits. into my course work and because one dollar. During When laid off in 1986, Joe of my professors. It was also like the summer, Joe relied on his wits and connection an entrance